Apocalyptic Themes in Early Medieval English Homilies

This dissertation considers the use of apocalyptic theology and literary themes in vernacular homilies in pre-Conquest medieval England. Previous studies of apocalyptic writing from this period typically focus on the work of named homilists Wulfstan of York and Aelfric of Eynsham, or on the anonymous Blickling and Vercelli Homilies manuscripts. This leaves unexplored the ways in which anonymous homilies and those of named homilists interact within manuscripts, and perpetuates an arbitrary distinction between the two categories. This dissertation makes use of two manuscript case studies, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MSS 419 and 421, to elucidate how apocalyptic homilies interact within a homiliary. The study considers the recurring use of apocalyptic themes and figures like Antichrist, environmental cataclysm, and the portrayal of the afterlife, which collectively depict a global upheaval that retains its rhetorical impact by remaining both imminent and distant. Moreover, it examines the integration of legal codes, local legends, and religious figures to contextualize the apocalypse within the lived experiences of 11th-century English audiences, underscoring the homilies' relevance and immediacy. The findings reveal that manuscript compilers in the 11th century selectively drew from both named and anonymous homilists, repurposing their material to address contemporary concerns. Finally, the dissertation argues that one of the primary functions of early medieval English apocalyptic homilies was to fortify the authority of the Church not only as the path to spiritual salvation in the near future, but also as a socially and politically stabilising force in the present during a period of considerable disorder.