Final thoughts, final thoughts....my mind is blank. I'll ask Lillith what she has to say...ah inspiration. I convinced my sister to name her cat after the succubus Lillith. I think names directly affect attitudes--she is a total demon.
Little Gidding: Fire
Now the hedgerow
Is blanched for an hour with transitory blossom
Of snow, a bloom more sudden
Than that of summer, neither budding nor fading,
Not in the scheme of generation.
Where is the summer, the unimaginable
Zero summer?
When snow falls on barren trees, it does not change the anatomy or composition of the plant. The chemical makeup of the tree or bush or flower doesn't shift. The plant remains dormant, seemingly unaffected by the fallen snow. It doesn't change. Right? I guess that could be similar to what I thought at the beginning of the semester last year, before Emergent Literature. Then we read T.S. Eliot....and James Joyce....and Cees Nooteboom. Then, this semester, I took Mythologies alongside Bible as Literature. Perception change much? I have gone through so many stages of apocalypse I feel like a whirlwind.....Snow changes trees. I see a white blossom upon every plant in the field. It falls but is replenished. It melts but it remains in vapor or water or ice upon trodden paths. It changes states but is still snow, water, ice and vapor, all at the same time. Temperature changes alter its state just like life changes alter mine. I have gone from Winifred to Miles City to Bozeman. I have gone from a reader to obsessor to making a career out of my obsession. My states have changed, my perception has been altered. Just like the trees. Their chemical composition remains just as I am still made of water, organs and skin but their states change. In winter they are white; in summer they are full of color and life. In the unimaginable zero summer they are clean or white with leprousy, depending on how you view them and what state you are in. It is a time of transition. For the tree and for the one looking upon its white, barren new lifelessness. Transition, rebirth, renewal, begin again, end again. Finnegan.
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Myrrah, Daphne, Dryope, Heliades and many more....here's to your snow covered branches and your zero summer.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Better Final Paper
Ahab, king of Israel, was a very greedy man. He did not walk in the ways of the Lord. Rather, he chose to worship the false idol Baal; this idol was considered one of the demons of hell. Now, Ahab decided that he wanted to own the vineyard of a certain man named Naboth. This man was holy and he walked in the ways of the Lord; he was an altogether good man. This is the story of Naboth, Jezebel, and Ahab and this is the version wherein the lacuna is revealed.
One day Ahab was strolling through his kingdom, surrounded by fifty servants and numerous guards. He was walking, enjoying the scenery and the prosperity of his kingdom when he came upon an especially attractive vineyard. He stood in awe of its great abundance of fruit and admired its broad expanse of flourishing beauty. “Eden”, he thought to himself; “I must meet the man responsible for this.”
Menagerie in tow, Ahab proceeded to the house of Naboth, the owner of the vineyard. Immediately he began conversation with this man, asking him of his methods.
Naboth replied, “I am but a humble man, I ask of the Lord and he giveth.”
Ahab snickered at this and upon first instinct decided to tease the pious man.
“Who is your Lord compared to Baal? I have worshipped Baal-zebub through years of prosperity and kingship and look at me today. I rule over the land of Israel and reside within a castle constructed of the finest ivory. I own hundreds of vineyards compared to your one. Ask me, where has the Lord taken thee? I will answer, ‘Nowhere for I am under the watchful eye of Baal and he has served me well.’”
Naboth took no offense; he simply stood by his convictions and believed in the Lord he knew to be just. His prosperity for one single man was great and he did not wish to reside in an ivory castle or to rule over thousands of people. He had found the needful thing; to live under the laws of the Lord and to worship accordingly. This was enough and the prosperity he found was within the joy of his family and the care of his vineyard. For Ahab, though, this answer, these convictions, were simply not enough.
Confounded he said, “Naboth, I will make thee an exceeding wealthy man if you agree to sell me this vineyard. I will pay you tenfold what it is worth or I will give you a larger vineyard in return and you will have no more earthly concerns for the rest of your days.”
Naboth smiled and politely refused. The Lord had forbidden him to sell the land of his ancestors and he intended to follow this command. He would not forsake the Lord; he would not sell his vineyard. Ahab was furious. He stormed home to his castle and threw a tantrum of epic proportions. The castle of ivory shook with his rage until he gave into sullen fasting and laid upon his bed in despair. He would not eat nor did drink and every servant that came unto him would soon exit his chamber in fear.
He lay still thinking. His thoughts reeled through his greedy mind, the center of their monomania a flourishing vineyard on the outskirts of his ivory castle enclosure. Why can this not be mine? Everything within the kingdom is mine. I am lord over these lands and my god has not refused me this luxury. Lord…who is this lord but a peasant’s idol? Absurd, I want this vineyard; I own this kingdom; I should be certain to have what I want.
Lying in his bed, these pestilential thoughts reeling around the lofty room of his despair, Ahab festered. Anger, indignation, overcame him and he wept as a child would weep for the loss of a favorite toy. Absurd he may say to his inability to procure this piece of land but absurd his servants say to his reaction to so small a disallowance. They wondered in awe without his chamber, believing that their master had truly crossed the threshold into insanity. Never having been wealthy or with an abundance of material possessions, these servants were unable to understand the grief stricken moans emitted from the casement of their lord’s tortured being. Finally, unable to stand the tension consuming the house, a servant called upon Jezebel, the wife of Ahab. She loved him, it is true, but behind her love one could see the lingering corruption of ages and wealth. Her love was for his kingdom; for his way of life and for this she appreciated her husband.
Alas, the appreciation was mutual; the love of the corrupt and black of heart was shared between the two and now her love was in need of her assistance; she would go to him. She pondered the situation and alighted upon a decision with ease. She knew that her husband was the weakest of the pair as the kingdom had always been run to her accordance. Now, Jezebel sought her husband within his bed chamber and inquired as to his ailment.
“I am wrought with despair. Such impertinence I have endured and now my mind lets me not beyond the thoughts of Naboth.”
“Please, my love, what is it that has caused you such torment?” she said with false ignorance.
“A garden of herbs is all I wished to attain, for you, my lovely wife and now Naboth has refused me this request. His vineyard for ample recompense and he denies me access.”
As indignation flooded the face of Ahab, Jezebel remained eerily calm. Her plan had already been decided upon; she simply needed to convey it to her husband in such a way that would appeal to his vanity. This would not be difficult; her husband’s vanity was her puppet master’s tool of choice and she had, after all, ran a kingdom under cover of matrimony.
“Listen to me,” Jezebel whispered, “Your are the king and sole master of this land, are you not? None other rules above you, so why is it that this simple wish is unattainable? Leave this problem to me and you will have your vineyard; your garden of herbs, before the week has ended.”
How could this plea not appeal to a tormented mind? His greedy lust for what he could not possess drove him to the edges of frustrated agony and now a solution presented itself. Of course, he consented, thinking only of the vineyard of which he had been refused ownership. Such an obsession he had endured. The time of endurance may have been short but the time within his chamber, spent in torment, had felt like ages tossed upon a stormy sea. Ahab’s fingers longed to touch the earth of this vineyard; his feet longed to walk upon its soft, fertile soil. This land, this land, he thought, must not be withheld from my grasp; it is now mine, my Jezebel will see to this.
Meanwhile, Naboth tended to his vineyard. Disturbed by the occurrence the previous day, he kept a watchful eye on the castle. His wife and children were inside his small home, preparing for the evening meal. The rows of grapes instilled a quiet upon the land; a quiet that only allowed the noises of nature to penetrate. He loved his vineyard and appreciated the gifts the Lord had given him but he knew, somehow, that these gifts weren’t likely to last. The king had expressed his desire to purchase this land and upon Naboth’s refusal had become wrought with rage. He sighed. The Lord will make all things right, he thought to himself as he snipped a wilting vine from an otherwise healthy bush.
Entering his home, Naboth felt a heightened sense and noticed all of the details he had before taken for granted. He saw his wife and the familiar curve of her face. He saw his children but they were somehow different, somehow new. The low ceiling of his cottage, which before seemed restrictive now seemed safe and encompassing. He knew that he had to protect his family, his cottage and his vineyard but he knew not how. Naboth felt that his fate was sealed. He could not forsake the Lord and sell his land so he sat down next to his wife and children and let their presence fill him. This is the last, he thought, this is everything.
