All Rights Reserved. Human experience is presented in such a way as to express, whether explicitly or by implication, a world view. Each of these forms deserves to be analyzed according to their genre. Ruth: A Discourse Analysis of the Hebrew Bible Daniel Block Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015 304 pp. 27 S. de Graaf, Promise and Deliverance, vol. We might say that literature does not tell about characters and actions and concepts but presents characters in action. In general the literary analysis of the book of Esther can be used pedagogically as follows: *To show that not all reputable scholars agree. The themes of devotion, kindness, being good to others, and care have been intertwined with love for the lady. Considering the purpose of the book, again, scholars vary widely. 2. The poem contains five stanzas, and each stanza consists of four lines. Meeting with the Mentor: Herein lies the irony: Ruth’s meeting with the Mentor becomes her first test as a meeting with the Threshold Guardian (the one who attempts to barricade entrance into the first stage). The diction of the poem is figurative, with similes such as “In the midst of brown was born,/ Like red poppies grown with corn,” where the poet compares the beautiful red cheeks of Ruth to red poppies. Out of love and faithfulness, Ruth chooses to … Ruth’s return from Boaz with grain in symmetrical scenes), and contrasts (i.e. The Road Back: This scene is also Boaz’s Ordeal stage as he speaks with Mr. The Enemy exists in the Shadow, the idea of an unredeemed, unprovided for and unprotected life. 24 For the sake of ease, this musical takes Machlon as Ruth’s husband, although the biblical text never assigns which husband to which wife. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament use various forms to communicate, including story, music, and homiletics. The book of Ruth is set during the time when Israel was ruled by judges. This was a time when the people of Israel had abandoned God’s ways and fallen into idolatry, horrific social conditions, and a disastrous civil war, as told in the chapters of Judges immediately preceding the Book of Ruth … The Book of Ruth is called ῾Ρούθ in the Greek Septuagint. In 1:6, God visits His people with the purpose of giving them bread. Frequently described as being 'delightful' or 'whimsical', it is regarded as a fine example of a short story with full and complete characters. However, as a comedy, there is rebirth in the end, literally in Ruth’s son that is considered Naomi’s, and figuratively in Naomi, who is redeemed. Her character is united with Ruth’s in the beginning, but the shallowness of her commitment “dissolves” this union (Grant, “Validity of Pregeneric Plot Structure,” 206). Among historical narratives in Scripture it is unexcelled in its compactness, vividness, warmth, beauty and dramatic effectiveness -- an exquisitely wrought jewel of Hebrew narrative art. Loyal love. They may be experiencing a crisis of faith in their calling…Such a Mentor may go through all the stages of a hero’s journey, on his own path to redemption.”42 Naomi, as Mentor, considers herself a special vessel of God’s wrath. The women in the story act as a Greek chorus, noting Naomi’s return in the beginning and commenting in the end both on Yahweh’s provision for Naomi of a son and on Ruth’s loving-kindness (חסד), which furnished the vehicle for Yahweh’s blessing (ironically). Her lashes conceal her eyes “That had else been too bright.” However, the most beautiful thing is that she was praising the Creator and His creativity with her “sweetest looks.” The speaker was so impressed by her beauty that he immediately correlated his praise with an offer to her to share his own home and harvest in return for her praise to God. Book Summary . She lives with her mother May and for a while, her brother Matthew. Boaz is described as the one who redeems (גאל). Ruth along with her mother-in-law, Naomi, visit Bethlehem in hopes of finding a new establishment for their lives and did so through Ruth’s proficiency to work in the field. The rhyme scheme is regular and rhythmical, and remains the same in the entire poem. Cf. Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 2nd ed. Also, regarding the confidence and beauty of their beloveds, this quote can be used: And her hat, with shady brim, Made her tressy forehead dim;— Thus she stood amid the stooks, Praising God with sweetest looks:—, Copyright © 2020 Literary Devices. 7. 7, ed. 40 Vogler, Writer’s Journey, 35. We can see that the rhyme scheme is AABB, such as in the first stanza: She stood breast high amid the corn, A Clasped by the golden light of morn,  A Like the sweetheart of the sun, B Who many a glowing kiss had won. This is the real beauty that he has understood through her physical beauty. So and So, who refuses to redeem Ruth. It could be dedicated to any beautiful woman, including mothers or lovers, such as these lines: “On her cheek an autumn flush, Deeply ripened;—such a blush In the midst of brown was born, Like red poppies grown with corn.”