Abstract
ABSTRACTThis study examines John Chrysostom's homilies On the Maccabees specifically from the perspective of martyrdom as corporeal discourse. Chrysostom focuses mostly on the martyr-mother and the last of the seven sons. Along with the discourse of maternality and the maternal body, a contrary meta-discourse of masculinity is promoted that overrides the feminine weaknesses of maternality. In typical androcentric and patriarchal fashion, Chrysostom has the Maccabean martyr-mother deny her maternal corporeal knowledge, and implements a potent andromorphism in the reconstruction of her corporeality and self-definition. Central to this endeavour is the application and promotion of a new scopic economy, a new way of looking with spiritual eyes. The last son's martyrdom, being voluntary and suicidal, is valued by Chrysostom, since the mother acts as a catalyst for his death. Chrysostom strategically succeeds in claiming this corporeal capital for the wider programme of reconstructing martyrdom in late antique Christianity.
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