Naboth was correct in his convictions for Jezebel was busy, within her house of ivory, scheming against the innocent peasant. Letters were sent to elders across the town and they were instructed to gather for a meeting concerning Naboth. Two servants had attested to his blasphemy of God and the king. Under rancor, Jezebel had waxed false and presented these two men with the words they were to speak. They, in fear for their lives, consented without option. Naboth was to be tried.
The next day saw the elders of the town and the king and queen of Israel present in the city square. Naboth’s wife and children were within their cottage; the mother knowing of her husband’s fate; the children inquiring as to their father’s whereabouts. No answer was to be spoken for the mother was sunk in fearful despair. The trial began and the men spoke against Naboth, falsely accusing him of blasphemy. He who the king had taunted and teased and who had held firmly to his belief in the Lord. However, he did not curse God at this point nearing the end of his existence. He was filled with emotion unlike any other he had ever felt. Aware of his fate; aware of the inevitability of his untimely death, Naboth felt only serenity and a sureness of spirit. He was to find the kingdom of heaven. His wife and children were his only concern.
As Naboth’s sentence was secured he pleaded upon his knees, begging for mercy not for himself but for his family he was to leave behind. With a disdainful brow, Ahab reluctantly agreed.
“Now, remove him from the town and carry out his sentence,” said Ahab from atop the planks of his throne.
Stones in hand, the executioners prepared themselves. Naboth watched with wonder as he saw amusement and anticipation flit across the brows of the gathering crowd. One man was smiling, toothless, tossing his stone to and fro between deft hands.
One word: “Proceed.”
One thought: “My family.”
One stone to begin the barrage. Naboth could see the blood behind his eyes but he still managed to stand erect. Stone after stone was hurled and the frenzy built; crowd members joining with disgusting glee. A stone to the knee, Naboth fell. A stone to the back, Naboth moved no more. A stone to the temple, his spirit fled. Blood crashed against the stones like the rising tide and the crowd jeered.
After the end, the king of Israel immediately seized upon the vineyard. At the one last request of Naboth, the wife and children were given lodging within the city. This was the only act of decency Jezebel and Ahab would incur upon the doomed family. They were otherwise left to fend for themselves.
God spoke unto Elijah. “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord, ‘In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine’”’ (1 Kings 21 18-19).
One day Ahab was strolling through his kingdom, surrounded by fifty servants and numerous guards. He was walking, enjoying the scenery and the prosperity of his kingdom when he came upon an especially attractive vineyard. He stood in awe of its great abundance of fruit and admired its broad expanse of flourishing beauty. “Eden”, he thought to himself; “I must meet the man responsible for this.”
Menagerie in tow, Ahab proceeded to the house of Naboth, the owner of the vineyard. Immediately he began conversation with this man, asking him of his methods.
Naboth replied, “I am but a humble man, I ask of the Lord and he giveth.”
Ahab snickered at this and upon first instinct decided to tease the pious man.
“Who is your Lord compared to Baal? I have worshipped Baal-zebub through years of prosperity and kingship and look at me today. I rule over the land of Israel and reside within a castle constructed of the finest ivory. I own hundreds of vineyards compared to your one. Ask me, where has the Lord taken thee? I will answer, ‘Nowhere for I am under the watchful eye of Baal and he has served me well.’”
Naboth took no offense; he simply stood by his convictions and believed in the Lord he knew to be just. His prosperity for one single man was great and he did not wish to reside in an ivory castle or to rule over thousands of people. He had found the needful thing; to live under the laws of the Lord and to worship accordingly. This was enough and the prosperity he found was within the joy of his family and the care of his vineyard. For Ahab, though, this answer, these convictions, were simply not enough.
Confounded he said, “Naboth, I will make thee an exceeding wealthy man if you agree to sell me this vineyard. I will pay you tenfold what it is worth or I will give you a larger vineyard in return and you will have no more earthly concerns for the rest of your days.”
Naboth smiled and politely refused. The Lord had forbidden him to sell the land of his ancestors and he intended to follow this command. He would not forsake the Lord; he would not sell his vineyard. Ahab was furious. He stormed home to his castle and threw a tantrum of epic proportions. The castle of ivory shook with his rage until he gave into sullen fasting and laid upon his bed in despair. He would not eat nor did drink and every servant that came unto him would soon exit his chamber in fear.
He lay still thinking. His thoughts reeled through his greedy mind, the center of their monomania a flourishing vineyard on the outskirts of his ivory castle enclosure. Why can this not be mine? Everything within the kingdom is mine. I am lord over these lands and my god has not refused me this luxury. Lord…who is this lord but a peasant’s idol? Absurd, I want this vineyard; I own this kingdom; I should be certain to have what I want.
Lying in his bed, these pestilential thoughts reeling around the lofty room of his despair, Ahab festered. Anger, indignation, overcame him and he wept as a child would weep for the loss of a favorite toy. Absurd he may say to his inability to procure this piece of land but absurd his servants say to his reaction to so small a disallowance. They wondered in awe without his chamber, believing that their master had truly crossed the threshold into insanity. Never having been wealthy or with an abundance of material possessions, these servants were unable to understand the grief stricken moans emitted from the casement of their lord’s tortured being. Finally, unable to stand the tension consuming the house, a servant called upon Jezebel, the wife of Ahab. She loved him, it is true, but behind her love one could see the lingering corruption of ages and wealth. Her love was for his kingdom; for his way of life and for this she appreciated her husband.
Alas, the appreciation was mutual; the love of the corrupt and black of heart was shared between the two and now her love was in need of her assistance; she would go to him. She pondered the situation and alighted upon a decision with ease. She knew that her husband was the weakest of the pair as the kingdom had always been run to her accordance. Now, Jezebel sought her husband within his bed chamber and inquired as to his ailment.
“I am wrought with despair. Such impertinence I have endured and now my mind lets me not beyond the thoughts of Naboth.”
“Please, my love, what is it that has caused you such torment?” she said with false ignorance.
“A garden of herbs is all I wished to attain, for you, my lovely wife and now Naboth has refused me this request. His vineyard for ample recompense and he denies me access.”
As indignation flooded the face of Ahab, Jezebel remained eerily calm. Her plan had already been decided upon; she simply needed to convey it to her husband in such a way that would appeal to his vanity. This would not be difficult; her husband’s vanity was her puppet master’s tool of choice and she had, after all, ran a kingdom under cover of matrimony.
“Listen to me,” Jezebel whispered, “Your are the king and sole master of this land, are you not? None other rules above you, so why is it that this simple wish is unattainable? Leave this problem to me and you will have your vineyard; your garden of herbs, before the week has ended.”
How could this plea not appeal to a tormented mind? His greedy lust for what he could not possess drove him to the edges of frustrated agony and now a solution presented itself. Of course, he consented, thinking only of the vineyard of which he had been refused ownership. Such an obsession he had endured. The time of endurance may have been short but the time within his chamber, spent in torment, had felt like ages tossed upon a stormy sea. Ahab’s fingers longed to touch the earth of this vineyard; his feet longed to walk upon its soft, fertile soil. This land, this land, he thought, must not be withheld from my grasp; it is now mine, my Jezebel will see to this.
Meanwhile, Naboth tended to his vineyard. Disturbed by the occurrence the previous day, he kept a watchful eye on the castle. His wife and children were inside his small home, preparing for the evening meal. The rows of grapes instilled a quiet upon the land; a quiet that only allowed the noises of nature to penetrate. He loved his vineyard and appreciated the gifts the Lord had given him but he knew, somehow, that these gifts weren’t likely to last. The king had expressed his desire to purchase this land and upon Naboth’s refusal had become wrought with rage. He sighed. The Lord will make all things right, he thought to himself as he snipped a wilting vine from an otherwise healthy bush.
Entering his home, Naboth felt a heightened sense and noticed all of the details he had before taken for granted. He saw his wife and the familiar curve of her face. He saw his children but they were somehow different, somehow new. The low ceiling of his cottage, which before seemed restrictive now seemed safe and encompassing. He knew that he had to protect his family, his cottage and his vineyard but he knew not how. Naboth felt that his fate was sealed. He could not forsake the Lord and sell his land so he sat down next to his wife and children and let their presence fill him. This is the last, he thought, this is everything.
