Essay: Recurring Motifs in Women Saints

One of the main themes of the unit was women forgoing marriage in order to live a Godly life as virgins. These women saints were so anguished over the prospect of losing their virginity that they would alter their appearances in order to join monasteries.

One example of this motif is the story of Saint Pelagien. In this story, Margaret, a woman of noble birth, is forced to marry a man she does not love. The prospect of her losing her virginity causes her to change her appearance and enter a monastery as a man, Pelagien. Similarly, Saint Eugenia also dressed up as a man and went to a monastery to become a servant of the Lord.

(Saint Eugenia)

Both of these stories have another recurring motif: perceived adultery. Saint Pelagien is accused of impregnating a woman while he is overseeing the nunnery. Saint Eugenia is also accused of adultery while embracing the life of a monk. Saint Eugenia's story has a different ending than the story of Saint Pelagien, because the former manages to convert someone before her death, whereas Pelagien dies in his prison cell.

Another interesting recurring motif is dragons. In two of the legends, dragons play an important role in helping solidify the holiness of the women that defeat them. The legend of Saint Margaret tells of how a dragon appears in Margaret's prison cell and swallows her, but she makes the sign of the cross and defeats the dragon. The dragon in Saint Martha has become famous and was even named the Tarasque. The legend describes this woodland dwelling dragon as a Leviathan, and one that would eat men and destroy the land. Martha uses holy water and the sign of the cross in order to subdue the creature, and afterwards the people slay him. Both dragons seem to show that the cross is holy enough to defeat anything.

(Saint Martha and the Tarasque)

Storytelling Week 3: Saint Pelagien

Pelagien appeared at the abbey late one stormy, cold night. He seemed terrified and helpless, yet he was certain that becoming a monk was what he must do. His clothing hung on him loosely, and his hair looked like it had been cut off by some sort of blunt ax. I, being the abbot, examined him and decided that this place would be the perfect safe haven for a young, helpless soul like him.

(Abbot sharing his story about Pelagien)

His time at the abbey was extremely fruitful. Pelagien was eager to learn and please the Lord in all that he did and became somewhat of a role model for the younger monks at the abbey. In all of our interactions, I never did learn about this young man’s past, even though I was curious. All I knew from the very beginning was that he had escaped from a compromising situation, and that was all he ever said about it.

His countenance drastically improved over the course of his time at the abbey. When Pelagien came to me, I was afraid he would keel over at the slightest hint of a breeze. As time went on, he gained a healthy and even otherworldly glow that I could only attribute to his heart being filled with the great love of the Lord.

After some time, we at the abbey felt that Pelagien could be trusted with more responsibilities. For this reason, he became the master of the neighboring nunnery. It came as a surprise that he initially refused the duty so strongly since he was always eager to do more of the Lord’s work. Eventually, though, he consented and began to partake in all of the duties bestowed upon him. His work prospered, and the nunnery became even holier.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I found out that Pelagien had committed one of the gravest sins. There was a virgin who had committed adultery and her resulting pregnancy could no longer be hidden under layers of loose clothing. Since Pelagien was constantly around this woman and knew her, we all assumed that he was the father of the child. It was with sadness and anger at the assumed betrayal that we imprisoned Pelagien for his deed. We placed him within a dark pit that was hewn out of a rock. Pelagien handled the accusation with somber silence.

The monk sent to look after Pelagien was a stern man, and it wasn’t long before he began to report to me that Pelagien had become nothing but a mere shadow of what he once was. Regardless, the suffering man still possessed an otherworldly light that emanated from him at all times.

Soon after his imprisonment, Pelagien passed on. He left behind his emaciated body and a letter for me and my fellow monks that truly shocked all of the members of the religious community. In the letter, we discovered that Pelagien wasn’t a man, but a devout woman of the faith, Margaret. Imagine my horror when I discovered that I took part in murdering an innocent human being. All of us at the abbey and the nunnery felt so awful that we made sure to honor her dying wish of being buried among the honorable virgins. To this day, I remember Pelagien with great awe.

