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.
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