Naboth was correct in his convictions for Jezebel was busy, within her house of ivory, scheming against the innocent peasant. Letters were sent to elders across the town and they were instructed to gather for a meeting concerning Naboth. Two servants had attested to his blasphemy of God and the king. Under rancor, Jezebel had waxed false and presented these two men with the words they were to speak. They, in fear for their lives, consented without option. Naboth was to be tried.
The next day saw the elders of the town and the king and queen of Israel present in the city square. Naboth’s wife and children were within their cottage; the mother knowing of her husband’s fate; the children inquiring as to their father’s whereabouts. No answer was to be spoken for the mother was sunk in fearful despair. The trial began and the men spoke against Naboth, falsely accusing him of blasphemy. He who the king had taunted and teased and who had held firmly to his belief in the Lord. However, he did not curse God at this point nearing the end of his existence. He was filled with emotion unlike any other he had ever felt. Aware of his fate; aware of the inevitability of his untimely death, Naboth felt only serenity and a sureness of spirit. He was to find the kingdom of heaven. His wife and children were his only concern.
As Naboth’s sentence was secured he pleaded upon his knees, begging for mercy not for himself but for his family he was to leave behind. With a disdainful brow, Ahab reluctantly agreed.
“Now, remove him from the town and carry out his sentence,” said Ahab from atop the planks of his throne.
Stones in hand, the executioners prepared themselves. Naboth watched with wonder as he saw amusement and anticipation flit across the brows of the gathering crowd. One man was smiling, toothless, tossing his stone to and fro between deft hands.
One word: “Proceed.”
One thought: “My family.”
One stone to begin the barrage. Naboth could see the blood behind his eyes but he still managed to stand erect. Stone after stone was hurled and the frenzy built; crowd members joining with disgusting glee. A stone to the knee, Naboth fell. A stone to the back, Naboth moved no more. A stone to the temple, his spirit fled. Blood crashed against the stones like the rising tide and the crowd jeered.
After the end, the king of Israel immediately seized upon the vineyard. At the one last request of Naboth, the wife and children were given lodging within the city. This was the only act of decency Jezebel and Ahab would incur upon the doomed family. They were otherwise left to fend for themselves.
God spoke unto Elijah. “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord, ‘In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine’”’ (1 Kings 21 18-19).
After Writing
After I wrote this paper and presented it in class I realized countless other additions I would like to make. I will re-post this paper tomorrow with the necessary additions. As odd as it may sound, after Dr. Sexson asked me to read the most disgusting part, I realized I was missing a key element from my paper. I needed to include the stoning of Naboth and now I have in my head exactly what I want to write. It may not turn out to be as disgusting as he may have hoped but I can't beleive I ignorantly left this part out. T.S. Eliot would be proud of me realization. If I am to relate the story of Naboth, Jezebel and Ahab to Melville's Moby Dick I need to complete the important aspects of the story; namely the death of the being that blocks the monomaniacal characters from reaching their desired end. I think that Melville's Ahab was obsessed with the idea that a being more powerful than him reigned within the sea. He waged war on God, basically and God took the form of a whale that overpowered Ahab, making him obsessed with vengeance. Ahab, king of Israel is similarly obsessed. He was thwarted by a peasant and he realized, even if for a breif moment, he had no power to attain what he wished to possess. He does eventually obtain the vineyard but his end is similar to Melville's Ahab in that God wins. Wow, my paper could be one-hundred pages long if I filled in the gaps leading to Ahab's death.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Final Paper
Ahab, king of Israel, was a very greedy man. He did not walk in the ways of the Lord. Rather, he chose to worship the false idol Baal; this idol was considered one of the demons of hell. Now, Ahab decided that he wanted to own the vineyard of a certain man named Naboth. This man was holy and he walked in the ways of the Lord; he was an altogether good man. This is the story of Naboth, Jezebel, and Ahab and this is the version wherein the lacuna is revealed.
One day Ahab was strolling through his kingdom, surrounded by fifty servants and numerous guards. He was walking, enjoying the scenery and the prosperity of his kingdom when he came upon an especially attractive vineyard. He stood in awe of its great abundance of fruit and admired its broad expanse of flourishing beauty. “Eden”, he thought to himself; “I must meet the man responsible for this.”
Menagerie in tow, Ahab proceeded to the house of Naboth, the owner of the vineyard. Immediately he began conversation with this man, asking him of his methods.
Naboth replied, “I am but a humble man, I ask of the Lord and he giveth.”
Ahab snickered at this and upon first instinct decided to tease the pious man.
“Who is your Lord compared to Baal? I have worshipped Baal-zebub through years of prosperity and kingship and look at me today. I rule over the land of Israel and reside within a castle constructed of the finest ivory. I own hundreds of vineyards compared to your one. Ask me, where has the Lord taken thee? I will answer, ‘Nowhere for I am under the watchful eye of Baal and he has served me well.’”
Naboth took no offense; he simply stood by his convictions and believed in the Lord he knew to be just. His prosperity for one single man was great and he did not wish to reside in an ivory castle or to rule over thousands of people. He had found the needful thing; to live under the laws of the Lord and to worship accordingly. This was enough and his prosperity he found within the joy of his family and the care of his vineyard. For Ahab, though, this answer, these convictions, were simply not enough.
Confounded he said, “Naboth, I will make thee an exceeding wealthy man if you agree to sell me this vineyard. I will pay you tenfold what it is worth or I will give you a larger vineyard in return and you will have no more earthly concerns for the rest of your days.”
Naboth smiled and politely refused. The Lord had forbidden him to sell the land of his ancestors and he intended to follow this command. He would not forsake the Lord; he would not sell his vineyard. Ahab was furious. He stormed home to his castle and threw a tantrum of epic proportions. The castle of ivory shook with his rage until he gave into sullen fasting and laid upon his bed in despair. He would not eat nor did drink and every servant that came unto him would soon exit his chamber in fear.
He lay still thinking. His thoughts reeled through his greedy mind, the center of their monomania a flourishing vineyard on the outskirts of his ivory castle enclosure. Why can this not be mine? Everything within the kingdom is mine. I am lord over these lands and my god has not refused me this luxury. Lord…who is this lord but a peasant’s idol? Absurd, I want this vineyard; I own this kingdom; I should be certain to have what I want.
Lying in his bed, these pestilential thoughts reeling around the lofty room of his despair, Ahab festered. Anger, indignation, overcame him and he wept as a child would weep for the loss of a favorite toy. Absurd he may say to his inability to procure this piece of land but absurd his servants say to his reaction to so small a disallowance. They wondered in awe without his chamber, believing that their master had truly crossed the threshold into insanity. Never having been wealthy or with an abundance of material possessions, these servants were unable to understand the grief stricken moans emitted from the casement of their lord’s tortured being. Finally, unable to stand the tension consuming the house, a servant called upon Jezebel, the wife of Ahab. She loved him, it is true, but behind her love one could see the lingering corruption of ages and wealth. Her love was for his kingdom; for his way of life and for this she appreciated her husband.
Alas, the appreciation was mutual; the love of the corrupt and black of heart was shared between the two and now her love was in need of her assistance; she would go to him. She pondered the situation and alighted upon a decision with ease. She knew that her husband was the weakest of the pair as the kingdom had always been run to her accordance. Now, Jezebel seeks her husband within his bed chamber and inquires as to his ailment.
“I am wrought with despair. Such impertinence I have endured and now my mind lets me not beyond the thoughts of Naboth.”
“Please, my love, what is it that has caused you such torment?” she said with false ignorance.
“A garden of herbs is all I wished to attain, for you, my lovely wife and now Naboth has refused me this request. His vineyard for ample recompense and he denies me access.”
As indignation flooded the face of Ahab, Jezebel remained eerily calm. Her plan had already been decided upon; she simply needed to convey it to her husband in such a way that would appeal to his vanity. This would not be difficult; her husband’s vanity was her puppet master’s tool of choice and she had, after all, ran a kingdom under cover of matrimony.
“Listen to me,” Jezebel whispered, “Your are the king and sole master of this land, are you not? None other rules above you, so why is it that this simple wish is unattainable? Leave this problem to me and you will have your vineyard, your garden of herbs, before the week has ended.”
