Det behornade ansiktet En transtextuell analys mellan Hjalmar Söderbergs Jahves eld och andra Moseboken

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the transtextual relationship between Hjalmar Söderberg's Jahves eld (The Fire of Yahweh, 1918) and the Book of Exodus. A limitation was set to just focus on the theme regarding the horned face of Moses, which Söderberg extensively discussed in his book, both through narrative and commentary. The methodological and theoretical approach could best be described as a qualitative text analysis where Gérard Genette's model of five types of transtextual relationships (intertextuality, paratextuality, metatextuality, architextuality and hypertextuality) was used in order to systematically classify the various relationships and in a thorough way relate the texts to each other. The analysis shows that the transtextual relationships are many and varied, and some appears to be more relevant to the study than others. Due to the composition of Jahves eld, its first part (”I österland, i fjärran tid”, most easily described as a paraphrase and pastiche of the Book of Exodus) can be identified as a hypertext to the Book of Exodus, while the second part (”Markels försvar”) is rather a metatext to both the first part and the Book of Exodus. The third and final part of Jahves eld is a metatext to the other two parts as well as to the biblical text. The most relevant and interesting type of transtextual relationship, within this study, has proven to be intertextuality. On the topic of the horned face of Moses, Söderberg frequently reference the Book of Exodus through quotes or allusions, but also by paraphrasing the biblical stories in order to fit his historical-critical purpose. Jahves eld appears to have been written with the aim of reconstructing the narrative of the Book of Exodus in a way that previous mistakes and misinterpretations by theologians, according to Söderberg, are being recognized. This includes the theme of the horned face of Moses.