“Embedded” stories: on one literary device in the Syriac memre
In the article at the first time is analyzed a special literary device in the Syriac memre – the “embedded” stories. By this device the fictitious character, in turn, becomes the narrator. On the example of the speeches in the Syriac memra “On Nineveh and Jonah”, in the Greek homily “On the Repentan...
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St. Tikhon's Orthodox University
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Вестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Сериа III. Филология |
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| Online Access: | https://periodical.pstgu.ru/ru/pdf/article/8566 |
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| author | Sofia Fomicheva |
| author_facet | Sofia Fomicheva |
| author_sort | Sofia Fomicheva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the article at the first time is analyzed a special literary device in the Syriac memre – the “embedded” stories. By this device the fictitious character, in turn, becomes the narrator. On the example of the speeches in the Syriac memra “On Nineveh and Jonah”, in the Greek homily “On the Repentance of the Ninevites”, in a number of other Syrian memre we demonstrate the similarities and differences in the use of this device. For example, the author of the memra “On Nineveh and Jonah” systematically embodies his special method in the speech of the king of Nineveh: he uses the literature of Wisdom as a metatext to create the image of a wise king who gives some biblical analogies for contemporary events. From a literary point of view, these analogies are expressed in the form of “embedded” stories. In the Greek homily, there are similar biblical analogies in the speech of the Ninevites, but, unlike the memra, there is no justification for their appearance. As a result, there is a clear “gap” between the ignorance of the Ninevites and their possession of the knowledge of biblical history. From a theological point of view, both works are exceptions to the general “mainstream” of Christian writings about the Ninevites, in which is emphasized their ignorance of God contrasted with the knowledge of Jews and Christians. The measure of knowledge of the characters in all these works, therefore, becomes a full-fledged literary and theological tool. The article traces the use of the technique of the “embedded” stories in later Syriac memre, where it is reduced to the brief analogies in the form of Beispielreihe: a list of biblical examples connected by some common feature. We draw a conclusion that such literary and theological devices could be associated with the process of formation of the biblical canon: they represent a popular demonstration of the unity of the Bible in the form of a narrative. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ed7e3af8fc6a4e329fbc8e5f3c689147 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1991-6485 2409-4897 |
| language | Russian |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | St. Tikhon's Orthodox University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Вестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Сериа III. Филология |
| spelling | doaj-art-ed7e3af8fc6a4e329fbc8e5f3c6891472025-08-20T03:27:10ZrusSt. Tikhon's Orthodox UniversityВестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Сериа III. Филология1991-64852409-48972024-12-018181108127http://dx.doi.org/10.15382/sturIII202481.108-1273“Embedded” stories: on one literary device in the Syriac memreSofia Fomicheva0St. Petersburg State University; Saint-Petersburg, RussiaIn the article at the first time is analyzed a special literary device in the Syriac memre – the “embedded” stories. By this device the fictitious character, in turn, becomes the narrator. On the example of the speeches in the Syriac memra “On Nineveh and Jonah”, in the Greek homily “On the Repentance of the Ninevites”, in a number of other Syrian memre we demonstrate the similarities and differences in the use of this device. For example, the author of the memra “On Nineveh and Jonah” systematically embodies his special method in the speech of the king of Nineveh: he uses the literature of Wisdom as a metatext to create the image of a wise king who gives some biblical analogies for contemporary events. From a literary point of view, these analogies are expressed in the form of “embedded” stories. In the Greek homily, there are similar biblical analogies in the speech of the Ninevites, but, unlike the memra, there is no justification for their appearance. As a result, there is a clear “gap” between the ignorance of the Ninevites and their possession of the knowledge of biblical history. From a theological point of view, both works are exceptions to the general “mainstream” of Christian writings about the Ninevites, in which is emphasized their ignorance of God contrasted with the knowledge of Jews and Christians. The measure of knowledge of the characters in all these works, therefore, becomes a full-fledged literary and theological tool. The article traces the use of the technique of the “embedded” stories in later Syriac memre, where it is reduced to the brief analogies in the form of Beispielreihe: a list of biblical examples connected by some common feature. We draw a conclusion that such literary and theological devices could be associated with the process of formation of the biblical canon: they represent a popular demonstration of the unity of the Bible in the form of a narrative.https://periodical.pstgu.ru/ru/pdf/article/8566christian homiletics syriac christian literature ephrem the syrian john chrysostom the genre of memra the exegesis of the book of jonah the narrative narratology “embedded stories”христианская гомилетика сирийская христианская литература ефрем сирин иоанн златоуст жанр «мемра» экзегеза книги пророка ионы нарратив нарратология «вложенные» истории |
| spellingShingle | Sofia Fomicheva “Embedded” stories: on one literary device in the Syriac memre Вестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Сериа III. Филология christian homiletics syriac christian literature ephrem the syrian john chrysostom the genre of memra the exegesis of the book of jonah the narrative narratology “embedded stories” христианская гомилетика сирийская христианская литература ефрем сирин иоанн златоуст жанр «мемра» экзегеза книги пророка ионы нарратив нарратология «вложенные» истории |
| title | “Embedded” stories: on one literary device in the Syriac memre |
| title_full | “Embedded” stories: on one literary device in the Syriac memre |
| title_fullStr | “Embedded” stories: on one literary device in the Syriac memre |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Embedded” stories: on one literary device in the Syriac memre |
| title_short | “Embedded” stories: on one literary device in the Syriac memre |
| title_sort | embedded stories on one literary device in the syriac memre |
| topic | christian homiletics syriac christian literature ephrem the syrian john chrysostom the genre of memra the exegesis of the book of jonah the narrative narratology “embedded stories” христианская гомилетика сирийская христианская литература ефрем сирин иоанн златоуст жанр «мемра» экзегеза книги пророка ионы нарратив нарратология «вложенные» истории |
| url | https://periodical.pstgu.ru/ru/pdf/article/8566 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sofiafomicheva embeddedstoriesononeliterarydeviceinthesyriacmemre |