Ben Oglesby
Spectacles of Empire by Christopher Frilingos analyses the book of revelations in a novel way that I have not seen before. Saying of other analyses “Many scholars, seeking to understand the book in it's original context, have concluded that the shrill tone and misanthropic outlook of the Apocalypse reflected the fears or early Christians, a beleaguered minority in an environment hostile to the new religious movement.”(1). Frilingos dismisses this claim, and goes on to try and prove that the book, “ permitted its audience to do what Mediterranean populations under the empire had already been trained to do: gaze on a threatening “Other””(1-2). Meaning that, this book was not simply a rebellious lash at the Roman context it was written in, but rather, it was a continuation of contemporary themes that attempted to otherize the Romans and use their same tradition of spectacle to show their eventual downfall.
For a short summary, Frilingos states that his interpretation relies heavily on the work of Michael Foucault, Edward Said, and Homi K. Bhabba. He draws the production of knowledge and discourse from Foucalt, Orientalism from Said, and mimicry from Bhabba to form the basis of his analysis. From establishing his critical origins Frlingos then goes on to provide context of the Roman spectacle and it's use for generating power in the ancient world. From that initial context Frilingos goes on to talk about gender in the book of revelations and how that interacted with the traditional Roman power structure.
To sum up his ideas, Frilingos closes the book with this; “The appeal of the Apocalypse, I have argued, must be located here, in the power of spectacle. For all its martial imagery, the new heavens and new earth that Revelation finally envisions is is not an empire of warriors, but one of viewers.... Far from spining an original yarn, Revelation tells a version of an already popular tale about spectacle and spectators. And this was a story that subjects of the Roman Empire loved, for they new it well.”(120) Frilingos analysis of the book is not that it is some revolutionary book of an oppressed people desperate to be free of Roman culture, but rather it appropriates common Roman ideas and themes into itself.
Spectacles of Empire by Christopher Frilingos analyses the book of revelations in a novel way that I have not seen before. Saying of other analyses “Many scholars, seeking to understand the book in it's original context, have concluded that the shrill tone and misanthropic outlook of the Apocalypse reflected the fears or early Christians, a beleaguered minority in an environment hostile to the new religious movement.”(1). Frilingos dismisses this claim, and goes on to try and prove that the book, “ permitted its audience to do what Mediterranean populations under the empire had already been trained to do: gaze on a threatening “Other””(1-2). Meaning that, this book was not simply a rebellious lash at the Roman context it was written in, but rather, it was a continuation of contemporary themes that attempted to otherize the Romans and use their same tradition of spectacle to show their eventual downfall.
For a short summary, Frilingos states that his interpretation relies heavily on the work of Michael Foucault, Edward Said, and Homi K. Bhabba. He draws the production of knowledge and discourse from Foucalt, Orientalism from Said, and mimicry from Bhabba to form the basis of his analysis. From establishing his critical origins Frlingos then goes on to provide context of the Roman spectacle and it's use for generating power in the ancient world. From that initial context Frilingos goes on to talk about gender in the book of revelations and how that interacted with the traditional Roman power structure.
To sum up his ideas, Frilingos closes the book with this; “The appeal of the Apocalypse, I have argued, must be located here, in the power of spectacle. For all its martial imagery, the new heavens and new earth that Revelation finally envisions is is not an empire of warriors, but one of viewers.... Far from spining an original yarn, Revelation tells a version of an already popular tale about spectacle and spectators. And this was a story that subjects of the Roman Empire loved, for they new it well.”(120) Frilingos analysis of the book is not that it is some revolutionary book of an oppressed people desperate to be free of Roman culture, but rather it appropriates common Roman ideas and themes into itself.