LIBRARY OF HEBREW BIBLE/ OLD TESTAMENT STUDIES 662 Formerly Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series Editors Claudia V. Camp, Texas Christian University Andrew Mein, University of Durham Founding Editors David J. A. Clines, Philip R. Davies and David M. Gunn Editorial Board Alan Cooper, John Goldingay, Norman K. Gottwald, James E. Harding, John Jarick, Carol Meyers, Francesca Stavrakopoulou, Daniel L. Smith- Christopher, James W. Watts, Susan Gillingham PLAYING THE TEXTS Edited by Jennifer Koosed, Albright College NARRATIVE DESIRE AND THE BOOK OF RUTH Stephanie Day Powell T&T CLARK Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK 1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, USA BLOOMSBURY, T&T CLARK and the T&T Clark logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc First published 2018 Paperback edition fi rst published 2019 Copyright © Stephanie Day Powell, 2018 Stephanie Day Powell has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identifi ed as Author of this work. For legal purposes the Acknowledgements on p. x constitute an extension of this copyright page. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc does not have any control over, or responsibility for, any third-party websites referred to or in this book. All internet addresses given in this book were correct at the time of going to press. The author and publisher regret any inconvenience caused if addresses have changed or sites have ceased to exist, but can accept no responsibility for any such changes. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Names: Powell, Stephanie Day, author. Title: Narrative desire and the Book of Ruth / by Stephanie Day Powell. Description: 1 [edition]. | New York : Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2018. | Series: Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament studies; volume 662 | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifi ers: LCCN 2017036499 (print) | LCCN 2017052112 (ebook) | ISBN 9780567678768 (ePDF) | ISBN 9780567678751 (hardback : alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Ruth—Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Bible. Ruth—Feminist criticism. Classifi cation: LCC BS1315.52 (ebook) | LCC BS1315.52 .P69 2018 (print) | DDC 222/.3506—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017036499 ISBN: HB: 978-0-5676-7875-1 PB: 978-0-5676-9000-5 ePDF: 978-0-5676-7876-8 eBook: 978-0-5676-8223-9 Series: Library of Hebrew Bible/ Old Testament Studies, volume 662 Typeset by Newgen KnowledgeWorks Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, India To fi nd out more about our authors and books visit www.bloomsbury.com and sign up for our newsletters. For Kensley CONTENTS List of Figures ix Acknowledgments x List of Abbreviations xii Chapter 1 NARRATIVE DESIRE AND THE BOOK OF RUTH 1 Introduction: “Do Not Press Me to Leave You” 1 Finding Our Past 3 Reading Desire 7 Woman- Identifi ed Hermeneutics 9 Ruth and Its Interpretation 16 Narrative Desire: Reading Ruth with Freud, Lacan, and Kristeva 31 From Resistance to Re-engagement 44 Chapter 2 RESISTANCE: AMBIGUITY AND ARTISTRY IN THE BOOK OF RUTH 4 7 Th e Queer Traces of Ruth 49 Queer Beginnings 52 Th e Perversities of the Middle 64 A Queer Future? 69 Ambiguity and Desire 77 Chapter 3 RUPTURE: RUTH AND FRIED GREEN TOMATOES 8 1 Fried Green Appropriations 81 Ambiguating Strategies 84 Th e Power of “Friends” 88 Intersecting Ambiguities 92 Th e Heroine Disappears 96 Historical Gleanings: A Diverse Community 98 Chapter 4 RECLAMATION: RUTH AND ORANGES ARE NOT THE ONLY FRUIT 103 You Say Tomato, I Say Orange: Reconfi guring Ruth 105 From Origins to Exile 107 From Exile to Return 109 viii Contents Not the Only Fruit: Ruth as Woman- Identifi ed Daughter 111 Th e Mother’s House 114 Of Mothers, Demons, and Daughterhood 119 H istorical Gleanings: Finding Autonomy 1 27 Chapter 5 RE-E NGAGEMENT: RUTH AND GOLEM, THE SPIRIT OF EXILE 135 Golem, the Spirit of Exile 136 Love in Exile 141 L osses Denied 144 Heterosexual Melancholia, Redux 146 Loss upon Loss 151 Historical Gleanings: A History of Loss 155 Chapter 6 CONCLUSION: (UN)FINAL GLEANINGS 1 63 Returning to the Mother Text 170 Bibliography 175 Author Index 189 Scripture Index 194 Subject Index 198 FIGURES 1.1 William Blake, Naomi Entreating Ruth and Orpah to Return to the Land of Moab , 1795, watercolor, Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 26 1.2 Emile Levy, Ruth and Naomi, 1859, oil, Musee des Beaux Arts, Rouen. 27 1.3 Philip Hermogenes Calderon, Ruth and Naomi, c. 1890, oil, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. 28 3.1 A scantily- clad swimming scene. Still from Fried Green Tomatoes (directed by John Avnet, 1990). 86 3.2 Big George at the barbeque pit. Still from Fried Green Tomatoes (directed by John Avnet, 1990). 95 5.1 A nude Naomi and Ruth bathe one another. Still from Golem, Th e Spirit of Exile ( Golem, l’esprit de exil) (Amos Gitaї . 1991). 1 42 5.2 Ruth and Boaz. Still from Golem, Th e Spirit of Exile ( Golem, l’esprit de exil ) (Amos Gita ї . 1991). 143 5.3 Naomi cutting her hair. Still from Golem, Th e Spirit of Exile ( Golem, l’esprit de exil) (Amos Gitaї . 1991). 1 44 5.4 Naomi and Ruth lie listlessly on pile of grain. Still from Golem, Th e Spirit of Exile ( Golem, l’esprit de exil) (Amos Gitaї . 1991). 1 48