Abstract
The goal of this article is to investigate the possible purpose of the Greek apocryphal book of Judith. The investigation of the possible purpose of Judith has attracted the interest of many scholars and varying contributions have appeared in this regard. The impetus for a yet another investigation of Judith grows from the contention that the question of the possible purpose of Judith is still wide open for exploration. This study attempts to make a unique contribution by using a Greimassian approach to narratives, which no Judith scholar has ever attempted. This approach comprises three levels of analysis : the figurative, the narrative and the thematic. This article focuses only on the narrative level, particularly the actantial model of the story. This article contends that following the study of the actantial model of Judith, it becomes clear that the Judith narrative was aimed at revitalising Jewish religious patriotism during the difficult times of the Second Temple period.
Highlights
The goal of this article is to investigate the possible purpose of the Greek apocryphal book of Judith
The investigation of the possible purpose of Judith has attracted the interest of many scholars and varying contributions have appeared in this regard
This study attempts to make a unique contribution by using a Greimassian approach to narratives, which no Judith scholar has ever attempted
Summary
Judith[1] describes how an Israelite woman ( called a Jewish heroine)[2] paves the way for her people’s victory over an invading Assyrian army by first deceiving and decapitating the leader of the enemy host, whom she seductively reduced to drunken unconsciousness,[3] (see White).[4]. Kanonge[10] asserts that scholars are investigating the Apocrypha[11] more frequently He further indicates that the focus in apocrypha scholarship has shifted from establishing the original texts to further studies, including employing various approaches of analysis to investigate the meaning and the possible purpose and various aspects of the texts. Under this new development on apocrypha scholarship, the Judith narrative has attracted the interest of various scholars using various approaches to investigate its meaning.[12] numerous articles have been written on Judith, it is beyond the scope of this article to discuss each one of them. This article argues that following the actantial model, that is, the study of the relation between actants in the narrative, the reader can establish the main object of quest in the story, in other words the main purpose of the narrative
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