The Apocrypha in English Literature: Judith

By Herbert Pentin

How did an apocryphal heroine travel into English letters? A heroine, sharpened by history. Herbert Pentin's The Apocrypha in English Literature: Judith is a focused literary criticism monograph tracing the afterlife of the Book of Judith, following Judith in English literature across writing and reading cultures. Blending biblical studies scholarship with apocrypha literary analysis, Pentin follows how the narrative was translated, adapted, argued over, and remembered, from medieval English literature through Renaissance England religion. The study attends to the changing uses of Judith: as moral exemplar, political symbol, and figure for debate about scripture, authority, and national identity. Pentin shows how debates over the apocrypha illuminated shifting ideas of canon and devotional practice, and why Judith's story kept resurfacing in sermons, drama, and verse. Readers new to the field will find a guided path; specialists will value the careful citations and historical framing. A quiet classic of biblical scholarship, essential. Written in the tradition of early twentieth-century scholarship, this academic research monograph helps readers see why biblical heroines in literature mattered to poets, preachers, and editors, and how the apocrypha shaped English imagination at key moments of cultural change. Clear in method and rich in reference, it stands as a scholarly reference book for Bible and literature studies and for anyone interested in apocryphal texts reception. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9353708818
• ISBN13: 9789353708818
• Release Date: June 2019
• Publisher: Alpha Edition
• Length: 116 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.5"