Fantasy and fiction in religion: monster-bodies as abject in the book of Job: a psychoanalytic perspective
The question about fantasy and fiction in religion is probably as old as the first interrogation and critique of revealed religion. However, the relation between fiction and religion is a two-way street. Underlying both is imagination which brings into play the psychological dimension of both but t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Pontificia Universidade Católica de Campinas
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Reflexão |
| Online Access: | https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/reflexao/article/view/5779 |
| _version_ | 1828127332339023872 |
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| author | Pieter van der Zwan |
| author_facet | Pieter van der Zwan |
| author_sort | Pieter van der Zwan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The question about fantasy and fiction in religion is probably as old as the first interrogation and critique of revealed religion. However, the relation between fiction and religion is a two-way street. Underlying both is imagination which brings into play the psychological dimension of both but this in turn is always based on the body. Fantasy dreamily imagines the perfect body precisely to try and fill the gap left by imperfection. As an example from religious fiction, the two monstrosities in the second divine speech virtually at the end of the book of Job will be viewed through the hermeneutical lens of abjection, as explained by Julia Kristeva. As projections of the sick protagonist’s own frustrated sexual and aggressive impulses embodied as abject animal bodies they are surprisingly celebrated by the Divine who can contain the id in its protest against the superego. In the tension between play and seriousness in this transitional space negotiated by the ego creativity rooted in the chaotic and free, polymorph perversity opens the door to the revelation from the unconscious. The fundamental question remains, however, if this creativity is purely human meaning-making or tapping into the divine through some kind of intuition.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:48:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0edbfaea40da4822908928d157b758c5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2447-6803 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T15:48:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Pontificia Universidade Católica de Campinas |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Reflexão |
| spelling | doaj.art-0edbfaea40da4822908928d157b758c52022-12-22T04:15:26ZengPontificia Universidade Católica de CampinasReflexão2447-68032022-11-014710.24220/2447-6803v47e2022a5779Fantasy and fiction in religion: monster-bodies as abject in the book of Job: a psychoanalytic perspectivePieter van der Zwan0University of Vienna The question about fantasy and fiction in religion is probably as old as the first interrogation and critique of revealed religion. However, the relation between fiction and religion is a two-way street. Underlying both is imagination which brings into play the psychological dimension of both but this in turn is always based on the body. Fantasy dreamily imagines the perfect body precisely to try and fill the gap left by imperfection. As an example from religious fiction, the two monstrosities in the second divine speech virtually at the end of the book of Job will be viewed through the hermeneutical lens of abjection, as explained by Julia Kristeva. As projections of the sick protagonist’s own frustrated sexual and aggressive impulses embodied as abject animal bodies they are surprisingly celebrated by the Divine who can contain the id in its protest against the superego. In the tension between play and seriousness in this transitional space negotiated by the ego creativity rooted in the chaotic and free, polymorph perversity opens the door to the revelation from the unconscious. The fundamental question remains, however, if this creativity is purely human meaning-making or tapping into the divine through some kind of intuition. https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/reflexao/article/view/5779 |
| spellingShingle | Pieter van der Zwan Fantasy and fiction in religion: monster-bodies as abject in the book of Job: a psychoanalytic perspective Reflexão |
| title | Fantasy and fiction in religion: monster-bodies as abject in the book of Job: a psychoanalytic perspective |
| title_full | Fantasy and fiction in religion: monster-bodies as abject in the book of Job: a psychoanalytic perspective |
| title_fullStr | Fantasy and fiction in religion: monster-bodies as abject in the book of Job: a psychoanalytic perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fantasy and fiction in religion: monster-bodies as abject in the book of Job: a psychoanalytic perspective |
| title_short | Fantasy and fiction in religion: monster-bodies as abject in the book of Job: a psychoanalytic perspective |
| title_sort | fantasy and fiction in religion monster bodies as abject in the book of job a psychoanalytic perspective |
| url | https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/reflexao/article/view/5779 |
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