. This is embodied in the Mr. It also shows her lack of a fear of Yahweh, Whom she abandons in order to return to her Moabite gods. In Ruth, imagery such as provision is embodied in Bethlehem: Bethlehem (בית לחמ) literally means “house of bread.” This is ironic since at the opening of the book, Bethlehem was lacking in bread due to the famine! In Ruth, the obstacles consist of Naomi attempting to dissuade Ruth from coming; Ruth approaching Boaz; and the potential kinsman with first rights. Orpah was more interested in her perceived well-being than in remaining loyal to her proper family ties (Deuteronomy 25:5 notes that a widow is not to remarry outside the family). The narrator is a master at painting word pictures.”[6] While it can be argued that one purpose of the Book of Ruth is the historical and genealogical transition from the period of the Judges to the time of King David, the overarching purpose and theme of the book of Ruth is to demonstrate the providence and sovereignty of God. 11 Reg Grant, “The Validity of Pregeneric Plot Structure in Ruth as a Key to Interpretation” (Ph.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1988), 169. “The artistic beauty of the Bible exists for the reader’s enjoyment and artistic enrichment. 5 Joseph Campbell analyzes the elements of myths and stories from different countries and different times in order to reveal the parallels of the basic plot. On a sub-level, this scene is the Call to Adventure for Boaz, who becomes the active Hero for the next few scenes. However, this cannot be confined to mothers only. It exposes the unbeliever to the loving grace of God and His provision of redemption through Jesus Christ. - Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions, Definition and Examples of Literary Terms, Speech: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, In Memoriam A. H. H. OBIIT MDCCCXXXIII: 27, Sonnet 55: Not Marble nor the Gilded Monuments. 41 This jabbed the original Jewish audience. Penned by Daniel Block (Gunther H. Knoedler Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College), this commentary on Ruth is the third and latest offering in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament (ZECOT) series. Erich Zenger (1992) holds down the other pole in the spectrum, claiming that Ruth comes from the Maccabean period (i.e. 20 Grant, “Validity of Pregeneric Plot Structure,” 180. Like Naomi, she moves from the deathlike experience of the childless widow to the rebirth of marriage. At the root the idea of Hero is connected with self-sacrifice.”40 This definition more aptly fits Ruth, who sacrifices security and the likelihood of marriage in order to remain loyal to Naomi.41 Naomi’s role changes throughout the story: she is the threshold guardian attempting to dissuade Ruth from entering the “special world” in chapter one; she is the mentor who instructs and prepares Ruth for the marriage proposal in chapter three (the inversion of the threshold guardian); she is the recipient of the healing elixir in the end. Naomi’s Bitterness (ch. She holds a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard, a B.A. The Messiah figure is associated with various royal figures in the Old Testament (i.e. Literary Analysis The central conceit of the poem “Ruth” is a romantic picture of a lady painted by Thomas Hood in such a way that she seems to be standing before our very eyes. Ideally the set should be presided over by a large tree that blooms at the wedding ceremony. For the Fallen Mentor (Naomi), who herself is journeying, this scene is the Resurrection of Naomi. the general disobedience of Israel characteristic of the time of the judges seen specifically in Naomi’s family abandoning the promised land contrasted with Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi and God in times of trouble; empty verses full; helpless versus provided for and protected; death versus life). Ruth and Naomi together sojourn to Bethlehem hoping for, and finding, provision through Ruth’s work of gleaning in the field, through Boaz’s generous gift to Ruth, through Boaz’s redemption of Ruth and Naomi’s field, and finally through Obed, the son who holds the hope for future provision. Refusal of the Call: While Ruth is set on going throughout, this stage is seen in Orpah, Ruth’s foil, who is discouraged by the Threshold Guardian and returns to Moab. of the following characters. The legal acts of the Israelites reflect the acts of God. A literary analysis of this book enabled an enlightenment of the story development as well as the character development, which revealed the overarching and secondary messages of the Book of Ruth. The book of Ruth is a Hebrew short story, told with consummate skill. While the family tragedy is surrounded by famine, Ruth and Naomi return to Bethlehem when the famine has been abated at the beginning of the barley harvest, clueing the reader in to the hope they have. The Book of Ruth was part of the Writings of Hebrew Scripture. The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew and English Lexicon, 4. Her beauty surpasses the environmental beauty, as her body is “clasped by the golden light of the morn” and her cheek has an “autumn flush.” The poet then comments on her hair and eyes. 33 It is also connected with the legal and social life of Israel. The story centers on the life of Ruth, a Moabite woman who married an Israelite living in a foreign country—Moab. Each