Abstract:BibleasliteratureandBibleasreligionarecomparative.ItiswithoutdoubtthatBible,asareligiousdoctrine,hasplayedagreatroleinJudaismandChristianity.Itismeanwhileawholeliteraturecollectionofhistory,law,ethics,poems,prov-erbs,biographyandlegends.Asthesourceofwesternliterature,BiblehassignificantinfluenceontheEnglishlanguageandcul-ture,Englishwritingandmodelingofcharactersinthesubsequenttime.InterpretingthefemalecharactersintheBiblewouldaf-firmthevalueofwomen,viewthefeministcriticisminanobjectivewayandagreetheharmoniousrelationshipbetweenthemenandthewomen.Keywords:BiblicalLiterature;positivecharacter;negativecharacter中图分类号：I106文献标识码：A文章编号：1009-5039(2017)04-0147-03WhiletheBibleservesassourceofreligiousinstructionandinspirationforreligiouspeople,italsoisafoundationaldocumentofwesterncivilizationandEnglishliterature.QuotedfromVictorHugo,Englandhastwobooks,theBibleandShakespeare.EnglandmadeShakespeare,buttheBiblemadeEngland.Biblestorieshavebeen“retold,recast,andreinterpreted”intheworksofEnglishlit⁃eratureandBiblicalimageshavebeen“re-embodiedandreinvigo⁃rated”inEnglishplaysandnovels(Lemon2013).
InherlectureonseveralmythsabouttheHebrewBible,Pro⁃fessorChristineHayspointsoutthat“theBibleisnotabookbutalibrary,ananthologyofdiversewritingsorbookswrittenandeditedoveranextensiveperiodoftimebypeopleinverydifferentsitua⁃tionsrespondingtoverydifferentissuesandstimuli.Eachbooksoundsitsowndistinctivenoteinthesymphonyofreflection(Hays2006).”TheBible,thebookofthebook,isacollectionofsixtysixbooks,whicharecategorizedastheOldTestamentandtheNewTestament.ThisthesisonlydealwiththeOldTestament.
Shakespeare'sdeclaration“Frailty,thynameiswoman!”showsthestereotypedimageofwomanasweakandpassive.TheroleofwomenintheBiblehasattractedalotofattentionandtrig⁃geredendlessdebate.Theeffortstointerpret,analyze,defendandattackthewomenintheBibleseemtobeunstoppableandthisislikelytocontinue.Insomecases,itismorethanwhetherthefemi⁃nistshouldtaketheBibleasatargettodefendthewomen’sright.OffendedbysomeofthenegativedescriptionaboutthewomenintheBible,somefeministinsistthattheBibleshouldbebanned.Givenallthesehiddenorpubliccriticism,itisadvisabletoreturntotheBibleitself,readthebookcarefullyandtrytounderstandwhattheBibleistrulysayingaboutthewomen.
ItisundisputedthatmostoftheBibleis“androcentricormale-oriented”.Theinterestsofmenaremorereflectedinit.Con⁃siderthefollowingstatistics.Therearemorethan14oopeoplemen⁃tionedandgivennamesintheHebrewBible.However,onlyabout115peopleofthesepeoplearewomen.Obadiah,Jonah,Habakkak,ZephanialandHaggai,thesefivebooks,don’trefertowomenatall(Murphy1998).AstheFrenchexistentialistSimonedeBeauvoir
denouncesthroughoutherbookTheSecondSex,theBibleistheparadigmwhichtreatswomenasthesecondsex.Countlessbiblicalnarrativesdescribewomenassecond-classstatusandjustifythesubordinationofwomentomen.