(Saint Pelagien)

Author's Note: This story was based on the legend of Saint Pelagien, who is a woman that disguises herself as a man in order to become a monk. The saint, whose real name is Margaret, was desperate to get out of a marriage, which is why she went through all of the trouble of disguising herself and going to an abbey. I chose to tell this story from the point of view of the abbot of the monastery because I thought it would offer a different perspective on the story. I wanted to drive home that those from the monastery and nunnery venerated the saint and regretted their actions. I thought it was important to not make light of the fact that an innocent woman died for her pure actions. It was somewhat difficult to make this story long enough at first, but then I realized that there was so much I could describe, and that made the writing much easier. The nice thing about the stories in this unit is that they are relatively free of too many details, allowing for a lot of freedom with descriptions and details. 
This story is found in The Golden Legend edited by S. F. Ellis (1900). Web source: Golden Legend: Saint Pelagien.

Reading Diary B: Women Saints of the Golden Legend

The second set of women saints in this unit had even more incredible stories than the first set, it seemed. My favorite from this unit would have to be Saint Martha. Her story involves a dragon, which automatically makes it really intense. It states that she directly interacted with Jesus, which I think makes her the only woman saint to do so in this unit. This, in turn, adds a slightly different air to her tale. I've never seen Da Vinci Code, but want to after reading this story in order to see how her legend was used.

(Saint Martha slaying the dragon)

Another legend that I particularly enjoyed was the one of Saint Barbara. Her story is similar to one in the first half of the unit, but this story involves her helping in the building of her tower, which I thought was interesting. She seemed to lead a very busy life with how much she was doing for the people, namely purifying water to cleanse the masses. One detail I really liked was when she explained the purpose for having three windows instead of two. That small detail changed the course of her life, and I thought it was intriguing that something so insignificant could lead to so many life-altering changes in her life. The ending of this story was also neat, with her father being burned to ash by a flame sent down from Heaven and all. Overall, this story could rival modern action movies with how much took place in one little legend.

(Saint Barbara overseeing tower building)

Reading Diary A: Women Saints of the Golden Legend

This unit was interesting and challenging at the same time. The word usage was the most difficult aspect to grasp, but after the first two stories, the reading became much easier. There were some words in the stories that aren't used anymore, which I thought added a unique touch to each tale. For example, the word "impetre" in the legend Saint Mary of Egypt means to seek or beseech, and that is one word that I had never heard before. This unit definitely provides a learning experience.

In terms of favorite legends, basically the more outrageous the legend was, the more I enjoyed it. One of my favorites was Saint Margaret. In one version of the legend about her, she gets swallowed by a dragon but escapes by making the symbol of the cross. I thought that was the perfect material for a legend and made the saint seem even more legit.

(Saint Margaret)

Another legend I really enjoyed reading was the legend of Saint Christine. The amount of suffering that Saint Christine went through in the legend is incredible. As if having to the hatred of her loved ones wasn't enough, they were also trying to torture and kill her. Yet through all of her trials, she didn't give up her beliefs and stayed strong until the very end. This tale of perseverance through hardship is immensely inspiring. If Saint Christine could be beaten, set on fire, and strung with serpents, then I can suffer through my homework and workout regimen. 

(Saint Christine)

Storytelling Topics

Storybook Topic: Women Saints

Comments: I first briefly saw the title for this unit while scanning all of the ones I had to choose from for weeks 2 and 3, and I kept coming back to it. This topic is interesting to me because I want to learn more about the women that have been immortalized in stories.

Possible Stories: I know there is an incredible amount of stories about women saints that I could choose from not only in the UN-Textbook but on the internet as well. Just putting “women saints” into Google search brought up a substantial amount of not only religious sites, but purely biographical sites as well. I’m sure if I get desperate that Wikipedia will have countless articles as well.

Sample Story Comments: When I googled “women saints,” I found a really informative website on female Catholic saints. I’m sure I could get a lot of good material from that one website alone. I know that coming up with material for this topic won’t be a problem. A specific example I found on that website was the story of Saint Barbara.

