The Old English Life of Saint Margaret ends, as the title might suggest, with the protagonist St. Margaret’s death. After Margaret is killed, angels “come over the body of the holy Margaret and bless it,” singing, “‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, glorious King of hosts, heaven and earth are full of your glory.’” At first glance, this concluding moment may seem strange or confusing. Margaret, who has just slain a…

Examining the role of gender in The Old English Life of Saint Margaret sheds light on many expected notions of martyrdom, femininity, and masculinity. “True” femininity seems to take place in Margaret, a pure, virginal woman. When discussing her holiness, Margaret’s connection to God seems to be very contingent on two things. One, she is above overly-humanistic feelings such as desire and anger. As someone who seems to be free…