How could this plea not appeal to a tormented mind? His greedy lust for what he could not possess drove him to the edges of frustrated agony and now a solution presented itself. Of course, he consented, thinking only of the vineyard of which he had been refused ownership. Such an obsession he had endured. The time of endurance may have been short but the time within his chamber, spent in torment, had felt like ages tossed upon a stormy sea. Ahab’s fingers longed to touch the earth of this vineyard; his feet longed to walk upon its soft, fertile soil. This land, this land, he thought, must not be withheld from my grasp; it is now mine, my Jezebel will see to this.
Meanwhile, Naboth tended to his vineyard. Disturbed by the occurrence the previous day, he kept a watchful eye on the castle. His wife and children were inside his small home, preparing for the evening meal. The rows of grapes instilled a quiet upon the land; a quiet that only allowed the noises of nature to penetrate. He loved his vineyard and appreciated the gifts the Lord had given him but he knew, somehow, that these gifts weren’t likely to last. The king had expressed his desire to purchase this land and upon Naboth’s refusal had become wrought with rage. He sighed. The Lord will make all things right, he thought to himself as he snipped a wilting vine from an otherwise healthy bush.
Entering his home, Naboth felt a heightened sense and noticed all of the details he had before taken for granted. He saw his wife and the familiar curve of her face. He saw his children but they were somehow different, somehow new. The low ceiling of his cottage, which before seemed restrictive now seemed safe and encompassing. He knew that he had to protect his family, his cottage and his vineyard but he knew not how. Naboth felt that his fate was sealed. He could not forsake the Lord and sell his land so he sat down next to his wife and children and let their presence fill him. This is the last, he thought, this is everything.
Naboth was correct in his convictions for Jezebel was busy, within her house of ivory, scheming against the innocent peasant. Letters were sent to elders across the town and they were instructed to gather for a meeting concerning Naboth. Two servants had attested to his blasphemy of God and the king. Under rancor, Jezebel had waxed false and presented these two men with the words they were to speak. They, in fear for their lives, consented without option. Naboth was to be tried.
The next day saw the elders of the town and the king and queen of Israel present in the city square. Naboth’s wife and children were within their cottage; the mother knowing of her husband’s fate; the children inquiring as to their father’s whereabouts. No answer was to be spoken for the mother was sunk in fearful despair. The trial began and the men spoke against Naboth, falsely accusing him of blasphemy. He who the king had taunted and teased and who had held firmly to his belief in the Lord. However, he did not curse God at this point nearing the end of his existence. He was filled with emotion unlike any other he had ever felt. Aware of his fate; aware of the inevitability of his untimely death, Naboth felt only serenity and a sureness of spirit. He was to find the kingdom of heaven. His wife and children were his only concern.
After the stoning, the king of Israel immediately seized upon the vineyard. At one last request of Naboth, the wife and children were given lodging within the city. This was the only act of decency Jezebel and Ahab would incur upon the doomed family. They were otherwise left to fend for themselves.
God spoke unto Elijah. “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord, ‘In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine’”’ (1 Kings 21 18-19).
One day Ahab was strolling through his kingdom, surrounded by fifty servants and numerous guards. He was walking, enjoying the scenery and the prosperity of his kingdom when he came upon an especially attractive vineyard. He stood in awe of its great abundance of fruit and admired its broad expanse of flourishing beauty. “Eden”, he thought to himself; “I must meet the man responsible for this.”
Menagerie in tow, Ahab proceeded to the house of Naboth, the owner of the vineyard. Immediately he began conversation with this man, asking him of his methods.
Naboth replied, “I am but a humble man, I ask of the Lord and he giveth.”
Ahab snickered at this and upon first instinct decided to tease the pious man.
“Who is your Lord compared to Baal? I have worshipped Baal-zebub through years of prosperity and kingship and look at me today. I rule over the land of Israel and reside within a castle constructed of the finest ivory. I own hundreds of vineyards compared to your one. Ask me, where has the Lord taken thee? I will answer, ‘Nowhere for I am under the watchful eye of Baal and he has served me well.’”
Naboth took no offense; he simply stood by his convictions and believed in the Lord he knew to be just. His prosperity for one single man was great and he did not wish to reside in an ivory castle or to rule over thousands of people. He had found the needful thing; to live under the laws of the Lord and to worship accordingly. This was enough and his prosperity he found within the joy of his family and the care of his vineyard. For Ahab, though, this answer, these convictions, were simply not enough.
Confounded he said, “Naboth, I will make thee an exceeding wealthy man if you agree to sell me this vineyard. I will pay you tenfold what it is worth or I will give you a larger vineyard in return and you will have no more earthly concerns for the rest of your days.”
Naboth smiled and politely refused. The Lord had forbidden him to sell the land of his ancestors and he intended to follow this command. He would not forsake the Lord; he would not sell his vineyard. Ahab was furious. He stormed home to his castle and threw a tantrum of epic proportions. The castle of ivory shook with his rage until he gave into sullen fasting and laid upon his bed in despair. He would not eat nor did drink and every servant that came unto him would soon exit his chamber in fear.
He lay still thinking. His thoughts reeled through his greedy mind, the center of their monomania a flourishing vineyard on the outskirts of his ivory castle enclosure. Why can this not be mine? Everything within the kingdom is mine. I am lord over these lands and my god has not refused me this luxury. Lord…who is this lord but a peasant’s idol? Absurd, I want this vineyard; I own this kingdom; I should be certain to have what I want.
Lying in his bed, these pestilential thoughts reeling around the lofty room of his despair, Ahab festered. Anger, indignation, overcame him and he wept as a child would weep for the loss of a favorite toy. Absurd he may say to his inability to procure this piece of land but absurd his servants say to his reaction to so small a disallowance. They wondered in awe without his chamber, believing that their master had truly crossed the threshold into insanity. Never having been wealthy or with an abundance of material possessions, these servants were unable to understand the grief stricken moans emitted from the casement of their lord’s tortured being. Finally, unable to stand the tension consuming the house, a servant called upon Jezebel, the wife of Ahab. She loved him, it is true, but behind her love one could see the lingering corruption of ages and wealth. Her love was for his kingdom; for his way of life and for this she appreciated her husband.
Alas, the appreciation was mutual; the love of the corrupt and black of heart was shared between the two and now her love was in need of her assistance; she would go to him. She pondered the situation and alighted upon a decision with ease. She knew that her husband was the weakest of the pair as the kingdom had always been run to her accordance. Now, Jezebel seeks her husband within his bed chamber and inquires as to his ailment.
“I am wrought with despair. Such impertinence I have endured and now my mind lets me not beyond the thoughts of Naboth.”
“Please, my love, what is it that has caused you such torment?” she said with false ignorance.
“A garden of herbs is all I wished to attain, for you, my lovely wife and now Naboth has refused me this request. His vineyard for ample recompense and he denies me access.”
As indignation flooded the face of Ahab, Jezebel remained eerily calm. Her plan had already been decided upon; she simply needed to convey it to her husband in such a way that would appeal to his vanity. This would not be difficult; her husband’s vanity was her puppet master’s tool of choice and she had, after all, ran a kingdom under cover of matrimony.
“Listen to me,” Jezebel whispered, “Your are the king and sole master of this land, are you not? None other rules above you, so why is it that this simple wish is unattainable? Leave this problem to me and you will have your vineyard, your garden of herbs, before the week has ended.”
How could this plea not appeal to a tormented mind? His greedy lust for what he could not possess drove him to the edges of frustrated agony and now a solution presented itself. Of course, he consented, thinking only of the vineyard of which he had been refused ownership. Such an obsession he had endured. The time of endurance may have been short but the time within his chamber, spent in torment, had felt like ages tossed upon a stormy sea. Ahab’s fingers longed to touch the earth of this vineyard; his feet longed to walk upon its soft, fertile soil. This land, this land, he thought, must not be withheld from my grasp; it is now mine, my Jezebel will see to this.
Meanwhile, Naboth tended to his vineyard. Disturbed by the occurrence the previous day, he kept a watchful eye on the castle. His wife and children were inside his small home, preparing for the evening meal. The rows of grapes instilled a quiet upon the land; a quiet that only allowed the noises of nature to penetrate. He loved his vineyard and appreciated the gifts the Lord had given him but he knew, somehow, that these gifts weren’t likely to last. The king had expressed his desire to purchase this land and upon Naboth’s refusal had become wrought with rage. He sighed. The Lord will make all things right, he thought to himself as he snipped a wilting vine from an otherwise healthy bush.
