Chapter 5. Urban metaphors
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Karolien Vermeulen
Abstract
Cities in the biblical text are not mere places, but often also characters in a relationship with both human beings and the divine character. Critical-spatial theory has offered a valuable framework to connect these two roles of the city, introducing a functionally informed understanding of space rather than one that is either material or symbolic (Lefebvre 1974; Soja 1996). This chapter builds upon this research, whilst proposing a stylistic component to the framework in order to assess the nature of the textual city fully. Relying on metaphor theory (Lakoff and Johnson 1980 [2003]; Kövecses 2010) and framing theory (Entman 1993; Fillmore 1975), the chapter shows how city space is construed in the biblical text. This space tends to rely on a handful of frequently used conceptual metaphors, such as the city is a container and the city is a woman, and less commonly used images, such as the city is an object. Only in exceptional cases does the text turn to novel metaphors that differ significantly from the well-established city imagery. The actual cityscape in the text is the result of a skillful tailoring of images into a specific context.
Abstract
Cities in the biblical text are not mere places, but often also characters in a relationship with both human beings and the divine character. Critical-spatial theory has offered a valuable framework to connect these two roles of the city, introducing a functionally informed understanding of space rather than one that is either material or symbolic (Lefebvre 1974; Soja 1996). This chapter builds upon this research, whilst proposing a stylistic component to the framework in order to assess the nature of the textual city fully. Relying on metaphor theory (Lakoff and Johnson 1980 [2003]; Kövecses 2010) and framing theory (Entman 1993; Fillmore 1975), the chapter shows how city space is construed in the biblical text. This space tends to rely on a handful of frequently used conceptual metaphors, such as the city is a container and the city is a woman, and less commonly used images, such as the city is an object. Only in exceptional cases does the text turn to novel metaphors that differ significantly from the well-established city imagery. The actual cityscape in the text is the result of a skillful tailoring of images into a specific context.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Chapter 1. Introduction 1
- Chapter 2. Thematic adverbial adjuncts of place and direction and their relationship to conceptual metaphor in A. E. Housman’s A Shropshire Lad 17
- Chapter 3. Death by nature in two poems by Alden Nowlan 45
- Chapter 4. Liminal islands 65
- Chapter 5. Urban metaphors 85
- Chapter 6. The Arabic of Dune 105
- Chapter 7. (Re)mapping “authentic” London 125
- Chapter 8. “Boston Strong” 147
- Chapter 9. Naming as styling 167
- Chapter 10. “She enjoys being stroked”, “They are affectionate, lively and interactive boys” 189
- Chapter 11. “Your planet needs you” 209
- Chapter 12. London past and present 229
- Name Index 253
- Subject Index 255
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Chapter 1. Introduction 1
- Chapter 2. Thematic adverbial adjuncts of place and direction and their relationship to conceptual metaphor in A. E. Housman’s A Shropshire Lad 17
- Chapter 3. Death by nature in two poems by Alden Nowlan 45
- Chapter 4. Liminal islands 65
- Chapter 5. Urban metaphors 85
- Chapter 6. The Arabic of Dune 105
- Chapter 7. (Re)mapping “authentic” London 125
- Chapter 8. “Boston Strong” 147
- Chapter 9. Naming as styling 167
- Chapter 10. “She enjoys being stroked”, “They are affectionate, lively and interactive boys” 189
- Chapter 11. “Your planet needs you” 209
- Chapter 12. London past and present 229
- Name Index 253
- Subject Index 255
