Chastity and Virginity

Where it surfaces

• Preface to the Plays of Hrotswitha, German Religious and Virgin of the Saxon Race

  Hrotswitha explicitly states her goal is to glorify the chastity of Christian virgins, contrasting it with the licentiousness of pagan works.

• Scene II

  Constance's unwavering commitment to her vow of chastity drives the plot and her strategic deception.

• Scene IV

  Constance's indirect consent and the arrangement for John and Paul to accompany Gallicanus suggest her commitment to maintaining her virtuous lifestyle even within the marriage agreement.

• Scene V

  Constance prays for preservation of her virginity and exhorts Artemia and Attica to keep their vow of purity, linking it to the company of consecrated virgins.

• Scene XII

  Constance and Gallicanus's daughters choose to keep their vow of virginity, and Gallicanus himself renounces marriage to serve God.

• Scene XIII

  Constance and her virgins are praised for preserving their virginity, and Gallicanus supports their vow.

• Dulcitius

  The sisters' unwavering commitment to virginity is central; Irena declares that defilement of the body without the soul's consent does not incur guilt, and the crown of virginity is promised to martyrs.

• Scene I

  The sisters prioritize their purity and faith over marriage, refusing to deny Christ to wed court nobles.

• Scene II

  The women's steadfast faith and rejection of Dulcitius's advances underscore their commitment to Christian chastity.

• Scene III

  The women's hymn-singing symbolizes their spiritual purity, which Dulcitius seeks to violate.

• Scene XIV

  Irena speaks of being adorned with the crown of virginity, linking her physical purity to her spiritual triumph.

• Callimachus

  Drusiana's vow of chastity and her rejection of Callimachus's advances, even refusing her husband's bed, highlight the theme.

• Scene II

  Drusiana's devotion to God and refusal to sleep with her husband Andronicus exemplifies the ideal of chastity.

• Scene III

  Drusiana's rejection of Callimachus and her renunciation of her husband's bed highlight the theme of chastity.

• Scene IV

  Drusiana's vow of chastity is central; she chooses death rather than risk breaking it or causing Callimachus to sin.

• Abraham

  Mary is urged to imitate the Virgin Mary's chastity, and her fall is seen as a loss of virginity, which she seeks to reclaim through penance.

• Scene I

  Abraham and Ephrem discuss Mary's potential as a 'spouse of Christ,' emphasizing the crown of virginity as a central virtue.

• Scene II

  The central theme of the chapter, as Abraham and Ephrem urge Mary to imitate the Virgin Mary's chastity and keep her body unspotted.

• Scene IV

  Sapientia emphasizes that she raised her daughters to be wed to a heavenly bridegroom, linking virginity with spiritual purity and reward.