Abstract
The article focuses on narrative strategies of inclusion and exclusion and their realisation in vernacular hagiographical texts. In the Life of St. Cecily in the Middle High German ›Passional‹, the exclusion from the secular culture can be shown in the refusing of the aristocratic conception of life by the protagonist; her turning to Christianity is reflected in selective, even exclusive strategies of perception: only by participating in the ›communio sanctorum‹, in Christianity, certain transcendent phenomena can be noticed; unbaptised persons keep being excluded. In contrast, in the Life of St. Martin of Tours, the protagonist's exclusion from the sphere of aristocratic culture is reflected in the confrontation of disparate body-concepts; the different forms of perception presented in this vita are excluding the saint from the other Christians. If the criteria of distinction become more diverse, if – as it is the case in the Life of St. Martin – the distinction between Pagan and Christian is not solely decisive any longer, strategies of inclusion and exclusion are operative on several levels: on the level of perception as well as on the level of body-concepts.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
