The Suffering Self: Pain and Narrative Representation in the Early Christian EraThe Suffering Self is a ground-breaking, interdisciplinary study of the spread of Christianity across the Roman empire. Judith Perkins shows how Christian narrative representation in the early empire worked to create a new kind of human self-understanding - the perception of the self as sufferer. Drawing on feminist and social theory, she addresses the question of why forms of suffering like martyrdom and self-mutilation were so important to early Christians. This study crosses the boundaries between ancient history and the study of early Christianity, seeing Christian representation in the context of the Greco-Roman world. She draws parallels with suffering heroines in Greek novels and in martyr acts and examines representations in medical and philosophical texts. Judith Perkins' controversial study is important reading for all those interested in ancient society, or in the history `f Christianity. |
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Contents
15 | |
MARRIAGES AS HAPPY ENDINGS | 41 |
PAIN WITHOUT EFFECT | 77 |
SUFFERING AND POWER | 104 |
The Acts of Peter | 124 |
THE SICK SELF | 142 |
IDEOLOGY NOT PATHOLOGY | 173 |
The Community of Sufferers | 200 |
Other editions - View all
The Suffering Self: Pain and Narrative Representation in the Early Christian Era Judith Perkins No preview available - 1995 |
Common terms and phrases
according actions Acts ancient appeared Aristides Asclepius attention authority become believed body called Callirhoe cause century Chaereas chastity Christ Christian concern constructed contemporary context continued couple cultural death demonstrated depicted described desire discourse discussion displayed divine doctors dream early empire effect elite emphasis endurance Epictetus evidence example existence experience explained fact father focus followed function Galen Greek Habrocomes human Ignatius important indicate individual interest knowledge later letters Lives Marcus Aurelius marriage martyrs matter medicine namely narrative nature noted novel offered pain particular period Perpetua persecution person Peter philosopher physical poor present Press Prognosis readers reading recognized references reflect rejected relations representation represented role romance saints sense sick similar slave social society soul Stoic suffering suggested things traditional turn understanding University woman