Literary Features of Medieval Ethiopian Hagiographies: With Reference to Giidlii Krestos Samra
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Date
2012-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the literary elements in the
medieval Ethiopian hagiographies, Gadla Krestos Samra in focus. It was also
intended to endorse whether these texts qualify in literary features.
Accordingly, the literary elements and techniques were examined in the study.
Since the study is done on a text, Qualitative research method was applied. In
this thesis, I develop the analysis of elements and techniques of a novel. This
research produced a number of key findings. The results show that the text
Gadla Krestos Samra has contained the literary features. The text has good
plot structure; the five elements within a plot are performed well following
Freytag's structure of a plot. The narrative is filled with various conflicts which
add aesthetics to the plot. Causality and suspense are also there to make the
plot astonishing. Lots of characters are acted in the narrative and well
characterized. The story sets in a specific temporal and spatial position. It is
narrated in a third person limited omniscient perspective. Moreover, the
narrative is constructed in well arranged figures of speech, simile, metaphor,
symbolism, and others are there. Obviously it has ' themes. Techniques of a
novel, foreshadowing, dialogue and description are on the other hand revealed
in the study. The principal conclusion drawn from this research was that
irrespective of the reality of the stories for followers , it qualifies the prominent
literary features; as to the finding of the research I c!a argue that the text is a
religious fiction. It was recommended that interested researchers should
explore this untouched field which is rich for any kir,d of literary study.
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Keywords
Ethiopian Hagiographies