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| In essence a hyperbole is a deliberate exaggeration. |
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| A metaphor occurs when a word or phrase is taken out of its normal context and placed within the parameters of another context. |
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| This literary strategy is similar to a metaphor. When a concrete object is taken and used as something different. For example, a flag is a symbol of the United States |
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| When a metaphor or symbol is broken down into its component parts for you, an allegory is formed. |
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| When an inanimate object takes on the qualities and characteristics of a human being, personification is the result. |
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| (adj) Ascribing human form or attributes to a being or thing not human, especially to a deity. |
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Chthonic (pronounced "thon'-ic") |
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| Pertaining to the deities, spirits, and other beings dwelling under the earth. (also chthonian) [Greek, khthonios, under the earth, khthon, the earth.] |
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(adj) Giving one's name to a tribe, place, etc. (For example, Romulus, the eponymous founder of Rome) |
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| The study of causes, causation, or reasons for being. In mythology, an etiological myth explains a natural occurring phenomena in supernatural terms. (For example, Manu's descent is the result of Manu lowering his boat along the mountainside). |
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| The belief in one god without denying the existence of other gods |
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| The belief in multiple gods |
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| A working definition by Professor Vandiver at the University of Maryland will work for this class: "traditional stories a society tells itself that encode or represent the world-view, beliefs, principles, and often fears of that society." |
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| A blending of religions to create a new religion. |
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| The appearance of a god to man (usually in a non-anthropomorphic form). For example, Yahweh appears to His people as a storm cloud, a burning bush, a pillar of dust, etc... |
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| Dramatic irony: This is a type of irony to which the audience (you the reader) is privy. Dramatic irony occurs in Genesis when Jacob sneaks away from Laban and Rachel steals her father's teraphim. When Laban catches up with Jacob and accuses him of stealing from him, Jacob is indignant because he does not know that Rachel took them. As audience, however, you are aware of who has the idols. |
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| Although a tremendous amount is lost in the translation to English, the Bible is still loaded with puns, assonance, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and the like. Look for these as you read. Unless you also know Aramaic or Hebrew and you are concurrently reading that Bible, much of this will escape you. |
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| Hebrew poetry is different from modern poetry. Until 1753 poetry in the Old Testament was largely overlooked. Modern translations, however, (including the one you have) do break the lines of text so you know you are lookings at poetry. |
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| Song of Solomon is representative of this type of poetry |
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