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A Utopian Moment: Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, and the Negotiation of Utopia and Tragedy in 1 Kgs 1-11
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- Author / Creator
- Chomyn, Lauren
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The Solomonic era represents a period of respite within Israel’s imagined history. In contrast to the general tendency towards social entropy that otherwise characterizes the biblical story, Solomon establishes a golden age in which Israel occupies an ideal state of existence. As such, this thesis explores the potential to view the Solomonic narrative in 1 Kgs 3-10 as a space in which the utopian desires and critiques of the Yehudite literati could be negotiated. After considering the applications of concepts such as utopia and golden age structures to the Solomonic narrative in 1 Kgs 1-11, I look at the importance of the temple’s construction in the utopian conceptualization of the era. Next, I discuss the narrative of the queen of Sheba’s visit in 1 Kgs 10:1-13 and its role in contributing to a utopian dialogue within the imagined trajectory of Israel’s history. Lastly, I consider the tragic element that pervades the Solomonic narrative in the book of Kings and the implications of delineating an idealized period that is nevertheless doomed.
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- Subjects / Keywords
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- Graduation date
- Fall 2014
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Master of Arts
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.