Wikipedia trail: From Martha and Mary to Sara Bareilles
I plan to do the Women of the Bible reading this week, so I decided to start this assignment by searching for Martha and Mary, which is one of my favorite Biblical stories. In the story, Jesus comes to visit the two women, and Martha is annoyed that Mary is sitting at Jesus's feet rather than helping her with chores. Jesus told Martha that Mary has chosen what was more important, and it would never be taken away from her.
The Wikipedia page that popped up was "Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary," which described the story, its interpretations, and its depictions in art and literature. The first paragraph of the page mentions that the Mary in the story (Mary of Bethany) is often confused with Mary Magdalene, and her name was the next link I clicked.
Mary Magdalene's page is extremely long; I love the stories that surround her and all the art that has been created about her. In Western art, Mary Magdalene is often portrayed as a sinner, all because of a mistake one man made. In 581, Pope Gregory I conflated Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany, due to the name, and further conflated Mary of Bethany with an unnamed woman in Luke 7, because there are scenes in the Bible of both women sitting at Jesus's feet. But the unnamed woman was described as a "sinful woman," and because of this speech, people began to view Mary Magdalene as a repentant prostitute or "promiscuous woman." Even though Pope Paul IV removed that identification from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, that view of Mary Magdalene persists.
Because of that misunderstanding, Mary Magdalene is often portrayed as a prostitute in modern culture. One popular portrayal of her is in the musical and subsequent movie Jesus Christ Superstar, in which Mary Magadalene falls in love with Jesus (a popular theory about the real Mary Magdalene). When I clicked on the page for that musical -- one of my favorites -- I read about the various films and on- and off-Broadway revivals, and the actors in each.
In 2018, NBC aired a live version of the musical, starring Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene. I love the soundtrack from her musical, Waitress, so I was excited to see what else her page said. I didn't realize she made cameos in so many TV shows, including 30 Rock, which is one of my favorite shows!
The Wikipedia page that popped up was "Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary," which described the story, its interpretations, and its depictions in art and literature. The first paragraph of the page mentions that the Mary in the story (Mary of Bethany) is often confused with Mary Magdalene, and her name was the next link I clicked.
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| Guido Reni's "Penitent Magdalene" (1635). Source: Wikipedia |
Because of that misunderstanding, Mary Magdalene is often portrayed as a prostitute in modern culture. One popular portrayal of her is in the musical and subsequent movie Jesus Christ Superstar, in which Mary Magadalene falls in love with Jesus (a popular theory about the real Mary Magdalene). When I clicked on the page for that musical -- one of my favorites -- I read about the various films and on- and off-Broadway revivals, and the actors in each.
In 2018, NBC aired a live version of the musical, starring Sara Bareilles as Mary Magdalene. I love the soundtrack from her musical, Waitress, so I was excited to see what else her page said. I didn't realize she made cameos in so many TV shows, including 30 Rock, which is one of my favorite shows!
Wow! I have never heard of this musical, but I listen to Sara Bareilles and love her music. I am definitely familiar with Martha, Mary Magdalene, and the traditional stories that surround them. I loved how you researched some of the bizarre theories of her having other roles. These theories are trending in music, movies, and other entertainment outlets. Specifically, the movie The Divinci Code with Tom Hanks is a very interesting and theories about Mary Magdalene surround the central plot. You should check it out!
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