Title
The Interplay of Form and Meaning in Babylonian Poetry: A New Reading and Interpretation of the Babylonian Theodicy’s Ending
Abstract
The Babylonian Theodicy is one of the best known and more widely discussed texts from Ancient Mesopotamia. However, despite extensive study, the interpretation of its final two stanzas remains contentious. This paper argues that previous scholarship has overlooked the importance of the poem’s formal structure in interpreting these crucial parts of the text. By analysing the intricate patterns of repetition and correspondence woven into the poem, I demonstrate that these elements are essential for understanding the poet’s arguments. This approach, informed by research conducted under my ERC-funded REPAC project, clarifies the philological and interpretative challenges that have thus far hindered a satisfactory explanation of the text’s ending, revealing how the poet’s use of a circular structure, or ring composition, is key to conveying the Babylonian Theodicy’s central message.
Keywords
Babylonian Theodicyvariant repetitionring compositionanalogical thinkinganalogismformal structural devices
Object type
Language
English [eng]
Persistent identifier
https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:2109624
Appeared in
Title
Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes
Volume
114
ISSN
0084-0076
Issued
2024
From page
159
To page
214
Date issued
2024
Access rights
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