The Peformative Grotesquerie of the Crucifixion of Jesus
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THE GROTESQUE CROSS: THE PERFORMATIVE GROTESQUERIE OF THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS Hephzibah Darshni Dutt A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2015 Committee: Jonathan Chambers, Advisor Charles Kanwischer Graduate Faculty Representative Eileen Cherry Chandler Marcus Sherrell © 2015 Hephzibah Dutt All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Jonathan Chambers, Advisor In this study I argue that the crucifixion of Jesus is a performative event and this event is an exemplar of the Grotesque. To this end, I first conduct a dramatistic analysis of the crucifixion of Jesus, working to explicate its performativity. Viewing this performative event through the lens of the Grotesque, I then discuss its various grotesqueries, to propose the concept of the Grotesque Cross. As such, the term “Grotesque Cross” functions as shorthand for the performative event of the crucifixion of Jesus, as it is characterized by various aspects of the Grotesque. I develop the concept of the Grotesque Cross thematically through focused studies of representations of the crucifixion: the film, Jesus of Montreal (Arcand, 1989), Philip Turner’s play, Christ in the Concrete City, and an autoethnographic examination of Cross-wearing as performance. I examine each representation through the lens of the Grotesque to define various facets of the Grotesque Cross. iv For Drs. Chetty and Rukhsana Dutt, beloved holy monsters & Hannah, Abhishek, and Esther, my fellow aliens v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS St. Cyril of Jerusalem, in instructing catechumens, wrote, “The dragon sits by the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.” No matter what form the dragon may take, it is of this mysterious passage past him, or into his jaws, that stories of any depth will always be concerned to tell… Flannery O’Connor Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose I will spare you tales about the dragons, but tell you of the brave and kind who walked alongside me on my passage. First and foremost is my advisor, Dr. Jonathan Chambers. I could go on at length about his patience and insight, the breadth of his knowledge and how generous he is with his time, but the best tribute I can give this good teacher is that I am a stronger writer and scholar for having taken this journey under his guidance. It has been a privilege to be one of his students and I look forward to a time when I can be a teacher, artist and advisor of his caliber. I am grateful for my friend Dr. Scott Magelssen who was a co-conspirer during the early stages of this project. His infectious enthusiasm and unreserved encouragement about my topic gave me the courage to tackle this “big idea” dissertation. I also want to thank my committee members Dr. Eileen Cherry-Chandler, Marcus Sherrell, and Charles Kanwischer. The combined diversity and experience of these three scholar-artists is tremendous, and I am honored to have received their feedback, thoughts and ultimate approval of this project. To Karen Barker, Jeff Barker, and Robert Hubbard I will always be grateful: they helped me formulate a vision for being not just vi Christian artist, but a Christian who did good work and good art. Another teacher to whom I am indebted is Rev. Dr. Michael Malanga, except he would say there is no debt: we have received grace and so can give grace. I learned so much about the marvelous and mysterious intricacies of Christian doctrine through him, and the fruit of his teachings are also evidenced in this project. I am thankful for my teachers and friends in the Department of Theatre Film, especially Dr. Lesa Lockford, Steve Boone, Brad Clark, Jodi Shroeder, John Paul Staszel, and Stephen Harrick. Kari-Anne Innes and Sarah Katka were patient and inspiring collaborators during much of my early work with the Grotesque and biblical texts. During my years at Bowling Green State University, I had the immense privilege of finding myself in a community of like-minded scholars, poets, philosophers, creative-writers, musicians, and counselor-clinicians. The interdisciplinary, faith-integrative conversations (and friendly feuds) over all things nerdy challenged and fueled much of my work throughout my doctoral program. Most of them have gone before me out on their own passages, towards their own dragons, but I will always remember and be grateful for Angela Gentry, Joseph Celizic, Jeremy Cummings, Ian Deters, Anna Hawley, Jennifer Magee, Jeff Manchur and Sam McKnight. My dear friends, you encouraged and inspired me; your faith, and excellence in your own work held me accountable to mine. I am overwhelmingly grateful to my Bowling Green community