Introduction: The Definition of Antithesis in Literature and its Place in the Hebrew Bible

Abstract

The concept of the antithesis, derived from the Greek word avtiOeois, most probably became a specific philosophical term after Kant. This multiple meaning of makes it necessary to state at the outset that in this study the concept of the antithesis can be treated only in the rhetorical-stylistic sense. But even within the rhetorical-stylistic realm the antithesis can appear in various forms. Therefore, a clear definition must be given based on several authors in the history of criticism in order to prevent the misunderstandings and confusion that have occasionally been caused by a false or ambiguous use of the term. The first observation regarding the antithesis in the Hebrew Bible is of statistic nature: different themes and different forms can be found all through the Hebrew Bible. Next to this point, there are some questions which cannot be generally answered; some of them cannot be answered at all.Keywords: antithesis; Greek; Hebrew Bible; Kant