Bibliography Information:

Sample Story: Saint Barbara

Website name: Catholic Saints

Storybook Topic: Folklore of the Holy Land

Comments: I chose this topic because I’ve always been interested in how different religions interpret the stories of people such as Adam, Eve, and other Biblical figures. This topic would help me expand my knowledge concerning different religions.

Possible Stories: There were a lot of stories under this category in the UN-Textbook that looked really interesting.

Sample Story Comments: The story about Adam would be a great one to work with. It’s a classic that everyone seems to know.

Bibliography Information:

Sample Story: Holy Land: Our Father Adam

Book Title: Folk-lore of the Holy Land: Moslem, Christian and Jewish

Author: J. E. Hanauer

Published: 1907

(Islamic Adam and Eve)

Storybook Topic: Chinese Fairy Tales

Comments: I’m fascinated by the Chinese history, so this unit is the perfect tool that I can use to further my knowledge of the Chinese culture.

Possible stories: There is a long list of possible stories that I could work with in the UN-Textbook.

Sample Story Comments: One story that stuck out to me was the story of the girl with the horse’s head or the silkworm goddess, because I can’t really tell what kind of story it is just from looking at the title. Stories with titles like that are usually really intriguing.

Bibliography Information:

Sample Story: The Girl with the Horse’s Head or the Silkworm Goddess.

Book Title: The Chinese Fairy Book

Author: R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens

Year: 1921

Storybook Topic: Pacific Northwest

I’ve been dreaming of moving to either Washington or Oregon since middle school, so reading and working with stories from that region would be really enjoyable for me. I want to learn more about the region that I will hopefully be living in soon.

Possible Stories: There was a list of stories in the UN-Textbook that I could work with.

Sample Story Comments: Falls of the Willamette grabbed my attention because I have friends that live in the Willamette Valley, so that knowledge made the story more personal for me.

Bibliography Information:
Sample Story: Falls of the Willamette

Book Title: Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon

Author: Katharine Berry Judson

Year: 1910

Essay: Gods and Goddesses in Cupid and Psyche

In the story, Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche, gods and goddesses play some of the main roles. Although the story primarily involves Psyche, her path of life is heavily entwined with that of Cupid and Venus. In this week's story, I thought that the gods and goddesses portrayed were overall very cowardly. When one thinks of gods, strength and power typically come to mind. In this story, however, those characteristics were hardly prevalent.

One of the first examples of cowardice seen is Venus's jealousy of Psyche's beauty. A goddess shouldn't feel jealous and insecure because of the beauty of a human, yet Venus goes crazy at the thought of someone being more beautiful than her because that means that her beauty isn't the most incredible. A prime example of this is the reaction Venus has when she finds out people have been pretty much worshiping Psyche in Psyche's Beauty.

Another example of cowardice is Cupid's behavior after she finds out that he has been secretly married to Psyche. Instead of standing up to his mother for the sake of love, he goes and sits nursing his wounds in his mother's house while Venus searches far and wide for Psyche in order to punish her. Venus's outrage and Cupid's reaction can be seen in Venus and the Goddesses.

One final example, and probably the best one of cowardice, is the behavior of the gods that Psyche appeals to for aide. She appeals to several in order to gain safety and comfort because of Venus's persecution, but they all reject her because they are afraid to offend their fellow goddess. Instead, Psyche's help comes from ants, a reed, and a turret. The turret was the thing that surprised me most because it was the least alive out of all the things that helped Psyche in her quests (The Jar of Beauty). Why the insignificant characters in the story helped Psyche more than the powerful gods and goddesses did is something that I thought was interesting. It just proved that the Greek gods and goddesses weren't as mighty as they made themselves out to be.

(Venus assigning Psyche a task)

Overall, this story was a fine one, and the character development throughout was excellent. The main part of the story for me, though, was that gods and goddesses would be the best people for soap operas and reality TV.