Entering his home, Naboth felt a heightened sense and noticed all of the details he had before taken for granted. He saw his wife and the familiar curve of her face. He saw his children but they were somehow different, somehow new. The low ceiling of his cottage, which before seemed restrictive now seemed safe and encompassing. He knew that he had to protect his family, his cottage and his vineyard but he knew not how. Naboth felt that his fate was sealed. He could not forsake the Lord and sell his land so he sat down next to his wife and children and let their presence fill him. This is the last, he thought, this is everything.
Naboth was correct in his convictions for Jezebel was busy, within her house of ivory, scheming against the innocent peasant. Letters were sent to elders across the town and they were instructed to gather for a meeting concerning Naboth. Two servants had attested to his blasphemy of God and the king. Under rancor, Jezebel had waxed false and presented these two men with the words they were to speak. They, in fear for their lives, consented without option. Naboth was to be tried.
The next day saw the elders of the town and the king and queen of Israel present in the city square. Naboth’s wife and children were within their cottage; the mother knowing of her husband’s fate; the children inquiring as to their father’s whereabouts. No answer was to be spoken for the mother was sunk in fearful despair. The trial began and the men spoke against Naboth, falsely accusing him of blasphemy. He who the king had taunted and teased and who had held firmly to his belief in the Lord. However, he did not curse God at this point nearing the end of his existence. He was filled with emotion unlike any other he had ever felt. Aware of his fate; aware of the inevitability of his untimely death, Naboth felt only serenity and a sureness of spirit. He was to find the kingdom of heaven. His wife and children were his only concern.
After the stoning, the king of Israel immediately seized upon the vineyard. At one last request of Naboth, the wife and children were given lodging within the city. This was the only act of decency Jezebel and Ahab would incur upon the doomed family. They were otherwise left to fend for themselves.
God spoke unto Elijah. “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord, ‘In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine’”’ (1 Kings 21 18-19).
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Suffer The Children
We were talking about the Children's Crusades the other day and it made me think of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot was the leader of a communist uprising in Cambodia in the 1970s. With his army of teenage boys he successfully overthrew the government and gained complete power. Following this was genocide and the torture of thousands of innocents. Using children as his main source of power, he exploited parents and elders into submission. How could people kill their own children and grandchildren? The scary thing is, though, that children were killing their own parents for basically no reason. Innocent minds were flooded with hatred and insanity from the leader Pol Pot and he transformed thousands of teenagers into killing machines. Pol Pot later died a natural death due to a heart attack at 75. How can this happen? Read the Bible and tell me, please, because I can't figure this one out. Just as in the Children's Crusades when thousands of children died. They are supposed to be the innocent, clean counterparts to the corrupted adults, right? How can they die and be tortured, murdered and mistreated? The same question is asked by Jacob in The Slave: "The windows of the study house overlooked the hill where his wife and children lay buried...His parents, relations, friends had been tortured. [...] One day seated alone in the study house Jacob said to God, 'I have no doubt that you are the Almighty and that whatever you do is for the best, but it is impossible for me to obey the commandment, Thou Shalt Love Thy God. No, I cannot Father, not in this life.'" (Singer 108) He says that he allegedly understands that God is the Almighty and has a reason for his actions, but he is incapable of loving him. Doesn't this show a huge flaw in the religion? If one aspect of belief negates another doesn't mean that the belief is fundamentally flawed? Jacob is unable to love God, which is one of the explicit commandments, because of the suffering God instills upon the Jews. Since they believe that He has a hand in everything, Jews have to somehow justify such immense suffering. How? Jacob doesn't know. I don't know and this is where a major problem lies. How can someone believe strongly in a God (who is involved in every aspect of their existence) that allows atrocities such as genocide and death of innocents to happen.Jacob's religous fervor is a large part of the reason he is such an interesting character. He wants to believe, so badly, that his religion is infallible, but he can't. Since these questions of theodicy crop up, he is haunted and is unable to justify such suffering. The problem of religious opportunism is huge in this novel and Jacob struggles with it throughout. Every aspect of his religion pales as he watches his fellow Jews pick and choose what aspects of the Torah they wish to follow. The fact that he struggles with this makes him an extremely honest character. He can't imagine, under the watchful eye of God, that children and other innocents would suffer and be murdered by the thousands. I think this book has an exemplary way of portraying the struggle extremely religious people have with theodicy.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Slave and The Bible and, of course, Unicorns
Oddly enough (actually not oddly at all), as I was reading the Bible today, and as I was reading The Slave, I came upon a subtle connection. I guess what I thought was kind of strange and eerie was the obscurity of the connection.
"God brought them out of Egypt: he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn." Numbers 23:22-23
First of all, I guess I will say that I did not know that unicorns were in the Bible. They seem to be a bit more of a mythological creature, but isn't the Bible mythology, after all? It did seem odd, though, that the people in this time beleived in unicorns and not only this but their power. Now this brought me to the book of Job: "Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilst thou trust him
cause his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labor to him? Wilt thou beleive him that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?" Job 39:9-13 And now onto Psalms: "He maketh them also to skip like a calf: Lebanon and Sirian like a young unicorn." 29:6 Now Isaiah 34:7: "And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls, and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness."
cause his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labor to him? Wilt thou beleive him that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?" Job 39:9-13 And now onto Psalms: "He maketh them also to skip like a calf: Lebanon and Sirian like a young unicorn." 29:6 Now Isaiah 34:7: "And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls, and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness." The quote from The Slave is this: "He raised his eyes and saw that the sky was once more blue and vernal. The only cloud resembled a single horned beast with a long neck. The mountains looked down on him from a distance, the hills to which he had planned to flee from slavery."
Why is it that unicorns have become fabled as fantasy characters? They are in the Bible, as are bulls, dogs, birds, and countless other common animals. It seems that the unicorns referred to are, in fact, misread as creatures other than regular animals. I suppose this is what the "close reader" would say. I want to beleive that, like the "giants in the earth", the unicorns were some powerful creature that reigned in the time of Abraham, Isaiah and Job. It seems kind of childish, I know, but after all, I do love stories. I think that these unicorns were powerf
ul creatures, sought after for strenght and solace. Maybe they were "just another animal", but perhaps something is being overlooked. It could be that they were rhinos or one-horned deer, or maybe, just maybe, God destroyed them in the flood. This is a stretch, but I found several pictures with unicorns depicted in front of rainbows, so I thought it was funny and ironic.
ul creatures, sought after for strenght and solace. Maybe they were "just another animal", but perhaps something is being overlooked. It could be that they were rhinos or one-horned deer, or maybe, just maybe, God destroyed them in the flood. This is a stretch, but I found several pictures with unicorns depicted in front of rainbows, so I thought it was funny and ironic.The reason for my saying that unicorns were sought for strength and solace is because of the passage from The Slave. It seems that Jacob, in his time of great despair when he thinks he is going to be killed, has nothing to help him through. When he looks at the sky, though, he sees a cloud that "resembled a single-horned beast with a long neck". Maybe, these creatures were nothing but clouds or epiphanies. They could have been apparitions that were fabled, even in the time of the Old Testament, that were considered good luck or good omen. I haven't read enough of the Bible to say this for certain...haha that line is blasphemy...no matter how much I read the Bible I am sure I will never know anything for certain.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Theodicy
I thought alot about theodicy over the weekend. My grandmother lost her husband over thirteen years ago and still suffers his loss. I could never understand why my grandma was left to weep and suffer when she had always been so incredibly kind. I have never even heard her raise her voice, let alone act harshly or unjustly towards others.
Rationalizing theodicy always ends in callousness or a cheapening of the suffering a person feels, so I will not try to attempt such an impossible task. Suffering is there, it is inevitable. I suppose it is just a question of whether or not someone can withstand it long enough to survive and come out with scars rather than fatal wounds.
