Nepantla in The Ninth Century: The Monastery of Redon and The Frankish-Breton Borderlands
Thomas P. Greene
Medieval scholars write often about frontiers, but infrequently borderlands. In this essay I bring together medieval studies and borderland studies, specifically the work of Gloria Anzaldúa, to read anew Gesta Sanctorum Rotonensium (Deeds Holy Men Redon). This late ninth century text describes establishment (in 832) early history monastery Redon, which took place within multiple, overlapping, contested borders. By translating Anzaldúa’s nepantla into a ninth-century idiom, as borderlands text, written by for residents Frankish-Breton The fluidity region, argue, fostered conflict becoming essential nepantla. enabled monks formulate transgressive identity, community, that worked around between sometimes against both secular ecclesiastical power.
International journal of religion