Rereading absence: silent narratives in the ‘Life of Eligius of Noyon

Lin, S. (2022) Rereading absence: silent narratives in the ‘Life of Eligius of Noyon. In: Fafinski, M. and Riemenschneider, J. (eds.) The Past Through Narratology: New Approaches to Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Series: Das Mittelalter. Perspektiven mediävistischer Forschung. Beihefte (vol.18). Heidelberg University Publishing: Heidelberg, pp. 27-39. ISBN 9783968221076 (doi: 10.17885/heiup.921.c13612)

Abstract

The ‘Life of Eligius of Noyon’ contains a unique digression on the monothelete controversy engulfing the Roman Empire in the seventh century. While it is often read as evidence of the author and the saint’s support for Pope Martin’s anti-monothelete initiatives, an examination of the excursus also reveals clues that this particular narra­tive was artfully crafted to argue for this ‘orthodox’ posi­tion, not necessarily that it reflected the reality of Frankish attitudes around the year 650. By re-examining narrative omissions within this digression and viewing the absence of information not as indications of ignorance, but as the result of deliberate authorial intent, this contribution sug­gests that the hagiographer explicitly wove together the actions of Eligius and Martin, at least partially, in order to excuse Frankish inaction during this doctrinal dispute.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Lin, Dr Sihong
• Authors: Lin, S.
• Subjects: D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D111 Medieval History
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > History
• Publisher: Heidelberg University Publishing
• ISBN: 9783968221076