Hagiography in Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron

In her thorough analysis of saints in Marguerite de Navarre’s Heptaméron, Leanna Bridge Rezvani considers recent scholarship on the subject and a variety of other sources (e.g., theological writings, books of hours, artworks, personal correspondence, the liturgical calendar, and pilgrimage sites) to provide fresh, new insights into the queen’s religious beliefs, especially concerning the Reformist and Catholic controversies on the cult of saints, pilgrimages, and women’s roles in the church. Rezvani skillfully demonstrates how, by comparing the suffering of her female characters to saints in several nouvelles and offering divergent viewpoints in the discussions among her storytellers, Marguerite enhanced her authority as a writer, served as a moderate voice in theological debates of the time, and provided a pro-woman response to misogynistic works in the Early Modern debate on the social status of women, known as the querelle des femmes.

"Saints and Debates thoughtfully argues that Marguerite de Navarre’s revisionist hagiography can be read as a fictionally enacted compromise between the author’s deep commitment to Catholic practices and traditions, and her insistence on representing the physical violence and clerical corruption that harmed women in Renaissance society. Bridge Rezvani’s detailed readings of various saint’s lives in the novellas and the frame narrative provide important evidence of some of Marguerite de Navarre’s most important concerns: showing that women have the capacity for spiritual leadership, that it is possible to remain true to one’s spiritual values and also question traditional hierarchies, and that the practice of female communication in difficult circumstances can be a powerful force for good."