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174 SHOFAR Fall2000 Vol. 19, No.1 masterful dialogue with secondary literature. For anyone interested in Jewish sources in Greek, this ground-breaking book absolutely demands a thorough reading. Allen Kerkeslager Department of Theology Saint Joseph's University The Bible and the Comic Vision, by 1. William Whedbee. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 315 pp. $59.95. The first challenge to the reader ofthis masterly study is to overcome one's preconceptions about the term "comic" in the title. Conventional usage limits "comedy" to the humorous and overlooks its broader dimension as the counterpart to "tragedy." Following Northrop Frye (p. 227), ProfessorWhedbee reminds us that comedy has both aconservative and subversive function, a"U-shaped" plotline "withits ineluctable drive through the crises and complications befalling the heroes until the concluding upswing which restores the rightful society and celebrates the victory of life and love" (p. 10). He illustrates his theme with a close reading ofpassages from Genesis, Exodus, Esther, Jonah, Job, and the Song of Songs, exploring humor, and especially parody, as underlying features. Particularly illuminating is his reading ofGenesis 2-3 as a parodic response to the stately presentation ofthe creation story in Genesis 1. Here he brings together findings from a number of recent literary readings of the text as well as his own sharp observations. Though delicately expressed, he presents a devastating critique of classical Christian readings of "the fall." In line with feminist readings of these problematic texts he rightly shows, for example, how Eve "stands out as an active, independent, decisive figure: she hardly is the evil temptress so popular in the dominant misogynistic tradition." In giving proper attention not just to the negative but also the positive experiences described in these chapters (the independence the characters acquire, their clothing by God at the end) he restores an essential dimension to past readings of the text. Whedbee's approach is liberating in the case ofGenesis and Exodus, encouraging us to read against conventional approaches. It is less challenging when dealing with more obvious "comic" books like Jonah and Esther. In the case of the latter I would question his acceptance at face value of the convention that sees only the exaggerated absurdity ofAhasuerus' court, and the king as a buffoon. The rabbis debated whether the king was a fool or wise (Babylonian Talmud Megillah 12a), and therein lies a question about the apparent "coincidences" that underline the plot. I have argued elsewhere (Bible Lives [London: SCM Press, 1992], pp. 80-88) that the various ups and downs ofthe protagonists Mordechai and Haman can be seen politically as the way in which the king controls potential rivals for his throne. The rise of Haman presents a Book Reviews 175 potential threat to the king which Mordechai exploits by refusing to bow to him and by reporting to the king a plot against his life, thus positioning himselfas a possible rival. (Mordechai runs an efficient spy network [Esther 4:7]). Similarly Esther exploits the regal paranoia implicit in the situation. Her first invitation is addressed to "him," namely the King (Esther 5:4), to be accompanied by Haman, but the second invitation is to "them" (5:8). If the queen is favoring Haman, even equating him with the king, no wonder the king cannot sleep that night! (Given the power ofthe queen as an influential figure in court intrigues, Vashti's refusal to appear, and the king's reaction, may not be . quite as absurd as is usually assumed.) Remembering that both Mordechai and Haman are "outsiders" in the court (as Jew and Agagite), Haman's boasting about his wealth (5: 11:-12) may be evidence not of his similarity to the king "in his love of outward display" (p. 179) but of a deep insecurity. When the king summons Haman to show honor to "Mordechai the Jew," unless the king has already forgotten his decree to exterminate the Jews, he is firmly putting Haman in his place, indeed deliberately humiliating him before his enemy. All of these interpretations may be debated, but what I find missing in the examination ofEsther as "comedy" is something addressed by Emil Fackenheim in The Jewish Bible after...

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