Buechner's Sense of Modernity and Godric's Flawed Sainthood Anonymous College

In Godric, Frederick Buechner uses multiple characters who are at once medieval and modern to not only tell the uncommon tale of a flawed saint, but to depict through medieval text and setting his modern comments, appraisals, and beliefs about what is means to be holy. Buechner chose in picking Saint Godric as a subject brought to life the intriguing story and unsolved puzzle of a flawed saint. With his additions Buechner created characters that were empathetic in modern and medieval language. Through many episodes in the novel his uses poetic language to break down his critics on the time period and uses philosophical expression to recreate the past using his presents ideas.

Buechner's first illustration of this is found within Godric and Aedlwards relationship. The readers first introduction to Godric's father is “his name means Keeper of Blessednness. If so, he kept it mostly to himself, more’s the pity. I pity Aedlward.”(Buechner 9), from these lines Buechner shows the reader that Aedlward has been absent in Godric life and that Godric shows signs resents towards him. In the catholic religion it is a commandment to honor thy mother and father and this rule upheld strongly. So for Godric to outwardly express these feeling...