EveiswithoutdoubtoneofthemostcontroversialcharactersintheBible.Thestoryaboutherrunsasfollows.TheLordGodcre⁃atedtheheavensandtheearthfirst,andthenformedthemanfromthedustofthegroundandbreathedintohisnostrilsthebreathoflife,andthemanbecamealivingbeing(Genesis2:7).TheLordGodsaid,“Itisnotgoodforthemantobealone”,sotheLordGodcausedthemantofallintoadeepsleep.Andwhilehewassleep⁃ing,hetookoneoftheman’sribsandcloseduptheplacewithflesh.ThentheLordGodmadeawomanfromtherib(Ge2:21-22).Thisstoryoftenservesasjustificationofwomen’ssubmissiontomenbytraditionalscholars.However,PhyllisTrible,atwenti⁃eth-centurytheologianarguesthatthecreationofEveshouldbeconsideredasthe“culmination”,themasterpiecenot“anafter⁃thought”.Afterall,AdamismadefromdustofthegroundwhileEveismadeoutofman.Asthecreationmaterialisconcerned,EveisnoinferiortoAdam.What’smore,someeco-feministspointoutthattheveryfactthatAdamismadefromearth,symbolofthemoth⁃er,showsthebirthofAdamisinseparablefromthefeminineinflu⁃ence.Eveismadefromrib,somethingthatisstrongerthandust.AdamisnotcompleteuntilEveismade.So,Eveisnotanattach⁃menttoAdam.InaseriesofpublicationwrittenbyEstherFuchs,shearguesthatitisaconceptthatwomenareattachedtomen,whichreflectsnohistoricalrealitynorisitfixedlawofhumanna⁃ture.
ThestorycontinuestotellthatEve,temptedbytheserpentintheGardenofEden,tookthefruitfromatreethatisinthemiddleofthegardenandateit.Shealsogavesometoherhusband,whowaswithher,andheateit(Ge3:2-6).ThetwosinnedandwerebanishedoutoftheGardenofEden(Ge3:24).Contrarytothepopu⁃larbeliefthatwomanisbelievedtobe“firstinsinandlastincre⁃
收稿日期：2016-12-07修回日期：2016-12-18作者简介：陈忠祥（1980—），女，湖北荆州人，长江大学外国语学院，讲师，研究生，主要研究方向为英美文学和圣经文学。本栏目责任编辑：王力
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OverseasEnglish海外英语ationbrew”lyand,ElaineauthorPagels,oftheanbookexpertTheGnosticonLatin,Greek,Coptic,andHe⁃theagainsttionSerpent,thissheinterpretationarguesthattheaboutcreationEve.GospelsandInher,bookdenouncesAdam,strong⁃Eve&manareOfbeings“parablesareresponsibleofhumanequalitythestoryofthetempta⁃fortheirandfreewill,whichmeanshu⁃deemEvequotedEve’s’temptationsbehaviorbyintheserpent,ownElizabethactionsStanton(Murphytried1998).tore⁃”withThetheascourage,follows:the“thetheWoman’sBibles.Herinterpretationisdignity,unprejudicedandreadermustbeimpressedandTempterchancesawataevidentlyglancethehadhighaprofoundtheloftyambitionofthewoman.characterknowledgeofhumannature,thepleasures,pathinofhiswalksinthegarden.HedidofnotthetrypersontotempthehermetfrombytheGodsbutdutywithbybrilliantthepromisejewels,ofrichknowledge,dresses,withworldlytheluxurieswisdomorofcidesSimilary,(Kern1991).
goodwisdomfortoeatonlyasafterFrederickdeterminingGreenspahnthat“pointsthefruitoutofthattheEvetreewasde⁃however,(Gefood3:and6),pleasingallofwhichtotheiseye,correct.andHeralsoactiondesirableisdisobedient,forgainingspeciesizedstartitbenefitstohavethe“moralwholeorhumanintellectualbeingsautonomyintheway”.thatTheyhumancovingtheyact,forwerethemselvesnaked;so(Ge3:7).theysewedBycontrastfigleavestoEvetogether’sinitiativeandmadereal⁃togaveAdamKarlMarx,someistoquitehimpassive.andheateHeit.isneitherToconcludetemptedfromnoraseduced.EvetiveandfemaleReadersEvewhoisindeedaredeterminedthefirstwisetoshowwoman.
commentbythatBibledoesofferposi⁃usualthebookroleofEsther,modelstwowouldbooksbeencouragednamedafterbywomen.thebookItisofnotRuthun⁃thinkable,forusunbelievabletoreadbooksandnamedunimaginableafterwomenatthetoday,timebutwhenitisitisun⁃aareandrocentriclicly,moreormale-oriented”society,whentheinterestsofmenbutreflected,whenwomen’snameswerenotmentionedpub⁃ferredThemainlybutnotbooktogoofwithbackRuthfamilytohertellspatriarch.
