Studying body imagery in the Bible
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For the best part of 2006, PhD candidate Helena Bolle has been translating a piece of secular erotic poetry from the middle of the Bible.
Bolle, who is undertaking research into body imagery in Hebrew text, has been translating the book entitled ‘Song of Songs’.
"'Song of Songs' is a bit of an anomaly in the Bible,” explains Bolle. “But for me it is full of body imagery. There is continual reference to the bodies of the lovers and it is really interesting.”
Path of study
Bolle, who has been at Macquarie University since 2002, completed a BA in Ancient History focusing on languages, early Christianity and Judaism, before undertaking Honours. Her thesis was inspired by a passage in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
“In one thanksgiving hymn there is unusual imagery which describes the world as convulsing like a woman in labour and then refers to her childbearing crucible,” Bolle says. “This quote really stuck with me. I never thought I could do an honours thesis on one image but it comes up again and again.”
Bolle’s Honours thesis on the image of childbirth in the Bible, apocryphal texts and the Dead Sea Scrolls led to her focus on body imagery in Hebrew text for her PhD.
Translating foreign languages
A major part of Bolle’s work so far has involved translating Hebrew text into English.
Since commencing her study at Macquarie Bolle has learnt Hebrew, Latin and Greek and is currently taking a program entitled German for Academic Purposes.
“Because Hebrew is so different to English, Latin and Greek it has been very hard to translate,” says Bolle. “At the moment I am translating the book of Job. This has provided extra difficulties as my supervisor and I believe there are a lot of corrupt words and some words don’t appear anywhere else so we don’t know what they mean.”
Body imagery in Hebrew text
Bolle is looking specifically at how body imagery is used metaphorically to express emotional and physical states. Apart from 'Song of Songs' and Job she hopes to look at Psalms and Proverbs.
“There is some bizarre imagery in 'Songs', which we would see as incongruent,” says Bolle. “My favourite section is where the male lover is singing to the female lover and compares her hair to a flock of goats streaming down the mountain. It is a really strange reference but I am working towards the view that this is a prosperity metaphor. What is considered valuable and what is considered beautiful are in most societies generally related or associated in some way.”
Ultimate goal
Bolle has a number of goals in her research including finding out how the Jews felt about the body and how the body is used to express other things.
“Body imagery is imbedded in the Hebrew language,” explains Bolle. “The arm is power, the heart is the seat of reasoning, feet represent your intentions because it is the path you tread. I hope to find a reason for this huge amount of imagery.”
For further information on studying Ancient History at Macquarie visit www.anchist.mq.edu.au