Interpretation and Allegory: Antiquity to the Modern Period (Brill's Studies in Intellectual History)

An investigation of the theory and practice of interpretation. Concentrating on interpretive allegory, the volume simultaneously opens and organizes new approaches to over 2000 years of critical change. Its topics extend from Pagan, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic perspectives to postmodern inquiries. Its intersecting lines of analysis are drawn by scholars whose specialities range from ancient and modern literature to art history, comparative religion, and the history of philosophy. Framed by introductory essays assessing changes in scholarly research on allegory during the 20th century, the study has four principal parts: antique interpretation of formative texts; medieval philosophic commentary; late Medieval and Renaissance sigh systems; and 18th- to 20th-century theories of allegory. Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 12 GENERAL INTRODUCTION......Page 18 1. A Retrospective Forward: Interpretation, Allegory, and Historical Change......Page 20 PART ONE: ANTIQUITY TO THE LATE MIDDLE AGES......Page 48 2. Present Perspectives: Antiquity to the Late Middle Ages [Prologue to chapters 3–11]......Page 50 A: Antique interpretation of formative texts: 'units' of analysis......Page 51 B: Medieval philosophic designs: 'textures' of interpretation......Page 62 A. Antique Interpretation of Formative Texts......Page 88 3. Language, Text, and Truth in Ancient Polytheist Exegesis......Page 90 4. Plato's Soul and the Body of the Text in Philo and Origen......Page 106 5. Theology and Exegesis in Midrashic Literature......Page 126 6. Allegory and Reading God's Book: Paul and Augustine on the Destiny of Israel......Page 142 B. Medieval Philosophic Designs......Page 168 7. The Utilization of Allegory in Islamic Philosophy......Page 170 8. On Maimonides' Allegorical Readings of Scripture......Page 198 9. Philosophic Allegory in Medieval Jewish Culture: The Crisis in Languedoc (1304–6)......Page 206 10. Philosophy, Commentary, and Mythic Narrative in Twelfth-Century France......Page 228 11. Quadruplex Sensus, Multiplex Modus: Scriptural Sense and Mode in Medieval Scholastic Exegesis......Page 248 PART TWO: THE LATE MIDDLE AGES TO THE MODERN PERIOD......Page 274 D: Eighteenth- to twentieth-century theories of allegory: 'temporalities' of discourse......Page 276 C. Late Medieval and Renaissance Sign Systems......Page 332 13. Allegory and Divine Names in Ecstatic Kabbalah......Page 334 14. Boccaccio: The Mythographer of the City......Page 366 15. Renaissance Hieroglyphic Studies: An Overview......Page 382 16. Sixteenth-Century Emblems and Imprese as Indicators of Cultural Change......Page 400 D. Eighteenth- to Twentieth-Century Theories of Allegory......Page 438 17. Vera Narratio: Vice's New Science of Mythology......Page 440 18. Allegory as the Trope of Memory: Registers of Cultural Time in Schlegel and Novalis......Page 454 19. Constructions of Allegory / Allegories of Construction: Rethinking History through Benjamin and Freud......Page 468 20. Allegory and the Aesthetic Ideology......Page 486 Contributors......Page 504 Index......Page 510 B......Page 511 D......Page 512 H......Page 513 L......Page 514 N......Page 515 S......Page 516 T......Page 517 B......Page 518 C......Page 519 F......Page 520 H......Page 521 L......Page 522 N......Page 523 S......Page 524 W......Page 525 a. Jewish Scripture: works......Page 526 c. New Testament: works......Page 527 N......Page 528 v. Cross-references between chapters in this volume (passages referring to designated chapters)......Page 529 A Retrospective Forward : Interpretation, Allegory, And Historical Change / Jon Whitman -- Present Perspectives : Antiquity To The Late Middle Ages / Jon Whitman -- Language, Text, And Truth In Ancient Polytheist Exegesis / Robert Lamberton -- Plato's Soul And The Body Of The Text In Philo And Origen / David Dawson -- Theology And Exegesis In Midrashic Literature / Marc Hirshman -- Allegory And Reading God's Book : Paul And Augustine On The Destiny Of Israel / Paula Fredriksen -- The Utilization Of Allegory In Islamic Philosophy / Alfred L. Ivry -- On Maimonides' Allegorical Readings Of Scripture / Warren Zev Harvey -- Philosophic Allegory In Medieval Jewish Culture : The Crisis In Languedoc (1304-6) / Gregg Stern -- Philosophy, Commentary, And Mythic Narrative In Twelfth-century France / Winthrop Wetherbee -- Quadruplex Sensus, Multiplex Modus : Scriptural Sense And Mode In Medieval Scholastic Exegesis / A.j. Minnis -- Present Perspectives : The Late Middle Ages To The Modern Period / Jon Whitman -- Allegory And Divine Names In Ecstatic Kabbalah / Moshe Idel -- Boccaccio : The Mythographer Of The City / Giuseppe F. Mazzotta -- Renaissance Hieroglyphic Studies : An Overview / Charles Dempsey -- Sixteenth-century Emblems And Imprese As Indicators Of Cultural Change / Peter M. Daly -- Vera Narratio : Vico's New Science Of Mythology / Joseph Mali -- Allegory As The Trope Of Memory : Registers Of Cultural Time In Schlegel And Novalis / Azade Seyhan -- Constructions Of Allegory/allegories Of Construction : Rethinking History Through Benjamin And Freud / Rainer Nägele -- Allegory And The Aesthetic Ideology / Tobin Siebers. Edited With Introductory Essays By Jon Whitman. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. This is an unparalleled investigation of the theory and practice of interpretation. Concentrating on interpretive allegory, the volume simultaneously opens and organizes new approaches to over two thousand years of critical change. Its diverse topics extend from pagan, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic perspectives to postmodern inquiries. Its intersecting lines of analysis are drawn by scholars whose specialities range from ancient and modern literature to art history, comparative religion, and the history of philosophy. Framed by introductory essays assessing changes in scholarly research on allegory during the past century, the study has four principal parts: I) 'Antique Interpretation of Formative Texts '; II) 'Medieval Philosophic Designs '; III) 'Late Medieval and Renaissance Sign Systems '; IV) 'Eighteenth- to Twentieth-Century Theories of Allegory '. This provocative, unique revaluation provides an indispensable framework for future research. Contributors include: Peter M. Daly, David Dawson, Charles Dempsey, Paula Fredriksen, Warren Zev Harvey, Marc Hirshman, Moshe Idel, Alfred L. Ivry, Robert Lamberton, Joseph Mali, Giuseppe F. Mazzotta, A.J. Minnis, Rainer Nägele, Azade Seyhan, Tobin Siebers, Gregg Stern, Winthrop Wetherbee, and Jon Whitman. Interpretation and Allegory: Antiquity to the Modern Period is the recipient of The Polonsky Foundation 2001 Award for Contributions to Interdisciplinary Study in the Humanities, praising its unparalleled design and the far-reaching breadth of its research, and the unique framework it provides for future study. This publication has also been published in paperback