thestoryofawidowRuthwhopre⁃providetogowithherwidowedmothermother-’shomein-lawtotoliveaaforeignworry-freelandlife,andmother-forherbygleaningtheleftovergraininthefield.Underherwassonablein-law’sthoughtfulguidanceandelaborateplan,RuththusnametoObed,marrytheBoazfatheramanofofJesse,standingthefatherandsheofDavid.gavebirthtoashetifulistakenaparadigmasthemostofvirtue.independentHailedasandmorecentralsincerebiblicalandfemaleRuthandiscriticizedthananyandfordevotingnovelbytoP.theC.Hadley,thethemesof“bookbarrennessofRuth,morehowever,beau⁃isniststhechildren,pointgoaloutofthatfindingintheahusbandbookwomenbyFerderickandfertility”’smainGreenspahn.Femi⁃Ruthtywasbecomeremembered,motherpraisedandnurseandhonoredthechildren.functionissheTheistohavefulfilledreasonherwhyly,andmoreoncehadherason,dutyespeciallywasfulfilled,KingherDavidnamewaswashernotdescent.du⁃mentionedCynical⁃NahshonandfathertheatthefatherendofofSalmon,thebookSalmoninthegenealogyanythefatherofDaviditreads,vid(RuofObed,ObedthefatherofJesse,andJesseoftheBoaz,fatherBoazofDa⁃thetionItis4:hard21-22).
phanfromheradoptedbothtoimagineawomanlikeEsthercouldattractatten⁃byfeministsheruncleandtraditionalist.Esther,anJewishor⁃anbyendpeopletothewhenshebecameMorcedai,thequeenriskedbybeggingherownthelifekingtotosaveputpeople.anevilmanevilHaman.planofShekillingwaspraisedalltheJewsforherinthebraverycountrytosaveplottedby“sleepingHowever,withEstherherprospectivewascriticizedboss”.forIntheachievingeveningprominencehershewould
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gokingthere(Estunlessandheinwasthepleasedmorningwithreturn.herShewouldnotreturntothe
she2:13-14).causeapproachedAgainthekingitisbywithoutherbeautyandsummonedherbyname.beingthatsummoned,shewassavedwhensherequestusedapotentialtoattractdeaththekingpenalty.andItismoreorlessa“sex-trapwhich”maythatsuccessthewasisinseparablekingtosavedrawhisattentiontoherneedsandfromherpeople.ItisundeniablethatEsther’svealorphaned,backhernationalitywhosenthertoMorcedai,king’spalacewhoadoptedandforbadeherwhenhertoshere⁃wastohappeningandforthnearandtoher,thecourtyardfamilybackground,tofindoutwhohoweveryshewasdayandwalkedwhatWithoutsaveherachievements.Morcedaipeopleandwhorebukedherselfnesswhenshehesitated’urgedhertotakeactionstosaveherpeople.notrankEsther,attheCynicallysadmonish,endofaswell,theEsthercreditcouldnisgiven’ttomakeMorcedaithose,esteemtobykinghisXerxes,thebook.MordecaitheJewwassecondinmanypreeminentamongtheJews,andheldinhighanotherThefromwomanbookofVashti,EstherfellowthealsoJewsbeautifulgives(Est10:3).
anex-accountqueen,ofawhodifferentwasfateforalwascrownherroyaltodisplaypositionhersimplybeautybecausetothekingsheandrefusednoblestowearremovedherroy⁃andgivingwhatwickedawomanbanquet.whoVashtishowsisperceivednorespectasforanwhenthekingherarrogant,husband.haughtyButwhofaultshehas?Sherefusedtotakeordersfromherhusbanddoesnisprobablydrunkenathisbanquetlastingsevendays,whoshow.’herHethavecommandedherinteresttoatbringheartbeforeandtreatshimQueenherjustVashti,asanobjectwearingtobles,royalforshecrown,wasinlovelyordertotolookdisplayat.(Esther1:10-12).
