Breaking Boundaries? -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 11:40:59 02/07/08 Thu
Author: Betsy Peters
Subject: Breaking Boundaries?

Yesterday we discussed that anti-mimetic prohibitions appear arbitrary, but serve a very real purpose to guard against a very real fear of violence. If we cut back the imitation, we hope that it will cut back on the rivalry that leads to violence. In considering what these anti-mimetic prohibitions might look like, I was reminded of the story of King Nebuchadnezzar who, driven from his palace, ate grass, grew his hair and finger nails long, and lived like a beast of the field. Talk about a lack of distinctions! If Girard is correct in his assertion that many of the Hebrew stories are really mythic, mightn't this be one of them? Nebuchadnezzar is booted from his kingdom. After living in exile breaking all sorts of boundaries for a while, he is reinstated to the throne. No sacrifice is mentioned for the reinstating. How would Girard go about reconstructing the original narrative that might have prompted this story?

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