Wails and Whales in Job and Jonah: The Bible and Epic Literature

 ‘Where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Mortals do not know the way to it, and it is not found in the land of the living.

The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

Job: 28: 12-14

The books of Job and Jonah share features found in epic literature where heroes face trials which challenge their faith in themselves, the world and their experience of God. Both also feature a ‘big fish’, whale or Leviathan. Bereaved, bankrupt, and unwell, Job relentlessly thirsts for meaning through poetry, provocation and personal encounter, but does Job’s quest for wisdom reach a resolution or only bring about more questions? Jonah by contrast, runs away from the challenge God sets before him, only to find himself pursued into the belly of a whale. Do Jonah’s trials and tribulations bring about real change, or are his attitudes destined to remain the same forever?

Whether you come from any faith background or none, find out about these epic narratives from the Hebrew Wisdom and Prophetic tradition and learn how they share resonances with the modern literary work, Moby Dick. This salon will combine two short didactic sections on each book, with the usual reading of texts and discussion. For this study, you are welcome to bring any version of the Bible. If you do not have access to one, the text is also freely available on many websites.

STUDY DETAILS:

• A single meeting on Zoom led by Nicky von Fraunhofer
• Wednesday 12 April, 5.00-7.30 pm (UK)
• £35 for single meeting
• Please use any version of the Bible you have available or download the text from online sources
• You may also be interested in this recent Guardian article on the history and current state of whaling.