beautytothepeopleandno⁃BibleThereserveandaremanymorecomplicatedstoresandcharacterinthewifetobesomereinterpreted.womenwhoaretraditionallyviewedasnegativede⁃whoplottingbetrayshasbeenDelilahisoneofthem.Deliah,Samson’shercharacterizedhusband.However,asawickedlethallyalluringwoman5)).youEventoshekilldidSamson(wemaytiehimitisuptheandPhilistinessubduehimtoblame(Jdg16:forSamsonelevengreatwhathundredreceivebribefromPhilistine(eachofuswillgiveshewantshekelsofsilver(Jdg16:5),sheneverdeceivedButSamsonstrengthandhowtoyouknowcanaboutbetiedhimup(tellandmesubduedthesecret(Jdgof16:6).yourbebrieflyseparatedThemanonandthethecontrarywomanliedareto“herco-existingthreetimes.species(Jdg”16:7,11,13)
andcannotparedhavetoinbythefromHebreweachBibleother.andEven“lostsome”atawomenbiggerarepicture,mentionedcom⁃isinfluenceliteraryonmencriticsinsomeMiekeways.Bal,“Moseswandering’ssurvivalrock”in,theyinfancydoobeysupportedbythemidwives,ShiphrahandPuah,whorefusedtowhosethePharaoh’scommandtokilleveryHebrewbabyboyandbymorePharaohaction’shelpeddaughtersavewhenandhismaintainmotherIsrael.couldnHis’tlifehidewashimsavedany⁃(Bothandmentioned.)thehadnametoofleavePharaohhim’insadaughterpapyrusandbaskethisinmothertheNileRiver.feettookaflintHisknife,lifecutwasoffsavedhersonby’shisforeskinwifeZipporahwhenwereshenotsesstrate,’withslife,it(Ex4:butonce25)”their.ThesewomenhadfunctionalandtouchedroleMosesinMo⁃’malenarrativeleader—isfavorandcompleteendorsethefunction—mostlyandheroicfulfilled,statustheyandtopromote,demon⁃soonsuperiorityslipoutofthemon’anddropoutofthestory.BothKingDavidofthesentedTheirsachievements“appearanceareandsupporteddisappearancebywomen”,mosttoo.
andKingSolo⁃ofwhicharepre⁃Theywithlittleornoexposition,don’tinterruptthestoryline.ters”areto“borrowciphersthemorephrasesthanfromfigures,EsthersatellitesFuchs.more(Fuchsthancharac⁃2014).
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OverseasEnglish海外英语Whilewomen’smainrolesareasmothers,nurturesandprotectorsofsons,severepunishmentwouldbefallonthosewho“layclaimtoleadershiporauthority”.UnabletorecognizeherbrotherMoses’suniqueness,Miriamquestionedandchallengedhispowerandau⁃thority.Shewasstrickenwithsevereleprosy,likesnow,(Nu12:10),silencedforgoodanddiedinthedesert(Nu20:1).
Assomescholarsfocusonandcriticizesomeofthepatriar⁃chalthemeintheHebrewBible,GeorgeandDoraWintsondiscussthatitisnot“gender”,but“relationship”whichdecideswhohasauthorityoverwhom.Boththemanandthewomancanhavepoweroverorbesubmissivetoeachother(Wintson2003).CarolL.Mey⁃ers,aleadingprofessorofarchaeologyandbiblicalliteraturear⁃guesthat“arelativelyegalitarianfamilystructure”arefoundinJoshuaandJudges.Womenalsotaketheresponsibilityforteachingandinstructingchildren,whichisreflectedintheProverbs6:20“Myson,keepyourfather’scommandment,andforsakenotyourmother’steaching.”
MarciaFalkbelievesthattheSongofSongscanserveasan“antidote”tothesexdiscrimination.WhatmakesTheSong,thegreatlovepoemsospecialandoutstandingistheharmoniousandbalancedrelationshipbetweenthemaleandthefemale,character⁃izesRobertAlter.PhyllisTriblesuggests“equivalenceandequali⁃tybetweenthesexes”areadvocatedby“themutualdesire,theuni⁃tyofthemaleandfemalebodiesandthefulfillingsexualrelation⁃ship.(Harding2008)”What’smore,thosewomenintheSongstakeinitiativetoseekloveandnotsustainthesexualdesire.“Lethimkissmewiththekissesofhismouth-foryourloveismoredelight⁃fulthanwine.…Takemeawaywithyou—letushurry!Letthekingbringmeintohischambers(SS1:2-4),MyloverismineandIamhis(vv2:16),AllnightlongonmybedIlookedfortheonemyheartloves.(vv3:1)”,tonameafewfromtheSongofSongs.
