Exploring Female Sanctity in Old English Hagiography

This thesis investigates the portrayal of female saints in Old English hagiography, focusing on the Old English Martyrology, Ælfric’s Lives of Saints, and other Anglo-Saxon texts, including Cynewulf's Juliana and Elene. By examining the narratives of female saints, the study contrasts their roles and attributes with those of male saints, shedding light on how gender influenced the construction of sanctity in religious literature. The analysis also explores how these depictions shaped societal views on women, revealing the broader cultural and theological implications of gender in early medieval England, particularly in the context of the merging Christian and Germanic traditions. Through a comparative literary analysis, the study examines the narrative structures, theological themes, and rhetorical strategies used in the stories of Saint Juliana and Saint Elene. It uncovers how these texts construct female agency, virtue, and sanctity, while also identifying key differences in the portrayal of male and female saints. These differences highlight how gender influenced the conceptsof sanctity, piety, and power within both Christian and Germanic cultural frameworks. The findings reveal that female saints are often depicted as symbols of unwavering faith and purity, reflecting broader Christian ideals while also engaging with Germanic heroic values, and serving as focal points of devotional practices.