Religion
The main theme in “The Lives of the Fathers” is religion. This lengthy poem is presented as a dialogue between God and his faithful servants, some from the ancient past and others from the present. The purpose of these dialogues is to find out what God expects from his servants and also to transmit to the reader what he or she must do if they want to be accepted by God and have the opportunity to go to Heaven. The main idea transmitted here is that a person should live a life of austerity if they want to be accepted by God. Things such as comfort, money, luxury, or carnal desires are to be avoided at all costs if someone wishes to be granted eternal life in Heaven.
Moral purity
The main theme in “Thais” is that of the importance of moral purity. The main character here is a young woman named Thais who earned her living through prostitution. The abbot tried to make her see the fault in her ways and then become a better and more pious person. From the conversation between the abbot and the woman, the reader can understand just how important is moral cleanliness and purity. Sin, as it is highlighted here, has the power to condemn a person’s soul to an eternity in Hell. Because of this, a person must try to do everything they can to make sure the life they have is one characterized by purity and moral cleanliness.
The importance of having courage
The main theme in “Herman de Valenciennes, The Passion of Our Lord” can be identified as being the importance of having the courage and doing what is right even when this may seem difficult or even dangerous. This idea is transmitted through the example of Jesus Christ who went to help his good friend even though he knew that by returning to Judea, he will be putting his life in danger. Jesus did not think about his own good but rather thought about how to help others. This transmits the idea that a good Christian should always think about the well-being of others and should do everything in their power to help others.
