Titel
The Interplay of Form and Meaning in Babylonian Poetry: A New Reading and Interpretation of the Babylonian Theodicy’s Ending
Autor*in
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.
Stichwort
Babylonian Theodicyvariant repetitionring compositionanalogical thinkinganalogismformal structural devices
Objekt-Typ
Sprache
Englisch [eng]
Persistent identifier
Erschienen in
Titel
Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes
Band
114
ISSN
0084-0076
Erscheinungsdatum
2024
Seitenanfang
159
Seitenende
214
Publication
Erscheinungsdatum
2024
Zugänglichkeit
Rechte
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