Lamentations: An Introduction and Study Guide

Description

In this guide, Jill Middlemas introduces students to the Book of Lamentations by examining the book's structure and characteristics, covering the latest in biblical scholarship on Lamentations, including historical and interpretive issues, and considering a range of scholarly approaches. In particular, the guide provides students with an introduction to Hebrew poetry as it relates to Lamentations and includes insights from the field of trauma and postcolonial studies. With suggestions of further reading at the end of each chapter, this guide will be an essential accompaniment to study of Lamentations. Cover Contents Preface Introduction The Book of How Placement in the canon Tradition of authorship A brief overview of Lamentations Attempts to synchronize Lamentations Outline of the guide 1 The literature of Lamentations: Poetic art Lamentations as poetry External structure Alphabetic and acrostic poems Internal structure Parallelism Enjambment Qînah metre or rhythm Internal stylistic features Speaking voices Personification Figurative language and imagery 2 The literature of Lamentations: Composition history and matters of form The genre of Lamentations Laments and dirges The city lament Penitential prayer City lament over Zion Penitential Lament over Zion The formation of grief 3 The historical background of Lamentations Matters of composition Inner-biblical correspondence Composition history and the evidence of individual poems Composition history and the role of a redactor Socio-historical context: The background of war and systemic collapse The remnant in Judah The exiles in Babylonia Sitz im Leben: Mourning rituals in the ancient Near East and the Bible 4 Theological and contextual readings in Lamentations Theological discussions Lamentations and its theological traditions The theological message of Lamentations Theologies of Lamentations Socio-contextual readings Trauma studies and Lamentations Feminist criticism and Lamentations Post-colonial criticism and Lamentations Reception history and Lamentations Reception in the biblical period Reception in the post-biblical period Reception in the fine arts: Music, literature and art 5 Readings in Lamentations A text of terror Post-colonial awareness: Silencing and the voices of the marginalized Silencing alternative perspectives through appeal to God Honouring suffering under imperial exploitation Reading for comfort and compassion Works cited by chapter Bibliography Index of authors Index of references