RCAAP Repository

This article analyzes the monstrosity of a biblical character: the big fish of Jonah’s Book and it reappearance in the contemporary novel, 1983, Moacyr Scliar’s, A estranha nação de Rafael Mendes. Through this analyze, it seeks to indicate some contrast and likeness features of monster’s function in each of these texts. It works with the hypothesis that the big fish in the biblical text would have a function of constitute and maintain Jewish identity. In novel, on the other hand, the monster would appear mainly as deconstructor of signification systems that claim to be unchangeable and hermetic.

Le conte Obras do diabinho da mão furada, écrit au XVIIIe siècle par Antônio José da Silva, o Judeu, apparut, pour la première fois, au Portugal, sous la forme de «Cordel». On aperçoit une poliphonie mélangeant des sources populaires et érudites. L’auteur tisse sa narrative avec des fils prêtés des aventures de Dr. Faust mêlé avec des pactes, des diables, des sorcières, outre des références académiques et classiques, par exemple la Bible, la Divine Comédie, de Dante, et Don Quixote, de Cervantes. Dans les entre-lignes du conte et les machinations des métaphores, Antônio José profite de l’occasion pour introduire de sevères critiques à la société de Lisbonne et à l’intolérance de la Sainte Inquisition Portugaise.

The most common crimes in the nazi movies were the seduction of women, the forgery of amounts, the theft of German documents and inventions, the fraud that damaged the people and overall the theft of jewelry. The criminals were represented with similar physical features: adiposes, dim and sensual look, with mustaches that decorated thick lips. Such biotypes were widely related to the Jewish in the anti Semitic caricatures. Nazi and pre Nazi widely spread in the press media of the Third Reich.

Analysis of Jewish monsters recreated by Jorge Luis Borges in the Handbook of Fantastic Zoology and The Book of Imaginary Beings, named: Behemoth, Lilith and the Angels Haniel, Kazfiel, Azriel and Aniel. Some multiples representations and versions of these entries as well as its dialogue with the Torah and its inscription in the literature.

The 20th century was a landmark of the tragedy and the progress for the occidental civilization. The atrocities perpetrated by human beings are not exclusive to the last century. In the Bible there are several stories about crimes/sins. In fact, the barbarism permeates the whole history of the humanity producing fear and horror. Paradoxically, the counterpoint of these tragedies is a critical, legal, artistic and technological ramification. Terrorists’ attempts of September 11 and continuous technological advances of the new millennium give the impression that the history repeated again.

This short article deals on a recent polemic about the possibility to represent or not the Holocaust of Jewish People in Arts. For most researchers there are unbridgeable frontiers to represent the Holocaust although there are some that accept easily all kind of representation on the biggest catastrophe of Humanity. At the same time that there is a debate between intellectuals is necessary to reach far into a deep reflection concerning the moral and ethics consequences of this tragedy.

Tolerance that means, from its Latin root tolerare, to endure something that another person does to us, is one of some words that, nowadays, seem to be free of suspicion, but these words are related to the generalized exercise of “the good conscience”. It is therefore a word that conceals the cynicism of power and hides the intensity of inequality in all of its possible reaches and forms. The story may serve to help us understand why some beliefs and social customs have remained and continue to exist. The purpose of this article is to reflect on the background of anti-Semitism and on how, since its conception, it has endured. The so called Elected People or People of the Book cease to be a group supposedly chosen by God and become an entity seen as “the murderer of God” and the ally of the Devil.

The story may help to understand why some beliefs and social behaviors stay and continue to be. The purpose of this article is to reflect on the early anti Jewish prejudice and on how, by its conception, was developed its duration. The so called Elected People or People of the Book is no longer a group allegedly chosen by God, but starts to be conceived as the “murderer of God” and ally of the Devil.

Uma árvore é como um homem

Uma árvore, uma cidade

Mesmose Jerusalémfosse apenaso perfumeexóticodo Machané Iehuda;

As mulheres,impacientes,queremretornar à casa,ao lar.

Resenha a: GOLDHAGEN, Daniel Jonah. Worse than war: genocide, eliminationism, and the ongoing assault on humanity. New York: Little Brown, 2009. 658p.  

Resenha a: ROZSAS, Jeanette. Kafka e a marca do corvo: romance biográfico sobre a vida e o tempo de Franz Kafka. São Paulo: Geração Editorial, 2009.  

Resenha a: LEVI, Primo. A chave estrela. Trad. Maurício Santana Dias. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2009.

Resenha a: MIRANDA, Ana. Desmundo. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2003. 216p.

Resenha a: ROTH, Philip. Entre nós: um escritor e seus colegas falam de trabalho. Trad. Paulo Henriques Britto. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2008. 176p.  

Hebron 2, Cidadela dos Patriarcas.

Hebron 1, Aldeia no deserto de Judá

Terra