of these forms deserves to be analyzed according to their genre. Old Testament narratives reveal the character of God.30 In Ruth, God is revealed as the Faithful Provider to the helpless. Cf. The Hebrew uses the same term ילדfor sons to show in inclusio Naomi’s loss of sons to her regaining of a child. The writer of literature selects and molds his material according to discernible viewpoints. The book of Ruth was written to provide a lovely example of the sovereignty and plan of God. Naomi, as the Fallen Mentor, is actively involved in preparing Ruth for Boaz and becomes the Recipient of the Elixir given by Ruth. Jennifer Rubin Raskas is the Business Development Manager for the Maryland/Israel De-velopment Center. Learn about the setting, title, ending, allusions and more in an easy-to-understand format. A literary analysis of this book enabled an enlightenment of the story development as well as the character development, which revealed the overarching and secondary messages of the Book of Ruth. Ruth Discovers Potential Kinsman Redeemer (ch. Death in the beginning sets the story in motion. 28 The musical makes use of the bread metaphor found in the biblical account. Ruth recognizes wholeness in a life attached to Yahweh and His people rather than in an empty life of idol worship in Moab. It also allowed an appreciation for the beauty and complicity of the plot as unfolded by the author. She has taught Bible at Robert M. Beren Hebrew Academy and given numerous classes at a wide-range of synagogues and Jewish educational institutions. 4:4-7), 3. To ignore this aspect of biblical literature is to distort the Bible as a written document.”3 The Book of Ruth, as a story, deserves to be treated as literature in its study. John T. Willis, vol. This cycle is represented in miniature at Ruth’s Approach (occurring in the evening), Ordeal (at midnight), Reward (at dawn) (see below for further explanation of these stages).20 As a Moabitess seeking redemption in God’s community, she also undergoes the initiation cycle. 1); II. Frye, Anatomy of Criticism, 160 for an explanation of the cycle of times and seasons as significant in plot. Ruth’s character demonstrates both the death-rebirth and the initiation cycles. 2, trans. On defining literature, Leland Ryken observes that, Literature does not, for example, discourse about virtue but instead shows a virtuous person acting. The Search OF the Savior: Why Jesus Came, Part 2 (Gal. 14 Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., From Exegesis to Exposition: A Practical Guide to Using Biblical Hebrew (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998), 156. In this case, God provides through the גאל, the kinsman redeemer who plays the part of the Messianic figure. From this, a plot structure can be derived. Some refer to the story as an idyllische Novelle (Kaiser, 1969). “For this potential redeemer, the question placed before him was simply a matter to be decided on the basis of financial considerations. Love for the covenant and the preservation of a family in that covenant played no role in his calculations.”27. The book begins and ends focusing on Naomi. 842. General uses of the analysis of the book of Esther are discussed first, followed by more specific uses related to each of the six elements of narration/ fiction. Round her eyes her tresses fell, Which were blackest none could tell, But long lashes veiled a light, That had else been all too bright. Her first novel follows the life of Ruth Grey Dahl, a poor girl in the small town of Honey Creek, Illinois. 39 Campbell, Hero with a Thousand Faces, 213. So and So) to redeem Ruth and Naomi. The central conceit of the poem “Ruth” is a romantic picture of a lady painted by Thomas Hood in such a way that she seems to be standing before our very eyes. Thought the book is titled Ruth, the story revolves around Naomi and her perspective. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament use various forms to communicate, including story, music, and homiletics. 8. 22 This five-part plot structure is defined as problem, rising action (“raises tension”), turning point, falling action (“continues the unwinding initiated by the turning point”), and resolution. Hyperbaton is also employed, which is an unusual word order of the sentence, such as, “Round her eyes her tresses fell.” This creates a startling effect for the readers. End-rhyme comes at the end of each stanza. Reward: Boaz promises to seek redemption for Ruth, whether through approaching the nearer kinsman-redeemer or redeeming himself. 