Rationalizing theodicy always ends in callousness or a cheapening of the suffering a person feels, so I will not try to attempt such an impossible task. Suffering is there, it is inevitable. I suppose it is just a question of whether or not someone can withstand it long enough to survive and come out with scars rather than fatal wounds.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Jezebel and Wisdom
I have been listening to this song by Iron and Wine called Jezebel. Of course, this is very biblical so I was compelled to read the stories of Jezebel in Kings I and II and the story of the whore of Babylon in Revelations. Here is the song. It is a beautiful song that never fails to put me in a trance with its dreamy voices and subtlely intense guitar lines.
I suppose this man singing the song would fall under the category of one of the patrons of the harlot, but it is so beautifully composed, it causes the listener to 
feel for this woman and attempt to understand (or know) her. The part of the story that amazes me is the whore upon the beast. I know that the story of Jezebel and the story of the whore of Babylon are two different situations, but it seems that they have strong connections in that they represent women steeped in harlotry and evil. The beast has seven heads and ten horns; the seven heads represent seven mountains and the ten horns represent ten kings. Everything in the Bible seems to happen in tens and sevens-the ten commandments, the ten plagues, seven days of creation, seven years of plenty and seven years of
feel for this woman and attempt to understand (or know) her. The part of the story that amazes me is the whore upon the beast. I know that the story of Jezebel and the story of the whore of Babylon are two different situations, but it seems that they have strong connections in that they represent women steeped in harlotry and evil. The beast has seven heads and ten horns; the seven heads represent seven mountains and the ten horns represent ten kings. Everything in the Bible seems to happen in tens and sevens-the ten commandments, the ten plagues, seven days of creation, seven years of plenty and seven years of famine, etc. (and threes and forties of course).
It seems to me that this woman, fallible under the wrath of God, is sitting upon mountains which she deems indestructible. Mountains crumble under the hand of the Lord, though, just as her throne upon the beast crumbles as she is burned to ashes. All she has, basically, is riches and power, but is scorned for her harlotry and sacrilege. This results, of course, in the compromise of her mountains and her beasts which seem representative of her immense wealth and beastly behavior as the whore of Babylon. Just as Jezebel abuses her power, this harlot seems to delight in her riches and walk in the way of the sinful. Also, the name upon her forehead reads: "Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth". This seems to mean that she is the mother of all evil women, which would undoubtedly include Jezebel, as well as every other woman that seems to have any mention of length in the Old Testament. 
Her name is especially phenomenal. It begins with the word "Mystery". The negative conotation given to that word in this context implies the fear of the unknown. As the viewer gazes in wonderment, the angel says, "Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns." (Rev. 17:7) After her mysteries are revealed, she is destroyed. The fear is no longer a factor, the unknown is known, so in becoming known, she becomes powerless. She is then percieved as nothing but a "Harlot and a Mother of Abominations of the Earth", and this, in its vileness creates for the viewer power over her; the power to look down upon her as inferior and base.
Wisdom is found through this text. When one views, in terror, a sight, but then reconciles this fear with understanding, they are then wise to the ways of the evil that seems so utterly terrifying. Understanding creates comfort, knowing, revelation.
Now back to the mountains... I beleive it is very important to try to realize the importance of mountains in these stories, as well as throughout the rest of the Bible, and I don't think I could ever fully grasp their significance. Jezebel, similar to the whore of Babylon, sits upon mountains of power and wealth, and sacrifices upon mountains or alters to the god Baal. The alters of the false idol, Baal, are her mountains, and upon these she reigns, feigning almighty power and striking fear into the hearts of her citizens. This fear, once again, is the fear of the unknown. Since the power of Baal never manifests itself, it is mysterious and fearsome. --This may be, perhaps, why the Israelites never adequately feared their God; they were too familiar with his power and his ways.-- Importantly, both of these women are smote by the omnipotent hand of God. They are shown as idolatrous and upon losing their mysterious power, destroyed through the medium of their fellow mortals. Thier mountains become mere hills under the fierce vengeance of God and their power is reduced to cinders.
These stories are representative of one of the important egos of women in the Bible: that of the harlot. This is a running theme throughout the Testaments and it will be interesting to explore it further.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Folklore In the Old Testament
I finally finished chapter 1 of Folklore and am relieved but confounded at the same time. Halfway through the chapter I realized I was reading this book and taking it in, but rather than learning the content, I was stuffing it into paradigms and systems wherein I could categorize the meaning. Basically, I was in-depth skimming. I feel I understand the basic aim of the first chapter, which would be to show the instances of creation within all cultures and how they relate to the Bible, but simultaneously I learned none of the stories and I find myself frustrated with this. For the sake of time, though, I will read on and hopefully return to this chapter at a later date to give it the time and attention it deserves.
Bad Day Deja Vu
I should have never posted about the bad day I had with my car. It was bad ju ju for sure, and now I have an equally bad day to post about; a day that gave me one of those eerie moments of deja vu. It was not pleasant deja vu, by the way. I began my day at 6:45, driving out to South 19th to exercise a horse for a lady I'm currently working for. I was driving along, in the dark, not really thinking about or expecting much, when WHAM, I nail a deer. Another self-sacrifice in concern of creating for me a terrible day. Fortunately, I did not have to deal with deer smear this time, and my grill guard wasn't totalled, but I did lose a headlight and a formidable chunk of my left side-panel. Cussing, I drove towards the fateful completion of my wretched existence on this otherwise beautiful October day. Rocky. The horse. What an a-hole. He just couldn't help himself and had to indulge in a nice explosion in the middle of a green, alfalfa-fragranced field which resulted in grass stains on my shoulder and skid marks on my forearm. Not to mention the fact that I landed on my ribcage, of all the places to land, which immediately stole away my air, leaving me helplessly gasping for breath while simultaneously whispering as loudly as I could "I'm going to kill you Rocky, oh you're dead." (a hollow threat, I didn't actually kill the horse) This resulted in a half hour of straight running and a panting Rocky as a result. I felt better when I saw the sweat gathering at his flanks and the tumultuous flare of his nostrils. So much for a refurbished car and trustworthy horses...
Monday, October 18, 2010
David and Batshsheba, Susanna and Peter Quince
It seems obvious at first, the connection between Peter Quince at the Clavier, and Susanna. As Wallace Steven's poem uses the story of Susanna as a metaphor for Peter's love for the clavier, a person may easily stop here in finding connections. Roots of similarity dive deeper than simply this, though. After reading Psalm 51, I was somewhat lost. I, not knowing the stories of David, was unaware of his sin unto Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah the Hittite. I began to read the stories and was lead directly to the story (2 Samuel 11) in the Bible about David's actions leading up to and following his infidelity. He actually raped this woman, beseeched her husband to come home from the war and sleep with his already gestating wife, in turn causing him to believe that he had indeed conceived the child with her. Being a faithful soldier, though, he did not allow himself to sleep with Bathsheeba, since his fellow soldiers were yet in battle. Now guess what Daniel did. The unthinkable...he basically murdered Uriah by sending him to the frontlines of battle. When the Hittite did die, as was inevitable, Daniel took Bathsheba as his wife.This is a good place to point out gaping instances of lacuna. What was this poor woman, Bathsheba, thinking? She was forcefully taken by Daniel, watched while the same man killed her husband, then was made to marry him, and nothing was said of her emotions throughout this entire ordeal. What was she thinking? It could not have been a pleasant experience for her.
(that was not a digression) Now, back to the bridge between these three stories. Just as Bathsheba was taken advantage of, Susanna experienced the same difficulties. Innocent and unaware, this woman was led into the most decietful trap conceivable. Two old covetous perverts, out of pure lust, nearly had her killed. This woman, without the help of the spirit of Daniel, had absolutely no credibility in which to rely upon in the time of dire need. She was to be beheaded, but was only saved by a miracle.
The poem by Wallace Stevens also shows Susanna's predicament. A line toward the very end is extremely important in deciphering the significance of these passages:
"Susanna's music touched the bawdy strings
Of those white elders; but, escaping,
Left only Death's ironic scraping."
