The Angelic and Didactic Roles of the Virgin Mary in Lyric VII of the Old English Advent Lyrics

This article explores a literary record, the Old English Advent Lyrics, in the reception history of the literary portrayals of the Virgin Mary in order to determine if there are distinctive features in its portrayal of this subject. In the process a review is made of the five poems within this text where Mary is a subject. This examination reveals that the poet relied more upon words, phrases, and ideas about Mary found in earlier liturgical and literary portraits of the Virgin Mary from the Roman Latin liturgy and period theological writings to construct these portrayals of Mary than upon related portrayals of her found in Latin texts of the canonical Scripture. Further, it also leads to the conclusion that, building upon these prior portraits, the poet has expanded Mary’s role in order to offer her more veneration. While evidence is manifest in the second, fourth, ninth, and twelfth poems in the Advent Lyrics, it is especially apparent in the seventh poem, where Mary appears as an angelic messenger and spiritual teacher in her relationship with Joseph.