Rachel Piwarski
Major:
English
E-mail: rachel.piwarski@my.und.edu
Mentor: Dr. Michelle Sauer
Expected Graduation Date: May 2013
Organizations: President of Adelphi, The UND Literacy Society
Honors: 2012 College of Arts& Sciences Deans List English Award--Robertson Scholarship, Spring 2012
Conferences: The Northern Plains Conference on Early British Literature, April 2012
Presentations: To Present on Julian of Norwich at The Northern Plains Conference on Early British Literature, April 2013
About me: I am a senior English major here at UND, anticipating graduation in May of 2013. I was born in Riverside, California. I have lived in California, Texas, Ohio, but I identify with North Dakota as my home. I have lived in ND for almost five years. I graduated from Larimore High School, and currently live in a little blue house with my significant other, Adam Sletten, in Larimore. I am the president of Adelphi, UND's literary society. In my spare time, I love to paint, read, and play with my 13 pets! I enjoy music of all kinds, but indie is my favorite. My life isn't complete without art, and I have a great love and appreciation for the outdoors, and the beauty of nature.
I have been a McNair scholar since January of 2012. It has been an extremely positive experience in my academic career. Patrice Giese and Jill Teters are encouraging mentors within the program. Their knowledge and experience is extremely valuable to me. Patrice encouraged me to turn my McNair project into an Honors Thesis in the summer of 2012. I anticipate the completion of my thesis in May 2013, which will allow me to graduate with Senior Honors. Jill has helped me in terms of applying to graduate school, gaining conference funding, and working out financial aid questions. The GRE writing classes taught by Steve Rand that was offered to McNair students in the fall of 2012 helped me to score in the 92 percentile on my writing portion of my GRE. In addition to the wonderful and encouraging individuals I came across within the program, my disciplinary mentor, Dr. Michelle Sauer, has been a great support in encouraging my academic success. Dr. Sauer is a full professor who specializes in medieval literature. Her extensive knowledge within the realm of anchoritic texts and beyond has expanded my scope of knowledge. For that, I am very grateful. Dr. Sauer referenced me to the McNair program in the fall of 2011. I have worked on projects varying from my thesis to her scholastic endeavors since the spring of 2012. She was pivotal to my admittance and success in the program. The McNair program has changed both my academic and scholastic life in a meaningful and positive way.
Abstract Title: Structures of Power: Androgyny, Patriarchy, and Christ's Love in Julian of Norwich's A Revelation of Divine Love
My presentation explores the power relationships between Julian of Norwich and the Holy Trinity through a Foucauldian lens within her divine Showings, (AKA A Revelation of Divine Love). An analysis of how androgyny in the middle ages, patriarchy in the Church, and Christ's love creates structures of power will be explored. Julian's role in Norwich as a religious center, as well as ideology that stems from Jerome and Bernard of Clairvaux will also be explored to contextualize Julian's description of Christ as mother. An effeminate Christ who was "moder" or mother, as well as lover, was appealing to the medieval laity because of his androgynous nature. I intend to illustrate how small stylistic shifts from Julian's meekness and inadequacy before Christ to her strength and desire to be closer to him as a lover illustrates the complexity that occurs when writing about an androgynous God.