12. The Call to Adventure: This occurs when the men Elimilech, Machlon, and Killion die and Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. The Ordeal: Ruth’s Ordeal comes in the form of a marriage proposal to Boaz. Finally, literature is an interpretive presentation of experience in an artistic form. One aspect of literature is its elements of recurrence in imagery and conventional actions.16 Rituals of conventional actions and that imitate nature’s cycle are organizing rhythms and patterns. Module 3: Literary Analysis of Ruth 1-4 (100 points possible) Read Ruth 1-4 Observation (30 points): Observe how characters are portrayed in the book of Ruth, particularly through their speech and actions. Gow has gleaned the best from recent scholarship, although he might have made better use of several important recent studies ( e.g. Pratt fits Ruth into a five-part plot structure.22 Specifically, the plot structure breaks into the following divisions: “I. The book displays typical virtuous, beautiful ideals, villains that threaten the heroine’s ascent and final achievement of “the victory of fertility over the wasteland” of a comedy-romance.12 The final society reached at the end is the one that the “audience has recognized all along to be the proper and desirable state of affairs.”13 As a comic plot, “the protagonist encounters obstacles but eventually overcomes them through faith and/or divine intervention.”14 Its story is meant to “inspire, challenge, and encourage us.”15. Themes of the book Ruth. Naomi considers herself cursed by God and sees no hope of security. Introduction In the book of Ruth, a story is being told about a woman who endured much hardship but also got the see the glory of God’s grace. LITERARY ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK OF RUTH PART 2: ON THE ROAD Marc Chagall 1960 Ruth Naomi and Orpah 1Now it came to pass in the days … 1 Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., “Narrative” in Cracking Old Testament Codes: A Guide to Interpreting the Literary Genres of the Old Testament, ed. However, her actions as well as the speech and thought of the story community proved her to be faithful, loyal, and sacrificial (cf. Richard L. Pratt, He Gave Us Stories: The Bible Student’s Guide to Interpreting Old Testament Narratives (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1990), 200. 3); IV. The speaker praises the woman’s looks, her beauty, her face, her dress, and even her presence in the first four stanzas. When he reaches the fifth stanza, however, he immediately comes down from the height of sensuousness that he was about to reach, and starts praising the beauty and work of God, giving her what God has given to him. The book of Ruth itself, however, as is typical with much of the writing in Hebrew Scripture, does not explicitly indicate who the author is. Per the publisher, the series: I.List all the clues in chapters 2-3 of the book of Ruth that inform the reader about the character, personality, motivations, emotions, intentions, etc. Boaz Acquires Right to be the Kinsman-Redeemer (4:1-12); V. Naomi’s Blessing (4:13-17)”23 This analysis fits within the overarching comedy ternary form from the ideal (understood by the audience) to the unideal experience (the deaths of Elimelech, Kilion and Machlon leaving their three widows helpless, unprotected, and unprovided for), and the journey back to the ideal (Ruth’s marriage to Boaz, which redeems both her and Naomi, and Ruth’s child, who carries Ruth’s husband’s name24 and guarantees Naomi’s future).25 Further, because the story of Ruth exhibits elements of mythic structure as analyzed by Joseph Campbell and Christopher Vogler, it is helpful to understand how Ruth fits this form.26. 34 Helmer Ringgren, “גאל,” in Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, rev. and its treatment of Ruth’s theology and purpose are strong. Naomi's perseverance, Ruth's faithfulness, as well as the deity's providence are examples of this view. There is a common thread “The important idea of loyal love is evident in the book. In this beautiful account, He demonstrates how He will use a person (Ruth) who for all practical purposes, is a foreigner and enemy of the Israelites. The Book of Ruth is so profound in its structure that it has induced a flood of literary analyses. However, in the end, she is recognized as an ancestor of the great King David of Israel. A short story set in the time of the Book of Judges, detailing how Ruth, a Moabite widow, finds a new husband.That new husband, as it turns out, is a relative of her mother-in-law Naomi's husband, and part of the lineage that would produce King David (and, according to … On her cheek an autumn flush, Deeply ripened;—such a blush In the midst of brown was born, Like red poppies grown with corn. The character and function of the Hero should fall to Naomi who has the power to redeem Ruth by bringing her to God’s chosen people. In seeking to analyze the story of Ruth and Naomi according to its literary genre, this paper traces the plot and character elements in structures evident in early mythological writings as well as modern movies.5 In so doing, this paper will employ literary form and structure to analyze Ruth and its elements. “Some Mentors are still on a Hero’s Journey of their own. The book of Ruth has been widely accepted as being a positive text for and about women in the Hebrew Bible. Ruth recognizes that her life is in Yahweh’s tree, and therefore seeks to join His people. BDB defines גאל as “redeem, act as a kinsman.”32 It is used to refer to God’s redeeming acts.33 This term refers to the kinsman “who is responsible for standing up for him and maintaining his rights.34 Boaz takes responsibility for Naomi’s land and the widows. Her name is Ruth. at least) that literary analysis of Ruth hardly goes beyond this sort of thing, and that is my main contention. 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