Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and the Cult of the Virgin Mary

Very interesting overview, particularly for someone like me who grew up in a Protestant tradition and has often been baffled by the iconography of the Roman church. Warner tries to sort out the different strands of myth, ideology and academic theology in the construction of the complex system of beliefs and doctrines associated with Mary, particularly looking at the way they have shaped and been shaped by attitudes to women in societies where Catholicism is prevalent. It often isn't easy to see whether the myth was shaped by the ideology or vice-versa, but she does make things a bit clearer.

This study of the cult of the Virgin Mary is a little dated (first published 1976) but still one of the key books on the topic and widely referenced in more recent publications. Through an analysis of the various ways in which Mary has been regarded, Warner traces the development of the her cult from New Testament times to the modern day. There is an inevitable focuses on the Middle Ages, when the cult was at its height, but other periods are not ignored.

The book is sympathetic but uncompromising, critical in the best sense of the word, and Warner presents her case cogently and without becoming strident. Given the gushing adoration and anti-Catholic invective I've encountered while reading about the topic, the tone of this book was very show more welcome.

Recommended for those with a particular interest in the topic - although the very fervent supporter of Mary and the very fervent opponent of Catholicism might both feel that it's too sympathetic to the other side of the debate. show less

As someone who was educated in a catholic school Marina Warner understands what having this paragon of womankind as an example does to young girls. This is a very interesting look at how the myth of the Virgin Mary has evolved over the centuries. Very little is said about her in the Bible but a whole cult has been imagined - using the Old Testament; assuming the attributes of goddesses from older religions and various miracles and sightings associated with her. Marina Warner has presented this history in a well documented version and this is a fascinating insight into this aspect of Catholic history and well worth reading.

This book has proven indispensable in my study of Mary. It is one of the few books that is constantly referenced, by myself and others. While highly critical in tone, it is an excellent starting point for those who wonder about Mary's influence in the world.

Notable, for me, chiefly for one of the appendices - A muddle of Marys, iirc - which attempts to untangle the various Marys present in the New Testament... eg Mary of Magdala was NOT the woman caught in adultery and so on.

Don't tell the people who make all the money writing all those books based on that confusion, however...

I am in love with the Virgin!

Her 4 dogmas:
the paradox of divine motherhood and virginity;
the Immaculate Conception (HER conception -- uncorrupted by sin);
the assumption of her body and soul into heaven (her body -- uncorrupted by death);
and her position as mediator between heaven & earth, being a creature of both

"A myth of such dimension is not simply a story, or a collection of stories, but a magic mirror like the Lady of Shalott's, reflecting a people and the beliefs they produce, recount, and hold." (xxiii)

"the Platonic yearning towards the ideal ... is the core of the cult of the Virgin Mary.... Of course the belief that man should constantly aspire to higher things has been fundamental to western moral philosophy since show more Plato.... Metaphysical mysteries must defy reason, for if the human mind could compass them, they would lose their sacred character. So Christ the God-Man and Mary the Virgin-Mother blot out antinomy, absolve contradiction, and manifest that the impossible is possible with God." (Epilogue) show less

> Schlegel Jean-Louis. SEULE ENTRE TOUTES LES FEMMES, Mythe et culte de la vierge Marie, de Marina WARNER, Traduit de l’anglais par Nicole Ménant (Rivages, 1989, 420 p., 155 F.)
In: Revue Esprit No. 154 (9) (Septembre 1989), p. 154. … ; (en ligne),
URL : https://esprit.presse.fr/article/joel-roman/myriam-revault-d-allones-d-une-mort-... ;
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sOgkY-t9g0BFK0XlpaQk8vIXi4dtwTKF/view?usp=shari...