What Is Tertullian's View Of The Virgins

Question 1 Carly Daniel-Hughes (2010) expands on Tertullian’s view of the virgins and states that “ancient visual economies…conceived of seeing and being seen as intimate acts of touch and penetration” (p. 185). Tertullian’s conception of “feminine modesty resonates with that of Roman moralists” (Daniel-Hughes, 2010, 192). Whereby, women were responsible to veil themselves and wear modest clothing and accessories. “Women’s flesh comes to signify the problematics of the human condition” (Daniel-Hughes, 2010, p. 195). That is to way, it was believed by Tertullian and others, that gazing upon women could have harmful impacts on the moral condition of a society. Conversely, it was also deemed to be a woman’s responsibility to protect herself

The Acts of Paul and Thecla begins with Paul’s arrival to Iconium. Paul sees Onesiphorus, a fellow Christian, and goes to his home church and starts speaking the word of God. This is when Thecla sees Paul for the first time; she “was sitting at the window close by and listened day and night to the discourse of virginity, as proclaimed by Paul. And she did not look away from the window, but was led on by faith” (The Acts of Paul and Thecla, 7:3-5). Theocleia (her mother) sees this and “becomes increasingly worried because of her daughter’s fascination” (Misset-Van de Weg, 2010, p. 149). She seeks the help of Thamyris, Thecla’s fiancé, “she relates to him how her daughter is completely mesmerized…and bound to the window (Misset-Van de Weg, 2010, p. 149). Thecla does not leave the window and Thamyris questions how “a virgin of great modesty exposes herself to such extreme discomfort” (The Acts of Paul and Thecla, 8:7). At this point Thecla is completely entrenched in what Paul is saying. However, she remains at a distance while other virgins approach him. The people of Thecla’s town believe that Paul has entranced, as if through magic, most of the women. Theocleia describes her daughter as “clinging to the window like a spider” (The Acts of Paul and Thecla, 9:3). The use of ‘spider’ and ‘clinging’ provide imagery that furthers the power of the gaze as well as alluding to his sorcery, which was

Thecla is saved, the power of God water extinguishes the flames and she goes on to find Paul. She finds him and although he is happy to see her Paul is hesitant to allow her to go with him. Thecla says to him, “I will cut my hair off and I shall follow you” (The Acts of Paul and Thecla, 25:3). Paul replies, “times are evil and you are beautiful. I am afraid lest another temptation come upon you worse than the first and that you do not withstand it but become mad after men” (The Acts of Paul and Thecla, 25:4-6). Thecla offering to cut her hair off is an attempt to desexualize herself. “A woman’s head, hair, and mouth were often signified as indicators of her sexuality” (Daniel-Hughes, 2010, p. 191). Paul’s response is consistent with the classical tropes of woman and/or beauty - that is sexuality and seduction” (Misset-Van de Weg, 2010, p. 153). This tactic by Paul could also be consistent with the “tendency to keep control over the bodies of women and the fear of women invading the male domain” (Misset-Van de Weg, 2010, p.