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Domoney-Lyttle, Zanne (2018) Drawing (Non)Tradition: Matriarchs, Motherhood and the Presentation of Sacred Text in "The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R

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Domoney-Lyttle, Zanne (2018) Drawing (Non)Tradition: Matriarchs, Motherhood and the Presentation of Sacred Text in Domoney-Lyttle, Zanne (2018) Drawing (non)tradition: matriarchs, motherhood and the presentation of sacred text in "The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb". PhD thesis. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/9098/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Drawing (non)Tradition: Matriarchs, Motherhood and the Presentation of Sacred Text in The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb Zanne Domoney-Lyttle MA (Hons), MTh Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Ph.D. Theology & Religious Studies Word Count: 89,614 School of Critical Studies College of Arts University of Glasgow May 2018 © Zanne Domoney-Lyttle Abstract In 2009, Robert Crumb produced a singular work, The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb, which purports to be a faithful, graphical interpretation of the book of Genesis from the Hebrew Bible. Among other sources, Crumb states that he used Robert Alter’s translation and commentary on Genesis to inform his work, along with the King James Version (KJV), the Jewish Publication Society Version (JPS) and Sarah the Priestess: The First Matriarch of Genesis by Savina J. Teubal; from those, he produced his own interpretation together with annotations to explain his interpretive decisions. Remediating ancient, biblical text into modern, graphical comic books affects the reception of the text in a myriad of ways. The aim of this thesis is firstly to investigate how Crumb’s use of comics tools and resources impact his remediation of Genesis, by discussing his visual and textual decisions. This wider question is focused into three case studies, which are each based in the narratives of the matriarchs of Genesis and the theme of motherhood. The second aim of this thesis is to discuss the presentation of the matriarchs in Genesis, Illustrated as pro-feminist, strong, dominant characters within the narrative. This is a characterisation which subverts traditional readings of the women of Genesis, as well as expectations of Crumb as an author. Accusations of misogyny and sexism have followed Crumb throughout his career, which are challenged when the reader is presented with his pro-feminist matriarchal remediation of the biblical text. By presenting a focused analysis of the theme of motherhood within Genesis, Illustrated, wider issues concerning popular-cultural remediations of the Bible in general begin to surface, including matters concerning reception in biblical comics, the space between art and literature inhabited by biblical comics, and issues of translation and interpretation within contemporary remediations. Genesis, Illustrated shows the importance of graphical remediations in exploring the boundary crossings between ancient script and modern, popular culture, regenerating and re-presenting the text for the modern reader. Table of Contents List of figures ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... 2 Definitions and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................ 3 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Chapter 1: Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 15 The Bible in Comics ..................................................................................................................... 15 The Bible in Literature, Culture and Art ....................................................................................... 24 Chapter 2: A Theoretical Framework towards reading Biblical Comics .......................................... 36 Structure ........................................................................................................................................ 37 Reading Biblical Comics: A Critical Approach ............................................................................ 39 Approaching Gender in Crumb’s Genesis, Illustrated .................................................................. 59 A comics framework through the lens of gender .......................................................................... 66 Chapter 3: An Introduction to R. Crumb’s The Book of Genesis, Illustrated ................................... 68 The life and career of R. Crumb ................................................................................................... 68 R. Crumb’s The Book of Genesis, Illustrated ............................................................................... 74 Textual and Visual sources in Crumb’s Remediation ................................................................... 81 Chapter 4: Three Case Studies concerning Matriarchs, Motherhood and the Presentation of Sacred Texts .................................................................................................................................................. 98 4a. Sarah ...................................................................................................................................... 100 4b. Rebekah................................................................................................................................. 141 4c. Rachel and Leah .................................................................................................................... 163 Summary: Case Studies .............................................................................................................. 183 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 187 Appendix A: Interview with R. Crumb ........................................................................................... 195 Appendix B: Images ....................................................................................................................... 202 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 203 List of figures Unless otherwise stated, all images are taken from: R. Crumb, The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb (London: W. W. Norton, 2009). All images are in Appendix B.1 Fig. 2.1: Genesis 3:4-8 Fig. 2.2: Genesis 1:1-2 Fig. 2.3: Genesis 2:8-14 Fig. 2.4: Genesis 8:13-19 Fig. 2.5: Genesis 19:1-2 Fig. 2.6: Genesis 28:12-15 Fig. 2.7: Genesis 6:15-19 Fig. 2.8: Genesis 12:7 Fig. 2.9: Genesis 13:10 Fig. 2.10: Genesis 24:62-63 Fig. 2.11: Genesis 3:9 Fig. 3.1: Front cover of R. Crumb, The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb Fig. 3.2: Front cover of Robert Alter, Genesis: Translation and Commentary Fig. 5.1: Genesis 11:27-32 Fig. 5.2: Genesis 16:1-6 (two pages) Fig. 5.3: Genesis 18:1-15 (three pages) Fig. 5.4: Genesis 21:1-21 (four pages) Fig. 5.5: Genesis 24:15-67 (eight pages) Fig. 5.6: Genesis 25:12-28a (two pages) Fig. 5.7: Genesis 29:9-30a (four pages) Fig. 5.8: Genesis 29:30b-30:24 (three pages) Fig. 5.9: Genesis 35:16-19 1 Please note, copyright restrictions prevent reproduction of images in the electronic version of this thesis. Please see the hard copy held in the University of Glasgow’s thesis depository. To view the above images, please consult a copy of The Book of the Genesis, Illustrated by R.Crumb. 1 Acknowledgments This work was supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) [grant number: AH/K503046/1] to whom I extend my gratitude. I would also like to thank the Scottish Graduate School for the Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) and the College of Arts (University of Glasgow) for providing training, resources and networks which have helped me both professionally and in a social capacity over the duration of this project. My sincere thanks to R. Crumb for granting me an interview and taking an interest in this project and allowing me the freedom to interpret his work. My deepest gratitude goes to Prof. Laurence Grove (Stirling Maxwell Centre, University of Glasgow) and Dr. Sarah Nicholson (Theology & Religious Studies, University of Glasgow), who have offered so much more than supervision on this project. Their expertise, enthusiasm for the subject, and constant encouragement has benefited my research tremendously, and has inspired me to push myself harder and to constantly develop my research and writing. My thanks also to Dr. Katie Edwards (University of Sheffield) and Dr. Mia Spiro (University of Glasgow) for their constructive and helpful assessment of my work. My thanks go to the staff of the department of Theology and Religious Studies (University of Glasgow) who have created a warm and welcoming department. No. 4 Professors’ Square has become my second home because
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