Female victimsThe Church Fathers, in early Christianity saw virginity as very important, and remaining chaste was seen as ideal. They wrote extensively promoting virginity as superior to marriage. These teachings significantly shaped Christian thought which often presented virginity as a form of spiritual purity and as an outward symbol one's commitment to Christ. Most of the female torture victims in this art were typically young, attractive, and naked. Generally, they underwent a long series of tortures which were depicted in very descriptive, graphic detail. All of the stories and pictures were precisely as titillating as current standards would allow, except, for one thing. To maintain the religious fantasy, it never occurred to their vicious persecutors to rape them, and thus all of these women remained virgins,. Male victimsThe emphasis for male victims was not virginity, but but rather they were portrayed as young, handsome, and muscular. Their idealized bodies were a reflection of their spiritual perfection. Their wounds and blood, which were often compared to Christ’s, were seen as symbols of their love and devotion to God. Some artists may have also tailored their depictions to appeal to the aesthetic or sensual preferences of their viewers. Nearly every depiction of St Sebastian, for example, is most definitely created to appeal to heterosexual women and homosexual men. A very interesting topic to consider when comparing the male and female victims is the role of dominance and submission with regard to gender identity. In most cases there appears to be a reversal of typical sexual stereotypes. Female victims are being dominated, stripped, bound, tortured, humiliated, and looked upon by men as objects. However despite this emphasis on suffering, they show unwavering faith, defiance, and strength. This type of portrayal directly challenges the simplistic view of female martyrs as purely passive victims. Many female viewers could find this empowering. Male victims are also being dominated, stripped, bound, tortured, and humiliated, but the image they present would seldom be interpreted as defiant or strong. Instead they are portrayed as more Christlike, and they are turned into a kind of ‘toy’ for their tormentors. They often seem to be seeking to escape their mortal bodies through the suffering and usually come across as very submissive. It is reasonable to interpret these male martyr’s passive acceptance of pain as a rejection of traditional masculinity. In these stories both the men and the women appear to subvert the acceptable gender roles. The women appear strong, and in control, even while facing their torment, while the men appear more submissive, compliantly acquiescing to the whims of their tormentors. Here are some other things to look for when reviewing this artwork:
Sometimes you will see pain on the faces of the martyrs, but more often than not there will be some expression of pleasure, ecstasy, or even indifference.
The torturers and executioners often appear detached and completely indifferent to the suffering of their victim.
There are often mundane details like a dog, or peasants in the background working their fields, that help distract from the horror of the scene and make it seem more familiar to the viewer and almost commonplace.
There is almost always an audience of onlookers with whom the viewer may identify.