A Pious Seductress

Download or read book Judith written by Jennifer L. Koosed and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2022-11-20 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2023 Catholic Media Association First Place Award, Scripture – Academic Studies The striking scene of Judith cutting off Holofernes’s head with his own sword in his own bed has inspired the imaginations of readers for millennia. But there is more to her story than just this climactic act and more to her character than just beauty and violence. This volume offers a comprehensive examination of gender ideologies in the book of Judith, from the hyper-masculine machinations of war and empire to the dynamics of class in Judith’s relationship with her enslaved handmaid. Overall, this commentary investigates the book of Judith through a feminist lens, informed by critical masculinity studies, queer theory, and reception criticism.