Grobian Trouble: Grobianism and "Invectivity" in Thomas Murner and Martin Luther

Thomas Murner's verse satire Von dem grossen Lutherischen Narren (1522) and Martin Luther's pamphlet Wider das Papsttum zu Rom, vom Teufel gestiftet (1545) are known as particularly grobian texts. This paper examines the grobian as a historically new key figure in these two pamphlets and v...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Early Modern Christianity
Subtitles:"Words at War: 'Invectivity' in Transformative Processes of the Sixteenth Century; Guest Editors: Cora Dietl, Bernward Schmidt, and Isabelle Stauffer"
Main Author: Stauffer, Isabelle (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: De Gruyter 2023
In: Journal of Early Modern Christianity
Year: 2023, Volume: 10, Issue: 1, Pages: 73-88
RelBib Classification:CD Christianity and Culture
KAG Church history 1500-1648; Reformation; humanism; Renaissance
KDB Roman Catholic Church
KDD Protestant Church
ZG Media studies; Digital media; Communication studies
Further subjects:B Thomas Murner
B Martin Luther
B grobianism
B Reformation
B invectivity
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Summary:Thomas Murner's verse satire Von dem grossen Lutherischen Narren (1522) and Martin Luther's pamphlet Wider das Papsttum zu Rom, vom Teufel gestiftet (1545) are known as particularly grobian texts. This paper examines the grobian as a historically new key figure in these two pamphlets and views it in relation to the concept of "invectivity." Both are performative, violent, and in need of an audience. Moreover, their shared epistemic function is to question the existing order. The grobian also shows the contagiousness of "invectivity": both Murner and Luther profess grobianism - which they say they were forced into because their opponents adopted it. These attributions of grobianism raise the debate to the level of the metainvective. As a transmedial figure, the grobian helps to make debates about religious conflicts more figurative and visual. As a ridiculous figure, he challenges not only pejorative ridicule but also liberating laughter, and ex negativo demonstrates the utopia of polite behavior - thus going beyond "invectivity."
ISSN:2196-6656
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of Early Modern Christianity
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1515/jemc-2023-2038