Zossima In 'Harlot's Of The Desert'

The saints centered in Benedicta Ward’s Harlot’s of the Desert display powerful transformations because of their faith. The story of Mary of Egypt is significant for this reason. Her story insinuates that women are desirable in two ways: sexually and religiously. Her story also sheds light on which mode of desire appears to reign supreme. The character, Zossima, represents how Mary, and women, are desired religiously. Zossima is a pretentious monk who ponders if anyone can teach him:
“Zossima used to tell how when he was hardly weaned he was placed in that monastery, where he lived until his fifty-third year, following an ascetic way of life. It was then that he began to be tormented by the thought that it seemed as if he had attained perfection …show more content…
One version of her story details her taking a voyage to Jerusalem with a group of pilgrims. Mary behaves lecherously both on the ship and in Jerusalem: “On the way she seduced many of her companions, and continued to live this way in Jerusalem” (27). The desire for Mary by the pilgrims differs from Zossima’s desire, however. Zossima was captivated by the holiness of Mary exhibited through her religious knowledge and ascetic ways, but the pilgrims desired the body of Mary. As opposed to Zossima who desires Mary as a pathway to God and righteousness, the pilgrims reduce Mary to a sexual object. Another example of Mary’s body being desired is by a monk in an alternate version of the story. This monk visits Mary’s home and vice versa, but Mary discovers that he regrets his lust: “I knocked on the door, but he, because of what he had done with me, did not open it to me at all. He went on weeping and confessing. Seeing this, I said to myself, ‘He is repenting of his sins but I do not repent of mine.’” (30). As Mary describes, the monk views his sexual desire to her as sinful, which is why he repents. The monk much like the pilgrims, and unlike Zossima aren’t transformed by Mary. This transformative element is what makes the religious desire of women in this story superior to the sexual desire. Zossima begins with a character flaw and evolves through his desire of Mary. This growth is particularly noteworthy because Mary is a woman who proves to be both a teacher to Zossima and more ascetic than her male counterpart. The story of Mary of Egypt centers a woman, and demonstrates how men can desire women sexually and stagnate in their sin, or they can desire women religiously and find growth in their relationship with