Reading Diary B: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche

The second half of Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche is much darker than the first. I preferred reading the second half over the first, though, because the story showed the downsides and dangers of love instead of just the blind obsession with it. In this half of the story, love was the driving force and motivator for both Cupid and Psyche.

In this part, I really enjoyed Psyche's interactions with all of the different characters. It struck me as interesting that the gods wouldn't help her, but the most insignificant things would. This became apparent in Venus and Psyche and continued on through The Third Task. I liked that not only insects helped her, but plants too. The second task involving the aide of the reed struck me as incredibly sweet.

I was rooting for Cupid and Psyche the whole time, but Psyche frustrated me again when she gave in to her urges and peaked at what Persephone had given to her to take to Venus in The Sleep of the Dead. The whole time I was thinking that she had surely learned her lesson, but alas, she was still careless.

I found the ending of Cupid and Psyche's story delightful in that it actually ended happily! In The Wedding Feast, Cupid and Psyche have finally gotten the chance to be together and have now officially been married.  So many mythological tales end on a bad note. Examples of this are: Atlas having to hold up the world for all eternity and Prometheus having to endure an eagle eating his liver and then having it re-grow every single day until the end of time. One of the reasons why this is now one of my favorite stories is because it has a happy ending.

(Cupid and Psyche's Wedding)

Reading Diary A: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche

I really enjoyed reading Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche. I had never heard of this tale before, so reading something completely new kept me attentive throughout the whole reading. 

I thought it was brilliant how the story was told inside of another story. The transition from the story to the tale of Cupid and Psyche was so seamless, which just shows the talent of the writer. In Her Dream, the young captive's recounting of her dream provides the idea stage for the beginning of the story. 

The tale of Cupid and Psyche was excellently told, with imagery being the strong point throughout. One setting that particularly stuck out to me was the description of the palace that Psyche is brought to after descending from the cliff in The Magical Palace. The writing paints a beautiful picture that entices the reader as much as Psyche and perfectly sets the scene for the future events in the story. 

(Psyche in the Magical Palace, Source)

It frustrated me that Psyche did not heed her husband's warnings and broke her promises to him. Despite his warnings, in Fears and Doubts we learn that her sisters deceive her and mess with her head enough to forget everything her husband said. To me this made me doubt just how much she loved her husband. Here he was, providing for her and showing her all of the love he possibly could, yet she could not just trust him. I did really enjoy being immersed in her thoughts and fears, which is something that made the story personal and relatable. 

Dissecting the UnTextbook

I would like to compare choosing which units to read to choosing which Godiva chocolate covered strawberry to eat first - all are great, and it’s nearly impossible not to inhale them all. With that being said, since I have to choose five favorites, I will proceed to present to you my top choices.

One of the first units I would like to read would be the unit on Chinese Fairy Tales. I've always had a soft spot for anything Chinese, so this unit would satisfy that love. I'm excited to explore the world of Chinese literature a bit more.

(This book cover alone makes me want to lock myself in my

room and not come out until I've read it all. Source)

Another unit I would enjoy reading would be Russian Folktales. Although I was born in Kazakhstan, I'm technically Russian, so naturally I would love to read the folktales of my homeland. The few that I've read throughout the years are kooky and entertaining, so I look forward to whatever creative stories this unit entails.

A third unit I would love to read would be Turkish Fairy Tales. I got the chance to spend a day in Istanbul a couple of years ago and fell in love with the culture. I would go back in a heartbeat. I'm sure the Turkish fairy tales are as amazing as the country from which they came.

Tibetan Folk Tales is unit that I would love to cover. I have a Lhasa Apso, which I've been told was the royal guard dog of Tibet at one point and still might be. That alone is enough of an incentive to read this unit.

A final unit that I would enjoy digging into would be Egyptian Myth. I've been intrigued by Egyptian mythology for as long as I can remember. I got a kid's mummy kit in elementary school that sparked the interest, and I've been hooked ever since.

