by
James Wood
128
Robert Alter and the King James Bible
7
terms
3
notes
mimetic
(en)
imitation, especially imitative representation of the real world in art and literature
130
Biblical style is famous for its stony reticence, for a mimesis that Erich Auerbach called 'fraught with background'
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
Biblical style is famous for its stony reticence, for a mimesis that Erich Auerbach called 'fraught with background'
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
paratactic
(en)
(adj) relating to parataxis, a grammatical concept involving the placing of clauses or phrases one after another, without words to indicate coordination or subordination, as in "Tell me, how are you?"
130
The paratactic verses with their repeated 'and' move like the hands of those large old railway-station clocks that jolted visibly from minute to minute
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
The paratactic verses with their repeated 'and' move like the hands of those large old railway-station clocks that jolted visibly from minute to minute
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
laconic
(en)
(adjective) using or involving the use of a minimum of words; concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
130
the laconic report of Joseph's response to his brothers works by starving us of information
good word that I should use more often
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
the laconic report of Joseph's response to his brothers works by starving us of information
good word that I should use more often
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
quiddity
(en)
(noun) the inherent nature or essence of someone or something; a distinctive feature; a peculiarity
132
the one that best captures the quiddity of the Hebrew
on the KJV translation
uncertain
7 years, 3 months ago
the one that best captures the quiddity of the Hebrew
on the KJV translation
uncertain
7 years, 3 months ago
paratactic
(en)
(adj) relating to parataxis, a grammatical concept involving the placing of clauses or phrases one after another, without words to indicate coordination or subordination, as in "Tell me, how are you?"
132
it followed the parataxis of the Hebrew narration
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
it followed the parataxis of the Hebrew narration
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
134
[...] The King James has: 'And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.' Alter has: 'And God saw the Israelites, and God knew'. [...]
saving it cus it's a wonderful (and very Biblical) way of writing
[...] The King James has: 'And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.' Alter has: 'And God saw the Israelites, and God knew'. [...]
saving it cus it's a wonderful (and very Biblical) way of writing
theodicy
(en)
(noun) defense of God's goodness and omnipotence in view of the existence of evil
136
Manichaeism
(en)
an ancient religious movement that has to do with duality? "an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness"
138
various dualisms, like Gnosticism and Manichaeism--wherein God is opposed by and does battle with a separate, satanic source of evil, or is rivalled by a false god, a demiurge
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
various dualisms, like Gnosticism and Manichaeism--wherein God is opposed by and does battle with a separate, satanic source of evil, or is rivalled by a false god, a demiurge
notable
7 years, 3 months ago
140
[...] Abraham's gesture, of raising the eyes, though a formulaic one in biblical narrative, takes on here a great power of dread, as if Abraham can hardly bear to look upon the chosen site. Kierkegaard's inspired, appalled rewriting of this scene in Fear and Trembling emphasises its unspeakability. The tragic hero, he says, renounces himself in favour of expressing the universal. He gives up what is certain for what is more certain; he gives up the finite to attain the infinite; and so he can speak publicly about it, he can weep and orate, secure that at least someone will understand his action. But Abraham 'gives up the universal in order to grasp something still higher that is not the universal', because what he is obeying, what he is grasping for, is barbarously incomprehensible. So Abraham is utterly alone and cannot speak to anyone of what he is about to do, because no one would understand him.
on the scene in the Bible when Abraham is about to sacrifice Isaac
really poetic passage
[...] Abraham's gesture, of raising the eyes, though a formulaic one in biblical narrative, takes on here a great power of dread, as if Abraham can hardly bear to look upon the chosen site. Kierkegaard's inspired, appalled rewriting of this scene in Fear and Trembling emphasises its unspeakability. The tragic hero, he says, renounces himself in favour of expressing the universal. He gives up what is certain for what is more certain; he gives up the finite to attain the infinite; and so he can speak publicly about it, he can weep and orate, secure that at least someone will understand his action. But Abraham 'gives up the universal in order to grasp something still higher that is not the universal', because what he is obeying, what he is grasping for, is barbarously incomprehensible. So Abraham is utterly alone and cannot speak to anyone of what he is about to do, because no one would understand him.
on the scene in the Bible when Abraham is about to sacrifice Isaac
really poetic passage
141
[...] Moses, speaking on behalf of the Lord, threatens a hell in which the Israelites will not even be competent slaves:
[...] and you will put yourselves up for sale there to your enemies as male slaves and slavegirls, and there will be no buyer.
in Alter's version
harsh af
[...] Moses, speaking on behalf of the Lord, threatens a hell in which the Israelites will not even be competent slaves:
[...] and you will put yourselves up for sale there to your enemies as male slaves and slavegirls, and there will be no buyer.
in Alter's version
harsh af