Expecting Moral Perfection: The Slow Violence of Religious Institutions and Sainthood in Miguel de Unamuno’s “Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr”
Abstract
Paper Title/Topic: Expecting Moral Perfection: The Slow Violence of Religious Institutions and Sainthood in Miguel de Unamuno’s “Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr” Author: Camille Sydney Malone Abstract: It is common to view religious figureheads, such as pastors and reverends, as the most devout, saintly, and ultimately good members of the church and of the community. To represent divinity, or a God, one must become the closest resemblance of that power or must represent the ultimate contact with the divine. In Miguel de Unamuno’s novella “Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr,” the pastor of the village church, Don Manuel, is positioned as an ideal of both moral perfection and sainthood, the ultimate resemblance of the divine. For Don Manuel, sacrifice exists in day-to-day interactions, uplifting the morale and spirit within each member of his community. Over time, though, he experiences a serious internal and, ultimately, external decay of his own body and mind. The performance of identity in each culture is valuable in understanding the societal bounds of a given expression or set of beliefs. Reading Don Manuel, one can notice the importance of performance in the functioning of a society. By evaluating eco-critic Robert Nixon’s concept of slow violence, or a gradual, unrecognizable decay of the natural world and civilization, Don Manuel’s gradual decay is visualized. Don Manuel Beuno becomes a consistently eroding figure, dismembered by the slow violence caused by his role in the church’s environment and perpetuated by his community, ultimately showcasing the slowly violent role that rigid religious morality plays on both an external body and internal psyche. Ultimately, this paper explores the idea that Don Manuel’s life is emblematic of the slow, creeping violence that occurs in the wake of objective morality and its strict religious implications and usages using Nixon’s critical framework.
Start Time
15-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 4:30 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Poster Number
11
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Subtype
Posters - Competitive
Presentation Category
Arts and Humanities
Student Type
Graduate and Professional Degree Students, Residents, Fellows
Faculty Mentor
Matthew Holtmeier
Expecting Moral Perfection: The Slow Violence of Religious Institutions and Sainthood in Miguel de Unamuno’s “Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr”
Culp Ballroom 316
Paper Title/Topic: Expecting Moral Perfection: The Slow Violence of Religious Institutions and Sainthood in Miguel de Unamuno’s “Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr” Author: Camille Sydney Malone Abstract: It is common to view religious figureheads, such as pastors and reverends, as the most devout, saintly, and ultimately good members of the church and of the community. To represent divinity, or a God, one must become the closest resemblance of that power or must represent the ultimate contact with the divine. In Miguel de Unamuno’s novella “Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr,” the pastor of the village church, Don Manuel, is positioned as an ideal of both moral perfection and sainthood, the ultimate resemblance of the divine. For Don Manuel, sacrifice exists in day-to-day interactions, uplifting the morale and spirit within each member of his community. Over time, though, he experiences a serious internal and, ultimately, external decay of his own body and mind. The performance of identity in each culture is valuable in understanding the societal bounds of a given expression or set of beliefs. Reading Don Manuel, one can notice the importance of performance in the functioning of a society. By evaluating eco-critic Robert Nixon’s concept of slow violence, or a gradual, unrecognizable decay of the natural world and civilization, Don Manuel’s gradual decay is visualized. Don Manuel Beuno becomes a consistently eroding figure, dismembered by the slow violence caused by his role in the church’s environment and perpetuated by his community, ultimately showcasing the slowly violent role that rigid religious morality plays on both an external body and internal psyche. Ultimately, this paper explores the idea that Don Manuel’s life is emblematic of the slow, creeping violence that occurs in the wake of objective morality and its strict religious implications and usages using Nixon’s critical framework.