Storybook Favorites

The first project I looked at was The Legend of Odysseus. I’m familiar with the legend of Odysseus and really enjoyed how the author expanded on the legend and made it into something new and interesting. The introduction captured my attention because of its clarity and intrigue. The layout was easy to follow, which helped make the reading experience that much better.

The second project I looked at was Justice al Dante: Notes From Inferno's Newest Intern. The title initially grabbed my attention because just reading it made me realize that there were some plot twists written by the author that would only add to the classic tale. The layout of the Storybook was great, and what stuck out to me most was the attention to detail. I enjoyed the organization of the Storybook as well as all of the little extra details that really pulled me in. Seeing a project like this inspires me to put the same effort into making my Storybook look as good.

The last Storybook I looked at was Queen of the Underworld: Tales of Persephone. I’m very interested in Greek mythology, so the titles with Greek mythological names were the ones that stood out the most to me. I’ve always been interested in the story of Persephone because of how she ended up in the Underworld. The introduction was very detailed, which left no room for confusion of any kind. I also really enjoyed the layout, because I feel like it corresponded with the feel of the Storybook very well, and it called to mind all of the Greek legends.

(Image used in the Storybook about 

Persephone, Source)

Something that I liked about all of these Storybooks was how intricate all of the tales were. Each Storybook author completely made the tales their own and offered something unique and creative. The Storybooks provided ample inspiration for my project.

Introduction: Welcome To My Life

Hey, Everyone! I’m Tatyana, and I’m an Art History and Psychology double major. This is my senior year, and even though I graduate in December, I’m already starting to get separation anxiety from this amazing university. Seriously, I love college! Sometimes, when it’s 3 in the morning and I’ve been doing homework since the previous afternoon, I might think differently, but overall I really do love college. I decided to double major for several reasons. Initially, I wanted to have an Art History degree but wanted something to go along with it so that I would have more options in terms of jobs. For this reason I decided to get a second major in Business Management. After getting a 43 on my first exam in Microeconomics, I decided that maybe I should choose a second major that I was more interested in. Growing up with a mom that’s a therapist made the decision easy, and that is why I’m getting my second degree in Psychology.

(Me in a peach orchard in Oregon, taken summer 2014)

I’m a person of many interests, which probably has something to do with the fact that I’m curious about basically anything. This is also why I wanted to be pretty much everything when I was growing up. When I was about 10, I saw a man blowing glass in Mexico. Seeing him blow glass and making it look so easy made me decide that after getting my high school diploma, I would buy a shack on the beach in Mexico and blow glass for a living. Around that time, I also saw my mom’s caterer friend make a gorgeous cake, which made me want to be a baker. I went to Silver Dollar City in middle school and saw the furniture they made and sold there, and, you guessed it, I wanted to be a furniture builder. Being curious sure has made life interesting, though. Seeing the world as being chock-full of things to discover means that there is absolutely no room for boredom.

Something I’m very interested in is reading. If you’ve ever seen Gilmore Girls, you know that Rory is an intense bookworm. I like to think that she and I are kindred spirits in that sense. You can always find a stack of books in my room consisting of books I want to read or reread. I also always have a book in my purse, and my car has a little crate in the back seat just for books that I might want to replace the book in my purse with.

(Photo taken by me of last summer's

reading stack)

Another thing I’m interested in is photography. My godmother gave me her Nikon D50 as a graduation gift, which has inspired me to work on my photography skills. I’m not a professional by any means, but I do like experimenting with techniques and capturing moments that are dear to me. I really love photographing nature. Something about looking at a photo of God’s creation makes time slow down and helps me realize that I live in a beautiful world.

(Photo I took of Mt. Hood, OR, summer 2014)

Anywho, this is just a little bit about me. If you have any questions or anything, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! :)

Week 1 Storytelling: Hector Protector

Fashion has been around since the dawn of time. Those who could afford more than one garment of clothing would take pains to ensure that what they wore was up to date with the trends of the day. Primarily those of royal blood were the ones that called the shots on what was “in” and what was “so last season.”

