The Aesthetics of Resurrection: Goldwork, The Soul, and The Deus Aurifex in The Phoenix
Hilary E. Fox
The Old English poem, Phoenix participates in an ancient tradition that associated the bird with rebirth general, and Christian writing, resurrection of body soul at Last Judgment. While previous scholarship has elucidated connections between poem its probable sources what not yet been fully explored is way which poet’s interest tied to his representation phoenix as a work art, vein Germanic metalwork insular manuscript decoration. Specifically, ‘crafting’ cannot be divorced from two other concepts poem: first, image craftsman-God (Deus artifex) shaper creation human body, goldsmith-God aurifex) whose cleansing fires end time reshape reforge world individual. reworking interpolation traditions surrounding phoenix, God-as-craftsman, allows poet explore theories bodily spiritual resurrection, permits him explicate how God, craftsman soul, only framed composed but also will bring it perfection through purging impurities time.
The Review of English Studies