In both the story of David and Bathsheba and the story of Susanna, "death's ironic scraping" manifests itself in all its justice and cruelty. In the case of David, the son he conceives in infidelity 
dies seven days after birth. "'Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.'" (2Samuel 12:14) Susanna is also redeemed when the spirit of Daniel appears as she is being prepared for execution. The judges responsible for the trial are then asked to reconsider their position and the elder's are found guilty and put to death.
dies seven days after birth. "'Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.'" (2Samuel 12:14) Susanna is also redeemed when the spirit of Daniel appears as she is being prepared for execution. The judges responsible for the trial are then asked to reconsider their position and the elder's are found guilty and put to death. It is as if Daniel is redeeming his sins against Bathsheba by saving the innocent soul of Susanna. He has repented and is fully aware of his transgressions. It is the first instance I have seen thus far of a man defending the rights of a woman. They are beautiful and sad stories that end well for one woman, while another is left in the background. They are also stories of the power of men over women in the Bible. These two victims have basically no defense, unless of course it is in the form of a male savior and they are left to bend to the will any man's whim. When retribution is allotted, though, justice is exacted and the portrayal of women is slightly changed.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Adam on a Bar Stool
"To this explanation of the mark of Cain it may be objected, with some show of reason, that the ghost of Abel is nowhere alluded to in the Biblical narrative, according to which it was not the ghost, but the blood, of his victim which endangered the murderer by calling aloud from the ground for vengeance." James G. Frazer: Folklore in the Old Testament
In a small bar in a small town there sat a man of a Biblical mind set. Innocently, I walked into his trap, that is, after he bought my friend and I a beer. We sat there, talking (or should I say being talked at), and soon the subject shifted to infidelity. He said "If you were in a relationship with a guy and he went out and $%#@$% another woman, would you just dump him on the spot?" I said, "Yes, if he lived through the first twenty minutes after telling me." Then, in his infinite wisdom, he said, "See! That's your problem right there. Men are tempted by women so women should learn to forgive them when they cheat. It's easier for a woman not to cheat because men don't try to tempt them as much and it's not fair that men should be held responsible when they do stuff like that. My wife and I went through that about twenty years ago and she forgave me like she should have." As improbable as this sounds, this dipshit actually had the gall to say these things to me. I just sat there, dumbfounded, speechless, in utter disbelief. I honestly did not think I would ever experience ignorance to this degree. Biblically speaking, though, it was right on the spot. It is, after all, the fault of women (namely Eve), that men are tempted to do evil. I did not want to inform him of the finer points of the Old Testament at this point, though, afraid that it might strengthen his detestable argument. After this conversation, I actually had a fit of laughter, picturing this man on Judgement Day saying about the woman he cheated with, "It was her fault! She made me do it!"
In a small bar in a small town there sat a man of a Biblical mind set. Innocently, I walked into his trap, that is, after he bought my friend and I a beer. We sat there, talking (or should I say being talked at), and soon the subject shifted to infidelity. He said "If you were in a relationship with a guy and he went out and $%#@$% another woman, would you just dump him on the spot?" I said, "Yes, if he lived through the first twenty minutes after telling me." Then, in his infinite wisdom, he said, "See! That's your problem right there. Men are tempted by women so women should learn to forgive them when they cheat. It's easier for a woman not to cheat because men don't try to tempt them as much and it's not fair that men should be held responsible when they do stuff like that. My wife and I went through that about twenty years ago and she forgave me like she should have." As improbable as this sounds, this dipshit actually had the gall to say these things to me. I just sat there, dumbfounded, speechless, in utter disbelief. I honestly did not think I would ever experience ignorance to this degree. Biblically speaking, though, it was right on the spot. It is, after all, the fault of women (namely Eve), that men are tempted to do evil. I did not want to inform him of the finer points of the Old Testament at this point, though, afraid that it might strengthen his detestable argument. After this conversation, I actually had a fit of laughter, picturing this man on Judgement Day saying about the woman he cheated with, "It was her fault! She made me do it!"
Monday, October 4, 2010
Linda Sexson
Well, we have found Dr. Sexson's match... Listening to Linda Sexson speak for an hour and fifteen minutes was incredible. She used every minute thoroughly and I feel like I learned more than is feasible in that amo
unt of time. I did not know about Judges 19 and the story of the Levite and was disturbed, to put it lightly, upon hearing this story. Part of what made it so powerful, though, was how Linda portrayed it and read it to us. We were all laughing and joking and with brevity noticing the absurdity of the inferior role of women in the Bible when suddenly this story came about in all its horror. She told it slowly, methodically and left it hanging for us to turn over in our minds. Once again, powerful. She made me realize the extremity of the doctrines in the Old Testament and to what extent gender bias was taken. As she said, though, the Levite's concubine was representative of the "feminine", which, in the context of our discussion, was strictly metaphorical or symbolic. As this distinction increased my understanding of the story, it did not succeed to abate my horror at such a gruesome account of human perversion.
unt of time. I did not know about Judges 19 and the story of the Levite and was disturbed, to put it lightly, upon hearing this story. Part of what made it so powerful, though, was how Linda portrayed it and read it to us. We were all laughing and joking and with brevity noticing the absurdity of the inferior role of women in the Bible when suddenly this story came about in all its horror. She told it slowly, methodically and left it hanging for us to turn over in our minds. Once again, powerful. She made me realize the extremity of the doctrines in the Old Testament and to what extent gender bias was taken. As she said, though, the Levite's concubine was representative of the "feminine", which, in the context of our discussion, was strictly metaphorical or symbolic. As this distinction increased my understanding of the story, it did not succeed to abate my horror at such a gruesome account of human perversion.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
John Orsi's blog
I read John's blog and was moved. It took me screaming back to Emergent Literature and my fascination with Shakespeare's The Tempest. Also, one line in his blog seems to sum up the entirety of the Bible: "It also represents the ethereal nature of life, that we shall rise up, stir amongst the world and then dissapate, irrigating the stage for the next act of apparitions." Prior to this inspired line, John was talking about "from dust we came, to dust we will return". The Bible seems to be an endless, seamless act of recurrence and as he said, every ritual we perform, every act of simple living, is to "set the stage" for those who will walk after us. It also seems to speak of the ritual of cleansing, renewal, the pouring down of rain meant to bring about a new beginning.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I Did Not Know
"And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness." Leviticus 16:21I had no idea where the idea of a scapegoat really came from. I also didn't realize that the poor goat, in illo tempore, was carrying so much on his head. Poor little guy running around in the wilderness, burdened with the sins of thousands of people. It makes sense though, since the scapegoat really does cover just about every iniquity, so why not the sins of the chosen people?
Words With Power
"It has been long known that legends of a great flood, in which almost all men perished, are widely diffused over the world; and accordingly what I have tried to do is to collect and compare these legends, and to inquire what conclusions are to be deduced from the comparison." Frazer: Folklore in the Old Testament (pg. 105)Randomly opening Folklore in the Old Testament, this is what I discovered. I was stunned and pleased simultaneously, knowing the importance of the material we are covering in class. Opening my blog sight, intending to write about Frye, I am now on an uncharted path, hurtling towards an epiphany...
I will start with the quote from Frye: "I am still too close to it to guess how useful this second part will be, but the success of a book that takes no risks is hardly worth achieving." Frye Intro pg. xxii
Now, contextually, Frye, in his Introduction, is speaking about the second part of Words With Power. The second part of this book, according to NF, is intended to outline why the poets subjected to extensive study are ones who use the kind of imagery he identifies in the first part of the book and also is bent towards covering the idea of axis mundi(vertical dimension of cosmos linking upper and lower worlds). In the true form of a critic, the first part of the book, explicit in the introduction, is about the voice of the poet and what real power he/she may have. He also is very perfunctory in saying that the reader holds no candle to the importance of the poet so any of you die-hard Barthes fans hold yourselves back, he is simply another critic with another point of view.
Now, after that digression, I will try to illicit some sort of theme from NF's synopsis of the first part of his book. As I read his introduction, and as the class seems to point towards this as an axiom, the Bible may enjoyably be read as myth and metaphor. So... Frye, in an extensively rationalized way, undoubtedly common to his mode of thought, is attempting to outline the Bible as myth and metaphor while simultaneously critiquing its influence on Western literature, and also bringing in another irresistable element of the critic in applying it to the themes and images which drive commonly s
tudied poets, artists, what have you, and why it is that these poets are so "popular". If that is completely off key, I suppose, according to the Bible, I should be punished for "raising a false report." (Exodus 23:1)
Now... The line I read from Frazer's Folklore seems to aid in Frye's quote about taking risks in writing and also seems to play into the themes he is covering in Words With Power. Tangent time! The wording of both of these quotes seems very important in that it shows the uncertainty of the reaction of the unknowable audience. Also, the theme of the flood takes us back to axis mundi, when God was still touching the earth with his power, when the disconnect between the heavens and the earth was still at bay. The words in the Bible about the flood are indeed very powerful and they show the depth of a story and, as Frazer has said, the inexhaustible recurrence of the same story in relation to different cultures. Now, in comparing those stories, Frazer and Frye are on the same page in that the mythological power of the theme of a flood holds boundless amounts of importance and in critiquing it, Frazer has fallen into Frye's paradigm of the "commonly studied images".
