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beyandre's review
5.0
A monumental work of research, a literary feat, and the most extensive and authoritative book on Mariology to date.
"The Virgin Mary has inspired some of the loftiest architecture, some of the most moving poetry, some of the most beautiful paintings in the world; she has filled men and women with deep joy and fervent trust; she has been an image of the ideal that has entranced and stirred men and women to the noblest emotions of love and pity and awe. But the reality her myth describes is over; the moral code she affirms has been exhausted... As an acknowledge creation of Christian mythology, the Virgin's legend will endure in its splendour and lyricism, but it will be emptied of moral significance, and thus lose its present real powers to heal and to harm."
"The Virgin Mary has inspired some of the loftiest architecture, some of the most moving poetry, some of the most beautiful paintings in the world; she has filled men and women with deep joy and fervent trust; she has been an image of the ideal that has entranced and stirred men and women to the noblest emotions of love and pity and awe. But the reality her myth describes is over; the moral code she affirms has been exhausted... As an acknowledge creation of Christian mythology, the Virgin's legend will endure in its splendour and lyricism, but it will be emptied of moral significance, and thus lose its present real powers to heal and to harm."
maddness22's review
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
What a deliciously in-depth analysis and history of the Virgin Mary! It was strangely captivating and felt incredibly personal. I thought it was very well organized with the train of thought easy to keep track of. The criticisms of the cult and the Church very well researched and articulated. It got a little dense at times, but man there was some whammy of one liners in here and I really enjoyed the read. I was even surprised to find out it was published in the 70's because of the nuanced and progressive thoughts on feminism in the Catholic Church presented in this novel reflect a more modern perspective (or maybe the modern perspective just hasn't been able to be updated since the 70's lol). Excellent addition to my feminist Catholic reads!
crowyhead's review
4.0
Warner's books on culture, sociology, history, and folklore almost always top my list of favorites, and this book is a splendidly erudite history of the concept of the Virgin Mary.
My only real quibble with the book is that Warner clearly has feminist Opinions about how the Church and society as a whole has used Mary to oppress women. This is not a problem; I hold similar Opinions, and would be interested in reading more about Warner's. The real problem is that her incisive cultural criticsm tends to appear in the book in short, jarring bursts that don't flow smoothly with the rest of the text. At times it was almost as though there were really two books she wanted to write -- one straight-up history, one cultural criticism -- and she couldn't quite make up her mind which she was writing. This is not a fatal flaw in the book, by any stretch, but it does call attention to how much Warner's writing style has improved in the decades since this book was first published.
My only real quibble with the book is that Warner clearly has feminist Opinions about how the Church and society as a whole has used Mary to oppress women. This is not a problem; I hold similar Opinions, and would be interested in reading more about Warner's. The real problem is that her incisive cultural criticsm tends to appear in the book in short, jarring bursts that don't flow smoothly with the rest of the text. At times it was almost as though there were really two books she wanted to write -- one straight-up history, one cultural criticism -- and she couldn't quite make up her mind which she was writing. This is not a fatal flaw in the book, by any stretch, but it does call attention to how much Warner's writing style has improved in the decades since this book was first published.
librarianonparade's review
4.0
The role of the Virgin Mary within the Catholic faith is a curious one. In many respects she is treated as almost as Christ's equal, the 'Mother of God', almost a goddess in her own right, worshipped, prayed to, honoured, venerated. And yet the scriptural evidence to support this position is almost non-existent. Almost all aspects of, as the title goes, the myth and cult of the Virgin Mary are non-Biblical accretions, Church traditions, that have been accumulating over two thousand years of history. Indeed, the bodily 'Assumption' of the Virgin Mary into heaven was only decreed as dogma in 1950!
This book is effectively the story of those accretions, how bit by bit, layer by layer, the position of the Virgin Mary within the Church has been established and solidified. Along the way, Marina Warner looks at nigh on two thousand years of art, poetry, sculpture, architecture, devotions, traditions, visions, miracles, all of which have shaped and have been shaped by the perception of Mary in relation to the predominant culture of the time. Images of the Virgin have risen and fallen in direct correlation to cultural and societal mores - at times she was depicted as regal and queenly, other times meek and humble. Sometimes she has been very human, other times mighty and goddess-like. Sometimes she has bowed her head, and sometimes she is seen smiting Satan and other enemies. In many ways, the Virgin has been depicted in precisely the way a culture or society needs her to be - and the very lack of any scriptural dogma has been at the very root of this.
