
An Invitation to Biblical Poetry
Elaine T. James(Author)
Oxford University Press Inc
Published on 28. March 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-0-19-066493-0 (ISBN)
Description
An Invitation to Biblical Poetry is an accessibly written introduction to biblical poetry that emphasizes the aesthetic dimensions of poems and their openness to varieties of context. It demonstrates the irreducible complexity of poetry as a verbal art and considers the intellectual work poems accomplish as they offer aesthetic experiences to people who read or hear them. Chapters walk the reader through some of the diverse ways biblical poems are organized through techniques of voicing, lineation, and form, and describe how the poems' figures are both culturally and historically bound and always dependent on later reception. The discussions consider examples from different texts of the Bible, including poems inset in prose narratives, prophecies, psalms, and wisdom literature. Each chapter ends with a reading of a psalm that offers an acute example of the dimension under discussion. Students and general readers are invited to richer and deeper readings of ancient poems and the subjects, problems, and convictions that occupy their imagination.
Reviews / Votes
This is the finest introduction to biblical poetry I know, a deeply thought and felt investigation of the aesthetics and intellectual work of the biblical poets. It is personal, precise, and imaginative, a pleasure to read, and an invitation to read with pleasure. * Francis Landy, Review of Biblical Literature * Elaine James's engaging and beautifully written book is a welcome addition to the Essentials of Biblical Studies series that offers timely and approachable entries into important topics. * Brent A. Strawn, Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology * James's An Invitation to Biblical Poetry provides an approachable introduction to the study of biblical poetry. * Micah Barksdale, Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 211 mm
Width: 141 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
277 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-066493-0 (9780190664930)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
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An Invitation to Biblical Poetry
Book
03/2022
Oxford University Press Inc
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Elaine T. James
An Invitation to Biblical Poetry
E-Book
11/2021
OUP eBook
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Elaine T. James
An Invitation to Biblical Poetry
E-Book
11/2021
OUP eBook
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Available for download
Person
Elaine James is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. She studies the ancient literature of the Bible with particular attention to its aesthetic and ecological dimensions.
Author
Associate Professor of Old TestamentAssociate Professor of Old Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary
Content
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: Voices
Emotion
Ascription and Authorship
Multiplicity and Dialogue
Prophetic Voicing
Gender
Psalm 55: A Reading
Chapter 2: Lines
Parallelism
Enjambment
Psalm 19: A Reading
Chapter 3: Forms
Terms
Hymns
Laments
Love Poems
Parody
Acrostic
Psalm 119: A Reading
Chapter 4: Figures
Metaphor and Simile
Personification and Anthropomorphism
Metaphors for the Deity
Symbols
Psalm 65: A Reading
Chapter 5: Contexts
Three Worlds of the Text
Worlds Behind the Text
Allusion
Prophetic Poetry's Refusals
The Poetry of Exile
Psalm 137: A Reading
Conclusion
Index
Introduction
Chapter 1: Voices
Emotion
Ascription and Authorship
Multiplicity and Dialogue
Prophetic Voicing
Gender
Psalm 55: A Reading
Chapter 2: Lines
Parallelism
Enjambment
Psalm 19: A Reading
Chapter 3: Forms
Terms
Hymns
Laments
Love Poems
Parody
Acrostic
Psalm 119: A Reading
Chapter 4: Figures
Metaphor and Simile
Personification and Anthropomorphism
Metaphors for the Deity
Symbols
Psalm 65: A Reading
Chapter 5: Contexts
Three Worlds of the Text
Worlds Behind the Text
Allusion
Prophetic Poetry's Refusals
The Poetry of Exile
Psalm 137: A Reading
Conclusion
Index