Heroism and Passion: The Saints Perpetua and Felicitas
The construction of “The Passion of SS. Perpetua and Felicitas” adheres to the archetypal construction of a heroic piece-the calling, the journey, the overcoming of evil, followed by the hopeful return. Here, Perpetua and Felicitas are called through faith and later journey to prison, then to absolution in the emperor’s arena. While it is most evident that there was no return for either martyr, their success is still largely a matter of point of view. In death, Perpetua and Felicitas were successful-if only indirectly-in promoting belief in Christianity. Their zeal to die, although idiosyncratic of martyrdom, unambiguously expresses a lack of fortitude with which to face the world while continuing to actively promote their religion. The latter statement does not describe the qualities of a hero or heroine. On the other hand, the saints’ actions are balanced by their fundamental resolve, or an unwillingness to renounce their faith.
Whether or not martyrs are heroes is, again, a matter of semantics. What does one mean exactly by “hero” or “heroine”? Martyrs are not heroes in the sense that they are mythological figures or overcome numerous ordeals to gain glory and victory. In the case of a martyr, God delivers them; they do not deliver themselves. Martyrs are merely religious messengers and instruments of reform. However, such a statement is problematic in that “heroine” refers to a woman who is admired for her achievements, or one who is the central figure in a story or event. While the saints presented here would not be heroines in the ancient sense (a mythological figure, admired for wisdom, etc.), it would not be inappropriate to refer to them as such in more modern usage. Another problematic arena would be the division of martyr-heroes based on gender roles. Although female martyrs could be called heroes, it would be a misuse of the word to refer to a male martyr [e.g. Saturus] as a “hero,” since the masculine form of the word is more often used to honor physical accomplishments. (Indeed, the text does not even refer to Saturus as a saint in his own right.) Martyrdom is marked by a passive demise. Pre-established heroes, such at St. George, remain heroes nevertheless.
These questions are difficult to answer. In analyzing the texts, however, readers may become more aware of the multi-facetedness of both the subject and the pieces themselves, including the definition of “hero” and “heroine” and what roles martyrs and saints played in the Ancient and pre-Christian worlds.