That is my mini-epiphany, do with it what you will...
I will start with the quote from Frye: "I am still too close to it to guess how useful this second part will be, but the success of a book that takes no risks is hardly worth achieving." Frye Intro pg. xxii
Now, contextually, Frye, in his Introduction, is speaking about the second part of Words With Power. The second part of this book, according to NF, is intended to outline why the poets subjected to extensive study are ones who use the kind of imagery he identifies in the first part of the book and also is bent towards covering the idea of axis mundi(vertical dimension of cosmos linking upper and lower worlds). In the true form of a critic, the first part of the book, explicit in the introduction, is about the voice of the poet and what real power he/she may have. He also is very perfunctory in saying that the reader holds no candle to the importance of the poet so any of you die-hard Barthes fans hold yourselves back, he is simply another critic with another point of view.
Now, after that digression, I will try to illicit some sort of theme from NF's synopsis of the first part of his book. As I read his introduction, and as the class seems to point towards this as an axiom, the Bible may enjoyably be read as myth and metaphor. So... Frye, in an extensively rationalized way, undoubtedly common to his mode of thought, is attempting to outline the Bible as myth and metaphor while simultaneously critiquing its influence on Western literature, and also bringing in another irresistable element of the critic in applying it to the themes and images which drive commonly s
tudied poets, artists, what have you, and why it is that these poets are so "popular". If that is completely off key, I suppose, according to the Bible, I should be punished for "raising a false report." (Exodus 23:1)Now... The line I read from Frazer's Folklore seems to aid in Frye's quote about taking risks in writing and also seems to play into the themes he is covering in Words With Power. Tangent time! The wording of both of these quotes seems very important in that it shows the uncertainty of the reaction of the unknowable audience. Also, the theme of the flood takes us back to axis mundi, when God was still touching the earth with his power, when the disconnect between the heavens and the earth was still at bay. The words in the Bible about the flood are indeed very powerful and they show the depth of a story and, as Frazer has said, the inexhaustible recurrence of the same story in relation to different cultures. Now, in comparing those stories, Frazer and Frye are on the same page in that the mythological power of the theme of a flood holds boundless amounts of importance and in critiquing it, Frazer has fallen into Frye's paradigm of the "commonly studied images".
That is my mini-epiphany, do with it what you will...
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Biblical Rythms
In reading the Bible, I have begun to create a method. Thanks to Leviticus, I have found a way to make myself read the details, no matter how repetetive they are, with a feeling danerously near to interest. Accepting that this was the way of writing, just as I have accepted multiple ways of writing in the past, I am now trying to train my brain to not drift as I sort through the endless passages of description. My last post about the subject was frustrated but I suppose I have realized that I have to calm down, stop worrying about the thousands of other things I need to do, and become rythmic. If I concentrate, the repetition of the sacrifices, descriptions of the tabernacle, and further descriptions of every aspect of the worship of the Lord, become similar to a steady drum beat and I can start to feel a rythm to what I'm reading. Also, if I use my inner priest-voice the rythm seems to become even more relevant. These words were meant to be spoken, more so than read, and by making the voice in my head change to something entirely different than what I am accustomed to, I can find meaning and importance in otherwise dull passages.
Acronyms
My acronym for JEDPR: Jehovah Enjoys Disastrous Plagues Regularly
My acronym for CELWPGA: Classless Emus Like Watching Penguins Go Asunder
My acronym for CELWPGA: Classless Emus Like Watching Penguins Go Asunder
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sarah Knox: Author P
So, I'm pretty sure I have found a drawn out area of the Bible written by Mr. P. I don't know if the rest of you have experienced this, but I was completely thwarted by the extensive descriptions of the tabernacle. I really don't know how many times we need to be told that a curtain is 50 cubits long. I found that I was pretty sure of this after being told once. Liss liss! Mr. P is mind-numbing and I actually fell asleep several times while reading this. But it gets better! After the tabernacle is built, every form of sacrifice and the reasons for such have to be repeatedly drilled into the reader's brain. I'm pretty sure every animal sacrifice involves the sinner, peace offerer, repenter, etc. putting his hand on the head of the doomed creature, then slaughtering it in front of the tabernacle, then burning the fat and blood for a "sweet savour unto the Lord." I realize the proper procedures while sacrificing are extremely important but I kind of felt like I was beating my head against a wall while reading it. I have not made the "mysterious mental maneuver" as of yet, but I assure you, I am working on it.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Smiting
Now on the subject of smiting. I'm actually flabbergasted at the exceptions made in the field of man smiting man. It is NOT OK to smite a fellow man alright? If you do so, you will instantly be put to death (unless the Lord directs your smiteful hand). But wait, servants are kind of men, but not really, more like property. So if a master of a servant smites said subject, "he shall surely be punished" (sidenote: Bible being very blatant, there is a definite distinction between being "punished" and being "put to death" although forms of punishment remain hazy). But, alas, if you were merciful enough to only half-smite your victim, in such a way that he or she lives another one or two days, it's totally OK. I mean, the servant "is your money", so really, you do with him/her what you will. That is Barbaric with a capital B.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
First Post
Hello everyone! I have started reading Genesis and I agree with Jennifer. She talked about how important geneologies were during those times. "Be fruitful and multiply." God says these words countless times throughout the first book and blesses his prophets with thousands of children and grandchildren. Populating the earth was first and foremost at that time (even if it required a touch of imbreeding).
I also noticed a little wee bit of favoritism on the side of the Maker. How is it that Abraham gets everything when everyone else is left to struggle? He also seems to be somewhat of a liar. For example: Genesis 12:10-13. This particular passage shows Abraham beseeching his wife to lie about their marriage, telling the Pharoah that she is his sister, rather than his wife. This is to save his own skin and not only does he live, he prospers. "And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she-asses, and camels." Greedy much? I was always taught that greed is hateful, but I suppose I have never read the Old Testament and perhaps it is his willingness to abandon these riches that makes Abraham special. I do think, though, that his prosperity throughout the entire first book is note worthy and could perhaps be construed as something entirely different than fear of God.
Now, what really astounded me: Jacob. The man who tricked his father into blessing him, who was then blessed by the Lord. Sly little guy. He managed to slip under the radar not only once, but twice. Poor Esau, the diligent, skilled hunter, is cheated of his birthright, then his blessing. I suppose I have always assumed that trickery is something akin to blatant lying, which I always supposed was discouraged by God. Loopholes eh? Kidding. But these are the things that seem awry in Genesis, and I am sure I will find many more as I read.
I also noticed a little wee bit of favoritism on the side of the Maker. How is it that Abraham gets everything when everyone else is left to struggle? He also seems to be somewhat of a liar. For example: Genesis 12:10-13. This particular passage shows Abraham beseeching his wife to lie about their marriage, telling the Pharoah that she is his sister, rather than his wife. This is to save his own skin and not only does he live, he prospers. "And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she-asses, and camels." Greedy much? I was always taught that greed is hateful, but I suppose I have never read the Old Testament and perhaps it is his willingness to abandon these riches that makes Abraham special. I do think, though, that his prosperity throughout the entire first book is note worthy and could perhaps be construed as something entirely different than fear of God.
Now, what really astounded me: Jacob. The man who tricked his father into blessing him, who was then blessed by the Lord. Sly little guy. He managed to slip under the radar not only once, but twice. Poor Esau, the diligent, skilled hunter, is cheated of his birthright, then his blessing. I suppose I have always assumed that trickery is something akin to blatant lying, which I always supposed was discouraged by God. Loopholes eh? Kidding. But these are the things that seem awry in Genesis, and I am sure I will find many more as I read.
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