Judith
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Hardback
£39.99
Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 9780814681152
Number of Pages: 272
Published: 20/11/2022
Width: 15.2 cm
Height: 22.9 cm
2023 Catholic Media Association First Place Award, Scripture – Academic Studies
The striking scene of Judith cutting off Holofernes’s head with his own sword in his own bed has inspired the imaginations of readers for millennia. But there is more to her story than just this climactic act and more to her character than just beauty and violence. This volume offers a comprehensive examination of gender ideologies in the book of Judith, from the hyper-masculine machinations of war and empire to the dynamics of class in Judith’s relationship with her enslaved handmaid. Overall, this commentary investigates the book of Judith through a feminist lens, informed by critical masculinity studies, queer theory, and reception criticism.
The striking scene of Judith cutting off Holofernes’s head with his own sword in his own bed has inspired the imaginations of readers for millennia. But there is more to her story than just this climactic act and more to her character than just beauty and violence. This volume offers a comprehensive examination of gender ideologies in the book of Judith, from the hyper-masculine machinations of war and empire to the dynamics of class in Judith’s relationship with her enslaved handmaid. Overall, this commentary investigates the book of Judith through a feminist lens, informed by critical masculinity studies, queer theory, and reception criticism.
Contents
Acknowledgments vii
List of Abbreviations ix
List of Contributors xi
Foreword: “Tell It on the Mountain”—or, “And You Shall Tell Your Daughter [as Well]” xiii
Athalya Brenner-Idan
Editor’s Introduction to Wisdom Commentary: “She Is a Breath of the Power of God” (Wis 7:25) xvii
Barbara E. Reid, OP
Authors’ Introduction xxxvii
Judith 1:1–4:15 The Masculine Machinations of War 1
Judith 5:1–6:21 Achior, a Different Kind of Man 25
Judith 7:1–9:14 Judith Takes Center Stage 41
Judith 10:1–11:23 High Femme Warrior 73
Judith 12:1–13:10a Wielding the Master’s Tool 97
Judith 13:10b–16:25 Judith Triumphant 131
Conclusion 163
Works Cited 173
Index of Scripture References and Other Ancient Writings 187
Index of Authors and Subjects 193
Acknowledgments vii
List of Abbreviations ix
List of Contributors xi
Foreword: “Tell It on the Mountain”—or, “And You Shall Tell Your Daughter [as Well]” xiii
Athalya Brenner-Idan
Editor’s Introduction to Wisdom Commentary: “She Is a Breath of the Power of God” (Wis 7:25) xvii
Barbara E. Reid, OP
Authors’ Introduction xxxvii
Judith 1:1–4:15 The Masculine Machinations of War 1
Judith 5:1–6:21 Achior, a Different Kind of Man 25
Judith 7:1–9:14 Judith Takes Center Stage 41
Judith 10:1–11:23 High Femme Warrior 73
Judith 12:1–13:10a Wielding the Master’s Tool 97
Judith 13:10b–16:25 Judith Triumphant 131
Conclusion 163
Works Cited 173
Index of Scripture References and Other Ancient Writings 187
Index of Authors and Subjects 193
"There are many ancient Jewish stories that feature women, but in the book of Judith the woman fully dominates. This volume achieves every goal of the Wisdom Commentary series. This beautifully written introduction to Judith is a treat; great reading for students, scholars, religious professionals, and a general audience, as well. In keeping with the series, the authors bring a feminist and an intersectional approach, but manage also to include literary and comparative studies and art history. This book is as engaging as its subject matter!"
Lawrence M. Wills, author of Judith in Hermeneia series
"Koosed and Seesengood offer the best of what feminist criticism has to offer in this eminently readable commentary on the book of Judith. Masculinity studies, gender theory, and queer theory are all skillfully deployed to illuminate the shifting performances of gender at the center of this book. The result is a nuanced, provocative, and fascinating analysis of the book of Judith. Readers will especially benefit from the authors' suspicion of easy resolutions for this complex narrative featuring a wealthy, pious, seductive, and slave-owning heroine."
Colleen M. Conway, Seton Hall University
"This sophisticated commentary illuminates the textual issues and clarifies the historical from the literary. Not your grandmother's commentary, and suitable for readers who want their worlds widened."
WATER