Re-presenting dislocation: the poetics of exile and diaspora in ancient Jewish texts

Thesis

This thesis considers examples of ancient Jewish literature that present open-ended poetics concerning exile and diaspora. Part I of the thesis focuses on the book of Lamentations, Second Isaiah, and 1QS to demonstrate that these examples present the resolve of exile as deferred, and do not focus solely on physical homecoming. Part II considers how the diaspora narratives of Esther and Joseph also reflect an open-ended poetics towards exile and diaspora by the way in which they characterise the diaspora heroes/heroines. Moreover, the interpretations of Esther in antiquity present an open-ended poetics by portraying the exile and diaspora as part of a larger history of displacement that is neither inherently negative nor absent of divine providence.

The language of “opened-endedness” is inspired from the work of Sidra DeKoven Ezrahi, who discusses how some Jewish texts offer “closure” to the “narrative of exile,” whereas others are more “open-ended.”1 In terms of biblical scholarship, and scholarship on Second Temple, Hellenistic literature and beyond, ancient Jewish literature is often regarded as containing closed poetic expressions concerning exile and diaspora. In the case of texts such as Second Isaiah, this literature is largely portrayed as a body of work that failed as prophecy because its idealized imagery of homecoming did not historically come to pass. Moreover, the diaspora narratives of Esther and Joseph, and the interpretations of Esther in antiquity, are often regarded as apologising for aspects of diaspora life, or as viewing the state of exile and diaspora as a burden. However, this thesis argues that these examples belong to a larger history of ancient Jewish texts that reflect upon displacement, suffering, and its impact on the divine’s relationship with the people in poetically nuanced ways.

Authors: Van Sant, R

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-j1zkpnonk
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: poetics; exile; diaspora; Hebrew Bible
• Subjects: Exile (Punishment) in literature; Jewish diaspora; Bible. Old Testament--Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Hebrew poetry, Biblical