JULIAN OF NORWICH

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JULIAN OF NORWICH

• Revelations of
• Divine Love

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BIO/LITERARY DATES

• b. 1342/43 - d. after 1416
• Revelations of Divine Love visions and short
  version, 1373 long version ca. 1393
• first known named female writer in English
• an anchoress (definition)
• religion and female author-ity
• literary/spiritual influences

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Revelations Patterns, Style

• Thinking in Threes (and 4s, 5s)
• Trinitarian parallels (Father/Son/Spirit
  Might/Wisdom/Love-Will etc., etc.)
• Style Meditative, Sermon-like, Oratorical
• cf. I have a dream speech (MLK, Jr.)
• meant to change writer and audience emotionally,
  morally
• repetitive, often with sound effects
  (alliteration, etc.)

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Revelations Julians Theology

• theology of com-passion (suffering with)
• and all shall be well -- on the nature and
  ultimate impermanence of sin/alienation from God,
  role of pain
• God as loving Lord
• parable of servant humanity as Adam/Christ,
  essentially positive view of human nature
• lord/servant as descendant of lord/thane bond

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Revelations Theology, contd.

• Jesus as Mother
• maternal/feminine dimensions of God
• parallels with human mother/child relationships
• Soul as royal city of strength
• divine presence within self
• metaphors of security, order, ability to resist
  spiritual trouble
• thou shalt not be overcome