Baal and the Politics of Poetry

by Aaron Tugendhaft

Baal and the Politics of Poetry provides a thoroughly new interpretation of the Ugaritic Baal Cycle that simultaneously inaugurates an innovative approach to studying ancient Near Eastern literature within the political context of its production. The book argues that the poem, written in the last decades of the Bronze Age, takes aim at the reigning political-theological norms of its day and uses the depiction of a divine world to educate its audience about the nature of human politics. By attuning ourselves to the specific historical context of this one poem, we can develop more nuanced appreciation of how poetry, politics, and religion have interacted—in antiquity, and beyond.

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jack Naylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice book about myth and how to read it contextually. It's theoretically very strong, and I like that Cassirer is more or less the villain of the story in favor of Jonathan Z. Smith. That being said, I think the author leans in too hard on the political context of the Baal Cycle in his attempt to make an argument. I still very much believe that Eliade's myth of the eternal return and Taylor's secularization thesis alert us to real differences in pre-modern thought worlds - unfortunately, politics might not always just be politics. I also think the payoff of the book comes much too late, with the particulars of how Ilimilk would have related the Baal Cycle to the late 13th-century political world more or less shoehorned in the conclusion.

With all that criticism out of the way, I have to say the bulk of the work is very satisfying. The way he situates the cycle as a production of a well-connected elite official in a small LB community is quite excellent. We tend to assume the epic is the expression of some ancient mythology, and Tugendhaft neatly disabuses us of this notion. The actual engagement with the cycle itself is quite satisfying as well, with a compelling re-reading of the tale as Baal's struggle to be incorporated into the kinship network of deities. All the LB background is presented clearly and always feels related. It was a pleasure to read.

[Mario Tafferner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tugendhaft provides a fresh interpretation of the Baal Cycle reading it against the political background and language of the Late Bronze Age ANE. The book is a most excellent philological and exegetical work. Nevertheless, I am not convinced by his reading. Tugendhaft goes to lengths to establish a philosophical foundation to read myth through the lense of politics. However, he is not able to find a coherent politcal narrative in the Cycle. Rather, he addresses a number of not entirely related issues where the Cycle appears to question the ideological foundations of LBA politics. Perhaps, the problem lies on a deeper level. Tugendhaft assumes that political language and/or language that is used in both the myth and the political documents warrants a political reading. However, this is far from obvious. One can only think of examples where religious texts from the ANE adopt politically significant linguistic markers and do not appear to lend themselves to political readings such as the covenant formulations in the Hebrew Bible.

[Rob Vanhoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaron Tugendhaft offers a complete re-framing of the ancient Ugaritic "Epic of Baal," with an emphasis on the political and international context of the time. The poem is to be read not as "how the world came to be" or even "the nature of the gods," but as the political wisdom of its author and scribe. It's a story about the nature of (human) power and kingship. If Tugendhaft's explanation of the Baal Epic is correct, then the whole idea of "religion" at Ugarit will have to be reworked. This will also mean that later Canaanite ideas of "Baal" must be differentiated from what is represented in the Epic. It has at least reawakened my interest in Ugaritic literature.
Very well written. Many of the chapters are reworked versions of articles published in academic journals.

[Rusty del Norte · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to the study of Ugaritic sources and mythology of the Middle East, few books look at it with sources from other nations from the same period. This book changes that. Over the course of 6 chapters and a epilogue we are led down the path of sources from the late bronze age. Careful attention is given to other scholars, Hittite texts, and letters found in Ugaritic.

If you are looking for comparison between Ugaritic and Hebrew - forget it. It looks at the Baal texts as a reflection on ancient politics. Interesting work. It takes 3 chapters for the more interesting discussion to take place. Needs some fleshing out. But worth the read.