Anne Askew Constructing Her Text, Constructing Her Self. Issue 1 (3rd July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Almasy, Rudolph P.
• Is Part Of: Reformation. Volume 10:Issue 1(2005)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2014-07-03
• Subjects: Reformation -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Reformation -- Periodicals; Church history -- 16th century -- Periodicals; Europe -- Civilization -- 16th century -- Periodicals; Europe -- History -- 1492-1648 -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 940.23
• DOI: 10.1179/ref_2005_10_1_002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1357-4175

Abstract

Abstract : This essay describes how The first examinacyon of Anne Askew is artfully organized as a result of Askew's identifying with Stephen, but not as a martyr; rather, as one of the Church's first preachers. Askew's discourse uses the narrative elements of Stephen's story to shape her own narrative. This narrative displays the reformist 'I', in that Askew creates a scripturally based self-representation which enables her to be absorbed within the discursive space that she constructs and controls. That absorption shows how Askew could name herself as a Stephen as she participated in a drama larger than her self. Such participation reveals that The first examinacyon is fundamentally about Askew's behaviour and about Askew's need to report her behaviour to her London reformist community. In her own discursive space, absent anything Bale might have done to her, Askew duplicates Stephen's moments of victory over the stiffnecked and in so doing reveals something of her 'real' self.