• Studying
      Here
      • Chat with a Magdalen student
      • As an Undergraduate
        • Courses We Offer
        • Joint Schools
        • Information for applicants 2020/21
        • How to Apply
        • Funding Your Course
        • Choral Scholars
        • Open Days and Visits
        • International Students
        • Visiting Students
        • Commonly Asked Questions
      • As a Graduate
        • Application Process
        • Selection Criteria
        • Clinical Medicine
        • Funding Your Course
        • Scholarships and Awards
        • Visiting Students
      • Second BA
      • Outreach
        • Online Outreach Event Booking
        • Half Term Virtual Taster Days
        • Talks With Tutors- Taster Subject Lectures
        • Next Steps Sheffield
        • Outreach Resources
        • Law at Magdalen Programme
    • Living
      Here
      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Environment
      • Student Life
      • Student Profiles
        • Adam, Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE)
        • Amy, History
        • Betsy, Jurisprudence with Legal Studies in Europe
        • Catrin, Human Sciences
        • Eleanor, French and Linguistics
        • Nadia, Medicine
        • Parth, Biochemistry
        • Ryan, English
        • Seb, Music
      • Catering
      • Magdalen College Welfare Support
      • Information for care-experienced students
      • Societies
        • The Florio Society
        • The Atkin Society
        • The Sherrington Society
        • The Magdalen College Trust
          • Accomodation
      • Glossary
    • Discover
      Magdalen
      • College History
        • The College Buildings
        • The 43 Presidents
        • Famous Alumni
        • Nobel Laureates
        • Conversation Pieces
      • Research at Magdalen
      • Visiting Magdalen
      • News
      • B&B Room Reservation
      • Shop
    • People at
      Magdalen
    • Chapel
      & Choir
      • The Chapel
        • Chapel Services
        • Chapel People
        • Sunday Addresses and Sermons
        • Learning and Fellowship
        • Some Magdalen Sermons
        • The Organ of Magdalen College
      • The Choir
      • Choir Recordings
      • Services and Music List
    • Library
      & Archives
      • COVID-19: information for library users
        • Library Click and Collect
        • Borrowing books whilst self-isolating
      • Libraries
        • New Library & St. Swithun’s Library
        • SOLO (Library catalogue)
        • History of Magdalen College Libraries
      • Archives
        • About the Archives
        • Access to the Archives
        • Online Catalogues
        • Magdalen Hall
        • Magdalen College School
      • Library & Archives Contact Details
      • Conservation
        • The Medieval Title Deeds Project
        • The Conservation of the Daubeny Library
        • The Conservation and Preservation of Greek Manuscripts at Magdalen College
      • Online Exhibitions
      • Illuminating Magdalen
      • Library & Archive News
    • Alumni
      & Friends
      • Alumni Area
        – Log in
      • Useful Information
      • Alumni News
      • Alumni Events
        • Webinar Recordings
      • Supporting Magdalen
        • May Giving Challenge
        • Making a Gift (UK)
        • Making a Gift (Outside UK)
        • Giving in your Will
        • Fundraising Priorities
        • Recognising Your Support
      • Involving our Alumni
      • Publications
        • Publications Archive
      • Development and Alumni Relations Office Team
      • Social Media Hub
    • Conferences
      & Events
      • Magdalen News and Events
      • Residential Conferences
      • Day meetings
      • Private Dining
        • Sample Menus
    • Hilary Term 2021 Return Plans
    Home > Research at Magdalen > Junior Research Fellows > Dawn LaValle: Physiology of the Spiritual Body
    • An unbroken tradition of learning since 1458
    • Engaging environment for study and friends
    • Welcoming students from all backgrounds
    • Building on excellence
    • A warm community
    • Academic and athletic experiences
    • A community of enquiry and discovery
    • An environment for growth
    • Nurturing arts and culture

    Dawn LaValle: Physiology of the Spiritual Body

    Dawn LaValle’s research centers on the Greek literature of Imperial period, specifically the interaction between pagan and Christian modes of writing literature. The Greek-speaking world underwent fundamental shifts in culture, religion and philosophy during the first centuries of our era. While some creative writers responded by anchoring themselves more firmly with their Classical past, others celebrated these changes by modifying generic conventions to emphasize the newness of their message. Her research attempts to listen in on the dialogue between these two rhetorical communities.LaValleResearch

    The project that Dawn is carrying out at Magdalen is a proposed book called “The Physiology of the Spiritual Body: Metaphors of Semen, Blood and Milk in Early Christian Literature”, which focuses on a particular sub-set of those writers interested in emphasizing the “new.” Some Christian authors chose to describe this “newness” borrowing language from contemporary medical texts. Through this graphic physical language, Christians forefronted their glorification of the physical, an important philosophical point that corresponded to their belief in eternal bodily persistence. However, because of how frequently they moved the medical into the allegorical, their apparent glorification of the physical might be undercut. Dawn plans to untangle some of the ways in which the flexible tool of physiology and medicine was used by different authors through tracing the rhetorical power of three bodily fluids associated with conception and birth: blood, semen and milk.

    BUILDING OUR FUTURE: Magdalen's Campaign to raise £7.5m to redevelop the New Library How you can help

    Connect with us

    Get in touch

    Magdalen College
    Oxford
    OX1 4AU
    United Kingdom

    T: +44 (0)1865 276000

    Contact us

    Media Enquiries

    Job Vacancies

    Find us

    • Studying
      Here

      • Chat with a Magdalen student
      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Second BA
      • Outreach
    • Living
      Here

      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Environment
      • Student Life
      • Student Profiles
      • Catering
      • Magdalen College Welfare Support
      • Information for care-experienced students
      • Societies
      • Glossary
    • Discover
      Magdalen

      • College History
      • Research at Magdalen
      • Visiting Magdalen
      • News
      • B&B Room Reservation
      • Shop
    • People at
      Magdalen

    • Chapel
      & Choir

      • The Chapel
      • The Choir
      • Choir Recordings
      • Services and Music List
    • Library
      & Archives

      • COVID-19: information for library users
      • Libraries
      • Archives
      • Library & Archives Contact Details
      • Conservation
      • Online Exhibitions
      • Illuminating Magdalen
      • Library & Archive News
    • Alumni
      & Friends

      • Alumni Area
        – Log in
      • Useful Information
      • Alumni News
      • Alumni Events
      • Supporting Magdalen
      • Involving our Alumni
      • Publications
      • Development and Alumni Relations Office Team
      • Social Media Hub
    • Conferences
      & Events

      • Magdalen News and Events
      • Residential Conferences
      • Day meetings
      • Private Dining
    • Hilary Term 2021 Return Plans

  • Copyright © Magdalen College, Oxford 2021 | Equality | Other policies | Strategic Plan | Internal Pages | Gender Pay Gap Magdalen College is a Registered Charity, No.1142149
    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We will assume that you are ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy