Cassie
In approaching the complex book of Revelation, Christopher Frilingos takes an alternative take on interpretation. The integration of ancient theory with post-colonial philosophy brings together an intricate argument that shows the reader to approach the book as a cultural product of the Roman Empire as well as situate it within contemporary thought in regards to defining world and self (5). Beginning with the foundation set in the theories of Foucalt, Said and Bhabha in regards to power relations. These relations of dominance and subordination serve as the leading theme of Roman cultural products. Frilingos then goes on to describe how he hopes to “complicate nearly all hierarchical pairs – emperor/God and subjects, masculinity and effeminacy, viewed and viewer” within the rest of the book (13).
After setting the backdrop for the power influences, Frilingos launches into his primary argument in complicating hierarchies. Each chapter further addresses these hierarchies beginning with emperor/civilian structures of the Roman spectacle and proceeding to arguments about sexuality and masculinity/femininity as related to the images in Revelation. He then pairs these topics with culturally relevant Greco-Roman myths to further support his position in critiquing these power hierarchies described through the complex imagery of Revelation. An example of this is describing the Greek myth of Daphnis and Chloe to introduce the reader to the cultural setting of the world in which Revelation was written (67). In doing so, the reader has a better understanding of the world behind the text and can delve into the complexities of the world within the text.
I appreciated Frilingos’ unique approach to the complex material of Revelation. The interweaving of the worlds behind, in and in front of the texts through modern philosophical thought and Greco-Roman myths applied to the text was an incredibly intelligent way. By using this holistic approach to describe the power of spectacle, Frilingos shows how the image of a new heaven is “not an empire of warriors but one of viewers” (120). The roles of spectacle and spectator strengthen this argument through relating to other power dichotomies such as gender, sexuality and beasts. Revelation can be concluded through Frilingos’ argument to be an account that engages the audience outside the text with the world in the text using images to evoke spectacles. These representations of power serve to mold individual identities and also shape the societies in which the book of Revelation is interpreted.
In approaching the complex book of Revelation, Christopher Frilingos takes an alternative take on interpretation. The integration of ancient theory with post-colonial philosophy brings together an intricate argument that shows the reader to approach the book as a cultural product of the Roman Empire as well as situate it within contemporary thought in regards to defining world and self (5). Beginning with the foundation set in the theories of Foucalt, Said and Bhabha in regards to power relations. These relations of dominance and subordination serve as the leading theme of Roman cultural products. Frilingos then goes on to describe how he hopes to “complicate nearly all hierarchical pairs – emperor/God and subjects, masculinity and effeminacy, viewed and viewer” within the rest of the book (13).
After setting the backdrop for the power influences, Frilingos launches into his primary argument in complicating hierarchies. Each chapter further addresses these hierarchies beginning with emperor/civilian structures of the Roman spectacle and proceeding to arguments about sexuality and masculinity/femininity as related to the images in Revelation. He then pairs these topics with culturally relevant Greco-Roman myths to further support his position in critiquing these power hierarchies described through the complex imagery of Revelation. An example of this is describing the Greek myth of Daphnis and Chloe to introduce the reader to the cultural setting of the world in which Revelation was written (67). In doing so, the reader has a better understanding of the world behind the text and can delve into the complexities of the world within the text.
I appreciated Frilingos’ unique approach to the complex material of Revelation. The interweaving of the worlds behind, in and in front of the texts through modern philosophical thought and Greco-Roman myths applied to the text was an incredibly intelligent way. By using this holistic approach to describe the power of spectacle, Frilingos shows how the image of a new heaven is “not an empire of warriors but one of viewers” (120). The roles of spectacle and spectator strengthen this argument through relating to other power dichotomies such as gender, sexuality and beasts. Revelation can be concluded through Frilingos’ argument to be an account that engages the audience outside the text with the world in the text using images to evoke spectacles. These representations of power serve to mold individual identities and also shape the societies in which the book of Revelation is interpreted.