What I found most fascinating in this book was Warner's exploration of how the very act of elevating a human woman almost to the position of a goddess, which you might assume would indicate a respect and veneration for women, has actually served to degrade and oppress the rest of womankind. In making Mary so perfect, so otherworldly, so divine and unstained and untainted, the Church has made her an icon that no woman can ever live up to, has created standards so unattainable that every woman is doomed to failure in comparison. The Virgin Mary is the ideal of womanhood, that no woman can or will ever emulate. And in celebrating Mary as a wife and mother above all else, the Church has solidified this as the central purpose of women's lives.
I don't know how Catholics would respond to this book. I hear it was controversial when first published. After all, if you believe in the Catholic dogmas and tenets of faith, then I don't really see how religious truth can change, adapt or alter over the centuries - and yet Warner quite clearly demonstrates how it has, at least in relation to the Virgin Mary. Personally, coming it from an agnostic position, I'm far more interested in religion from an anthropological standpoint, so this book is right up my alley. When you believe religion is a construct created to satisfy some deep-seated unconscious need in the human psyche for order, stability and a sense of righteous justice in the universe, then it's no stretch at all to believe that we adapt our religious beliefs to suit a given need at any given time. But if it's, forgive the pun, gospel truth, then what is must always have been. And yet...
This book is effectively the story of those accretions, how bit by bit, layer by layer, the position of the Virgin Mary within the Church has been established and solidified. Along the way, Marina Warner looks at nigh on two thousand years of art, poetry, sculpture, architecture, devotions, traditions, visions, miracles, all of which have shaped and have been shaped by the perception of Mary in relation to the predominant culture of the time. Images of the Virgin have risen and fallen in direct correlation to cultural and societal mores - at times she was depicted as regal and queenly, other times meek and humble. Sometimes she has been very human, other times mighty and goddess-like. Sometimes she has bowed her head, and sometimes she is seen smiting Satan and other enemies. In many ways, the Virgin has been depicted in precisely the way a culture or society needs her to be - and the very lack of any scriptural dogma has been at the very root of this.
What I found most fascinating in this book was Warner's exploration of how the very act of elevating a human woman almost to the position of a goddess, which you might assume would indicate a respect and veneration for women, has actually served to degrade and oppress the rest of womankind. In making Mary so perfect, so otherworldly, so divine and unstained and untainted, the Church has made her an icon that no woman can ever live up to, has created standards so unattainable that every woman is doomed to failure in comparison. The Virgin Mary is the ideal of womanhood, that no woman can or will ever emulate. And in celebrating Mary as a wife and mother above all else, the Church has solidified this as the central purpose of women's lives.
I don't know how Catholics would respond to this book. I hear it was controversial when first published. After all, if you believe in the Catholic dogmas and tenets of faith, then I don't really see how religious truth can change, adapt or alter over the centuries - and yet Warner quite clearly demonstrates how it has, at least in relation to the Virgin Mary. Personally, coming it from an agnostic position, I'm far more interested in religion from an anthropological standpoint, so this book is right up my alley. When you believe religion is a construct created to satisfy some deep-seated unconscious need in the human psyche for order, stability and a sense of righteous justice in the universe, then it's no stretch at all to believe that we adapt our religious beliefs to suit a given need at any given time. But if it's, forgive the pun, gospel truth, then what is must always have been. And yet...
megan_burgess's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Infertility, Gore, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Colonisation
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review
4.0
Marina Warner closely examines the history and influence of the idea of the Virgin Mary. This is not a biography. Instead, Warner looks at how society has viewed and even used the Virgin. Warner starts with the gospels and works her way up the early twentith century.
What I found most intersting was the similarities between the Virgin and anicent myths and legends. While I knew that certain holy days occured during certain "pagan" feast days, I wasn't not aware of (or never really thought about) the closeness in stories between some of the Mary stories and the ancient myths of Greece. It is very interesting.
While the book does have a feminist bent or slant, it is not over the top or off putting. Warner at times get a little dull, almost list like in some brief pages, but overall the read was enjoyable.
What I found most intersting was the similarities between the Virgin and anicent myths and legends. While I knew that certain holy days occured during certain "pagan" feast days, I wasn't not aware of (or never really thought about) the closeness in stories between some of the Mary stories and the ancient myths of Greece. It is very interesting.
While the book does have a feminist bent or slant, it is not over the top or off putting. Warner at times get a little dull, almost list like in some brief pages, but overall the read was enjoyable.
fuzzibehr_reads's review against another edition
This will be a wonderful research project when my kids are grown and I have copious amounts of free time.