Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Midievil Literature and the Bible

I am really enjoying finding things in our readings that are similar to the Bible. I am waundering why that is. Why some of our readings are so similar to Biblical texts. I have a theory, but will keep it to myself, as to not affend anyone.

The readings for today from the Pros Eda made reference to apples. The Gods would eat them when they started to get old to regain their youth. This reminded me of Adam and Eve and the apple. The difference would be that Adam and Eve were told not to eat from that tree because they would die. When they did eat the apple they gained knowledge only god had.

I also saw many references to olive branches in Song of Roland and they are supposed to represent peace. In the story of Noah and the Arc it is part of an olive branch that is brought back when the flood is over, signaling peace!

I have found many many more. I deffinitely would like to do some more research in this area.

4 comments:

Rocky said...

I have a theory… I think it is because some people tend to make everything in some way about the bible…so naturally there are connections. I mean if you look close enough, you could find connections from Lord of the Rings to many literary works. I am sure the same is true for the Koran.

becky said...

I frankly am getting tired of having everything be linked to the Bible. Just because I had an apple the other day does not connect me directly to Eve. Not to mention, the apple that was in the Garden of Eden might not even be what we know an apple to be today. Sometimes an apple is just an apple and sometimes the number three is simply the number after two and before four- not the Holy Trinity.

Jenni Davis said...

Well, frankly, I agree with Deborah that it is interesting to find the Biblical connections. I also find other connections that have been made in class just as interesting. For Becky, I'm glad that this forum is open for all students so that we can all see your opinion.

Doug Simms said...

Here is an interesting point where a connection is made between texts which only exists in English translation.

There is no apple involved in the Garden of Eden:

ו וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ לְמַאֲכָל וְכִי תַאֲוָה-הוּא לָעֵינַיִם, וְנֶחְמָד הָעֵץ לְהַשְׂכִּיל, וַתִּקַּח מִפִּרְיוֹ, וַתֹּאכַל; וַתִּתֵּן גַּם-לְאִישָׁהּ עִמָּהּ, וַיֹּאכַל. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.

Here the word used in Hebrew is פרי 'fruit'...not 'apple'.