DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIONS OF VIRGIN MARY

The Different Representations of Virgin Mary and How It condemned The (Modern) Woman to Inferiority At The Expense Of Grandeur

Acknowledgement

I would first like to express my gratitude for my research supervisor, colleagues, peers and family whose immense and constant support has been a source of continuous guidance and inspiration.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names & surname here], declare that the following dissertation/thesis and its entire content has been an individual, unaided effort and has not been submitted or published before. Furthermore, it reflects my opinion and take on the topic and is does not represent the opinion of the University.

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Abstract

This study defined and expressed different representations associated with the Virgin Mary both positive and negative. It was based on the figure of Virgin Mary in two primary texts that were, Alone of All Her Sex by Marina Warner and Sally Cunneen's In Search of Marry. This study was further supported by various studies both presenting positive and negative representation of Virgin Mary in different cultures, religions and different times. There had been major changes in the religious and literary traditions. With the early modern period in the medieval era, there were standards to judge the character of the woman. Literature and art of the medieval era also reflected changes in the thoughts and perceptions of women, and how women were considered inferior as their characters do not match figure of Virgin Mary. Most of women in the medieval era are presented as lustful and immoral in the literature. Some literature also presented women as the perfect figure of Virgin Mary, such as chaste and innocent, but even then on the basis of their physical, emotional, and social weaknesses these women were considered inferior. This study investigated that how different representations of Virgin Mary resulted in making modern women as more inferior at the cost of grandeur in both positive and negative senses. As a woman, the factor of inferiority is also associated with Virgin Mary in both religious and literary context. She did not have any higher position in the religion, Church, or in the Bible. As compare to this, Virgin Mary got more attention in the critical, artistic, and literal compositions. Cunneen (1996) discussed various sources in order to define changes in representation of Mary in different times. For this study, novel, song, painting and poem analyzed in detail, to investigate different representations of Mary in different times; and how women are condemned to perpetual inferiority, no matter how Virgin Mary is represented.

Acknowledgementi

DECLARATIONii

Abstractiii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Introduction of the Study1

Background of the Study2

Purpose of the Study3

Rationale of the Study4

Aim and Objective of the Study5

Research Questions6

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW7

Myth of Virgin Mary7

Different Representations of Mary8

Representation of Virgin Mary and how it condemned the Woman to Inferiority in Medieval Literature10

Representations of Mary in Different Religions11

Representation of Virgin Mary and Inferiority of Women at the Cost of Grandeur12

Perpetual Inferiority of Modern Women at the Cost of Grandeur13

Representations of Mary in Art and Literature and inferiorly of women at the Cost ...