friends who supported and encouraged me over the past few years. My “academic babysitters,” Wolfgang Lausenhammer and Elizabeth Green worked alongside me (literally) to make sure my moments of writer’s despair did not dissipate into hours on Amazon or Netflix. I am especially grateful for Wolfgang. A relatively new-found friend made in the terrible winter of 2014, the hours during which he would sit across the dining table, cheerfully plugging away at his thesis were vii heartening, calming reminders that God can and will surprise us. Many thanks to my brother-in- law Justin Elder who not only proof-read pages for me at the drop of a hat, but delighted me with his eagerness to learn more about “intramundane grotesqueries.” Over the last few years, Kaitlyn Kielsmeier, Emily Celizic, Kristen Genson, Leigh Keylock and Esther Fidelia Dharmakasih worked hard to keep my academic, social and spiritual lives integrated, healthy and full of laughter. They were joined by Captain and Deb Shaffer and Jenny and Dan Harpster, friends who provided a parental presence during my time in Bowling Green. You are all true friends and I am so blessed by you. And finally, I want to express my immense gratitude to my family, amongst which I include my friend, Kimberly Bright: my parents, Drs. Chetty Sevanand and Rukhsana Dutt; my grandmother, Fatimah Sheikh; and my siblings Hannah, Abhishek and Esther. Over the course of this project, my experience of these amazing people has been truly grotesque: I saw the worst of me as it was embraced by the best in them; horror at myself always melded with wonder at the grace I was being given, fear of the unknown always countered by fascination that their human hearts could be so big. Hannah, thank you for your tenacious forgiveness; Abhishek, for your inspiring, radical compassion; Esther, for your cheer and crocheted gifts; and Naanijaan, for your unending optimism. Kimberly, you made me laugh on days I thought I could not smile. Thank you for devising creative strategies that motivated me through the tough phases of this project. And how do I begin to acknowledge my parents? They taught me the tenets of my faith, but they also gave me freedom—to explore, to fail, to find my way. My entire life as a scholar, artist and person of faith has been conditioned by the wisdom and courage of their choices, and by their continued joy in me. Daddy and Mama, you made me brave to tango with my dragons. I am truly grateful and blessed among daughters. Grace and peace on you always. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………..... 1 CHAPTER ONE. THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS: A PERFORMANCE ACT, A PERFORMATIVE EVENT .................................................................................................. 19 Who Performed Crucifixion?: Historical Origins of Crucifixion .............................. 20 Where and When?: The Cultural Context for the Crucifixion of Jesus ..................... 23 What is Crucifixion?: Procedural Context for the Crucifixion of Jesus .................... 29 How was Crucifixion Performed?: Performing Power and Parodic Exaltation ........ 41 Why was the Crucifixion Performed?: Atonement as Performance .......................... 46 Performance, Performativity and the “Work” of the Cross ....................................... 49 CHAPTER TWO. THE GROTESQUE BODY AND JESUS OF MONTREAL .................. 53 The Baffling Body ..................................................................................................... 58 The Abject Body ........................................................................................................ 73 The Funny Body ........................................................................................................ 82 CHAPTER THREE. METAMORPHOSIS IN THE MARGINS: THE GROTESQUE AT WORK IN CHRIST IN THE CONCRETE CITY………………………. .............................. 91 The Cross and Doubleness ........................................................................................ 96 The Cross Decentered ................................................................................................ 112 Metamorphoses, Mutations and the Carnivalesque Disruptions of the Cross ........... 116 CHAPTER FOUR. HOLY MONSTERS: THE GROTESQUERIE OF WEARING THE CROSS……………………………. ...................................................................................... 122 This is My Body. Why is it Wearing a Cross? .......................................................... 128 ix Part 1: Shrines and Portents ........................................................................... 129 Part 2: The Cross-Wearer as an Alien ........................................................... 136 Part 3: Evil, Estrangement and Unmasking the Demons