Whilefeministscholarscontinuetodigintotheundesirable
placeofwomenintheBible,tofindoutwhywomenaretreatedsonegativelyintheBibleandtoestimatewhatitallmeansfortheun⁃derstandingof“religionandhumansociety”,TikvaFrymer-Ken⁃sky,apanelistconcludes,“Bibleisanextremelycomplexdocu⁃mentthatrevelsinmultiplicityofvoices,thatcritiquesitsownsoci⁃etyandconfessesitsdividedopinionabouteverything(Murphy1998).”Whetherthewomenareportrayedas“schemersandtrick⁃sters”,activethreatto“virtueandpurity”,oras“pawnsorvic⁃tims”,passivedisposableobjectsofmasculinewill,itisimportanttoremembernottooversimplifythebiblicalcharacterizations.ThebeautyoftheBibleisintheeyeofbeholder.
References:[1]SeveralMythsabouttheHebrewBible:IntroductiontotheHe⁃brewBible.ChristineHaysYaleUniversity2006,9.[2]TheBlackwellCompaniontotheBibleinEnglishLiterature.RebeccaLemon,Century,2013,7.[3]TheBibleaccordingtoEveCullenMurphyNews&WorldRe⁃port1998,10Vol.125Issue6.[4]‘IsoughthimbutIdidnotfindhim’TheExclusiveLoverintheSongofSongs.KathrynHardingBiblicalInterpretationKoninklijkeBrillNV,Leiden,2008.[5]Moses/Jesus/Women:DoestheNewTestamentofferaFemi⁃nistMessage.EstherFuchsRecoveringBiblicalMinisteringbyWomen:AnExegeticalResponsetoTraditionalismandFeminism.GeorgeandDoraWinston.XulonPress,2003.[6]RereadingEve:ElizabethCadyStantonandTheWoman’sBi⁃ble,1885-1896.Kathil.Kern,GordonandBreach.SciencePublishersS.A.Women’sStudies1991,Vol.19.[7]ATypologyofBiblicalWomenFrederickE.GreenspahnJuda⁃ism.AmericanJewishCongress.（上接第146页）
fatefromfeministviewpoint,wecanclearlylearnthatJaneandTessareinthesimilarera,butfinallytheyhavetotallydifferentfates.WeknowthatJaneisdependentincharacteristics,clearval⁃ueinheroutlookaboutlifeandworld,andself-respectinherviewonloveandmarriage.Sheinsistsonherownideaaboutsociety,lifeandmarriage,sheisthemasterofherownloveandmarriage,so,finallyshegetshappiness.However,Tessistimidincharacter⁃istics,unclearvalueinheroutlookaboutlifeandworld,andself-inferiorinherviewonloveandmarriage.Whatshealwaysdoesistotolerateandtolerate.Sheisafatalistwhojustbelievesthatisherfateandshedoesn’tknowhowtofightagainstit.Therefore,wom⁃en’sclearoutlookaboutlifeand,andself-respectviewonloveandmarriageisveryimportantforthem.Andonlywomenareinde⁃pendentbothineconomyandmentalcantheygotequalityintheirfamilyandsociety,andgainahappylife.JaneEyre,optimistic,withself-esteem,self-respect,self-reliance,self-improvement,pursuesfortruelove,equality,happiness,andfreedom.Sheisafe⁃malemodelofunyieldingandstrugglingagainstfate,teachingand
inspiringmodernwomenwithrightviewsandconceptsonloveandmarriage.
References:[1]吴晶.维多利亚时代的三个叛逆女性[J].外国文学研究,1994(2):115-119.[2]CharlotteBronte.JaneEyre[M].Oxford:Oxfordpress,1975.[3]夏洛特·勃朗特.简·爱[M].北京:外语教学与研究出版社,1981.[4]周泓.西方女性主义研究[J].新疆大学学报:哲学人文社会科学版,2000(4):78-111.[5]TomasHardy.TessofD’Urbervilles[M].Beijing:ForeignLan⁃guageTeachingandResearchPress,1966.[6]高丽杰.从女性主义视角解读《简·爱》[D].保定:华北电力大学,2012.[7]张敏.从女性主义视角解读《德伯家的苔丝》中苔丝的悲剧[D].四川师范大学,2013.[8]哈代.德伯家的苔丝[M].北京:人民文学出版社:第二版,2002.本栏目责任编辑：王力
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