It is interesting to note, then, that Paris Fashion Week was started by Marie Antoinette and her husband, King Louis XVI. The year that Paris Fashion Week started was a memorable one, for it set about a series of events that would change France forever. The whole week of Fashion Week had gone by smoothly, with aristocrats drooling over the latest lace collars and silk dresses. The men, not to be forgotten, viewed an immense variety of trousers, shirts and jackets, all stitched by the finest paupers in France. The King and Queen had saved the best designer for last. He called himself Hector Protector because, in his mind, his mission in life was to protect those most fortunate from looking like the lower class or worse, the British. He was sent to them from the kingdom in Austria in order to further propel their fashion to the next level, and they could not wait to see what he had in store for them.

When the first model set foot on the runway, it seemed as though time had stopped. The clothing was immaculate, and the blue bloods were actively wiping the drool off of their faces with their fashionable silk hankies. Each model after the first was just as exquisite, and the King and Queen were extremely pleased in their choice to save Hector Protector for last.

Just as they stopped saying to each other that the day couldn’t get any better, Hector stepped on the runway. There was a collective gasp. Hector was dressed in head-to-toe green with green leather shoes greener than the mold on the peasants’ bread. Marie Antoinette’s stomach dropped. She felt sick. Did this Hector Protector not realize that green was in LAST season? How dare he show himself in such shameful garb, which in her mind completely discredited all of his work that she had seen on the runway. She turned to the King. His face was ashen. He had been let down by the designer in whom he had placed all of his faith. In his mind, only those inarticulate Siberians would do such a shameful thing as wear last season’s color on this season’s runway.

(Green Clothing)

What happened next was a blur. Tables and chairs were flipped. Windows were broken. Hector Protector was dragged away by the guards and told that he would never be welcome in France EVER again. Weeks later, as word spread of the atrocity that had occurred at the Paris Fashion Week, events for the country as a whole turned dire. Mounting tension between France and Austria occurred because of how Hector Protector had been treated. Eventually, Prussia sided with Austria, which then resulted in the insulted King declaring war on their former fashion friends. The rest, as they say, is history. History which can be read about in any and all books on the French Revolution. The moral of the story: NEVER double cross true fashion lovers, no matter how unintentional your motives may be.

Author's Note: I based my story on this nursery rhyme about Hector Protector:

“Hector Protector was dressed all in green;

Hector Protector was sent to the Queen.

The Queen did not like him,

Nor more did the King;
So Hector Protector was sent back again.”

I found this nursery rhyme in The Nursery Rhyme Book, which was edited by Andrew Lang in 1897. I wanted to make this a historical account because this was written about a King and Queen. Also, I thought that if the King and Queen didn't like Hector Protector, it could be because of a fashion faux pas he committed when he decided to wear green. This is how I got the idea to include Paris Fashion Week and then tied it in to the start of the French Revolution.

My Favorite Place: Lithuania

I've been traveling since before I can remember. My mama told me that I took my first plane ride when I was four months old, and I guess the travel bug bit me then and took a firm hold. I was born in Aktau, Kazakhstan, but spent the first four years of my life in Pyatigorsk, Russia. When I was four, we moved back to Kazakhstan. Then, when I was six, we spent a summer living in Limassol, Cyprus, before finally moving to Oklahoma. I come from a family that is obsessed with travel, which probably contributes to the fact that we are all scattered around the globe. My mama and I go overseas every summer to visit our family, and one of the places we visit most frequently is Lithuania, where my aunt lives. This is just one of the many reasons why Lithuania is my favorite place. 

The capitol of Lithuania is Vilnius. It's one of the neatest places to explore.

(Image Information: Personal photo of the cobblestone 

streets in Vilnius; photo from July 2013)

Vilnius has a rich history and the architecture to prove it.

(Image Information: Personal photo of the property around 

Gediminas' Tower; photo from July 2013)

On top of having urban charm, the nature side of Lithuania is also breathtaking.

(Image Information: Personal photo of a lake outside of

Visaginas; photo from July 2011)

Getting Started

Testing...testing...