Local incoherence, global coherence? Allusion and the readability of ancient Israelite literature
Abstract
Does a lack of coherence always render a text “unreadable” or “unintelligible”? In this essay, I explore the relationships between three of De Beaugrande and Dressler’s standards of textuality: cohesion, coherence, and intertextuality (considered more narrowly here in the form of allusion). I consider examples of textual allusion that readers have considered surprising, incongruous, or incoherent. I conclude that in some cases, there is reason to believe ancient Israelite writers employed allusion in such a way as to create incongruity and incoherence at local text-segment levels while creating a coherent argument at larger text-segment levels. In these cases, at least, the text is still “readable.”
Citation
Lyons , M A 2021 , ' Local incoherence, global coherence? Allusion and the readability of ancient Israelite literature ' , Old Testament Essays , vol. 34 , no. 1 , pp. 141-164 . https://doi.org/10.17159/2312-3621/2021/v34n1a9
Publication
Old Testament Essays
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
2312-3621Type
Journal article
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