Sarah Kiaras-Attari (KCL) - 2024-25 Students
scarlett.kiaras-attari@kcl.ac.uk

Navigating Gender in Thecla's Reception: Transitions and Transformations in the Latin Tradition of the Acts of Paul and Thecla

This project examines the dynamic and evolving representations of Saint Thecla, the protagonist of the second century text, The Acts of Paul and Thecla. The story tells of a young woman who, inspired by the Apostle Paul, converts to Christianity. After facing many trials and a brief brief encounter with adopting masculine clothing, Thecla is given permission to teach by Paul. Despite her strong-willed presentation, later portrayals of Thecla, such as in the seventh-century work of Aldhelm, depict her in more traditional and often graphic terms, emphasising her vulnerability and suffering, and omitting the more transgressive story lines that appear in the text. My project proposes to study this transmission and reception of Thecla in the Latin world to expand on the study of changing conceptions of gender norms and embodiment in the West. I propose to explore how later authors may have sought to highlight or discourage Thecla’s gender-fluid nature and to what end. I ask several interrelated questions: Why were certain parts of her story omitted or bolstered? How is the gendered body constructed through different writings? How do shifting cultural norms around gender manifest in the contemporary landscape and how might this have related to living individuals? My hypothesis stipulates that while on the one hand, earlier portrayals of Thecla construct her body as gender fluid, but on the other, she is rapidly domesticated into a binary framework, close attention to the manuscript tradition reveal that the debates over gender norms for whose changing nature Thecla’s presentation is a rhetorical weathervane are non-linear and constantly negotiated. They seem to both anticipate notions of patriarchal, heteronormative discourse while also challenging notions that gender transgressive behaviours were simply a counter-cultural phenomenon.

By shedding light on the historical and cultural construction of gender, the findings can contribute to a deeper understanding of how gender identity has been represented and contested over time. Ultimately, this project aims to create a usable past for feminine and queer individuals, illustrating how historical narratives can provide insights into contemporary issues of identity and representation. Through the lens of Thecla’s story, this research hopes to demonstrate that discussions of gender are not merely contemporary concerns but have deep historical roots that continue to influence modern society.

Primary supervisor: Dr James Corke-Webster