RBL 03/2014 Jeanette Mathews Performing Habakkuk: Faithful Re-enactment in the Midst of Crisis Eugene, Ore.: Pickwick, 2012. Pp. x + 251. Paper. $29.00. ISBN 9781610975735. Gert T. M. Prinsloo University of Pretoria Pretoria, South Africa The unique contribution of this study to the plethora of approaches to and publications on the book of Habakkuk is that it reads the book as a performance (1). Mathews endeavors to go beyond a mere silent individualistic reading (1) of the book and recognizes that in the ancient world reading was rarely an isolated pursuit (1). Mathews regards a performance reading as a holistic and communal exercise focusing not just on what is being said but how it is being said, attending to sounds and silence, visual images, the physical senses, appeal to the emotion, intellect and experience (1). Performance differs from theater because it does not focus on the spectacular qualities of performance (1 2) but aims to impact audience and performer as well as transforming the social spaces they inhabit (2). Mathews explicitly states that she is not primarily interested in seeing Habakkuk acted out as a piece of theatre (2) but in the aesthetic dimensions of the prophet s message and to the way in which these aspects present the message in order to motivate the audience to action (2). She argues that a performance reading helps to bridge the gap between the world of the text and the world of the reader. The world of the text is brought to life to interact with the present-day performer (4) and allows the polyphonic and dialogical nature of Scripture to be heard and reenacted. The documentary nature of Scripture is subordinated to its renewed re-enactment in
new live situations, but its truth is maintained in the dynamic interaction between the text s world and the world of the faithful reader (4). In order to illustrate the value of a performance reading for the interpretation of Habakkuk, Mathews first provides an overview of the current state of prophetic studies in order to contextualize the book and its message in the light of contemporary scholarship (ch. 1: The Prophetic Phenomenon in the Hebrew Bible, 6 22). She then introduces the multidisciplinary field of performance studies (ch. 2: An Introduction to Performance Studies, 23 49) and discusses applications of performance studies in biblical studies (ch. 3: Performance Criticism in Biblical Studies, 50 72). She prepares the script of her performance reading of the book by providing an overview of literary-critical issues pertinent to the interpretation of Habakkuk and her own translation of the book (ch. 4: Preparing the Script of Habakkuk, 73 96). In chapters 5 7 (97 163) Mathews engages in a performance reading of each chapter in Habakkuk. The final chapter summarizes the findings of her performance reading of the book (ch. 8: Reading Habakkuk through a Performance Lens, 164 200). The book concludes with an appendix containing a glossary of key terms (201 3) and an appendix containing the Hebrew text of the book with a parallel translation as well as detailed translation notes (204 38). It is followed by an excellent bibliography (239 51). In my review I will provide a fairly detailed discussion of the first chapter of the book, as it contextualizes Mathews s performance reading of Habakkuk in the light of recent developments in the study of prophetic literature. It also evaluates the contribution performance theory might have for these developments. In chapter 1 Mathews contextualizes the book of Habakkuk in its own milieu as a necessary backdrop for her performance reading. Three themes are discussed. First, Mathews gives an overview of research on Prophets and Prophetic Literature (6 14). Three issues are dealt with: the concept of the prophet as an individual; the development of prophetic literature; and recent developments in the study of the Book of the Twelve (7). Mathews urges readers to keep in mind the important distinction between the prophets as historical figures and the corpus of prophetic books as literary productions. In the case of literary production, it should be conceded that the prophetic books were all edited and finalized not earlier than the Persian Period (538 332 BCE) (7). Traditionally the prophets were regarded as historical figures and were studied from the perspective of their psychological characteristics, their relationship to the cult, and the oral nature of prophecy (7 9). Recently emphasis has shifted to prophetic literature as a literary corpus dating from the Second Temple period (9 12). Prophetic literature is associated with scribal activities during the Persian period. Scribes compiled, edited, and reapplied the words of earlier prophetic figures to their own social circumstances. Mathews argues that a performance reading does not seek to identify precise historical details of the original book of Habakkuk, but instead stresses its ambiguous and open-
ended character that allows for ongoing inspiration amongst communities of faith in times of crisis (12). Recent research indicates that the Book of the Twelve can be read as an intentional (redactional) unit in which the individual books were brought into relationship with each other (13). Reading Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah together has theological (YHWH s punishment of sinful nations) and chronological (the fall of the mighty Assyrian and Babylonian Empires) significance (13 14). Performance studies notions of self-reflexivity, universality, embodiment, process, and re-enactment are relevant because they illustrate that twelve compositions have been brought into correlation with each other and continue to interact with each other and with the reader in the light of new knowledge and different historical circumstances (14). Second, Mathews elaborates upon The Biblical Picture of Prophecy in Israel and Judah (14 19). There is both diversity and development visible in the biblical picture. Early forms of prophecy were connected to military and social crises (14). Ancient Near Eastern sources suggest that prophets were associated with sanctuaries and functioned as intermediaries between the ruler and the deity. The stories of Samuel and Saul attest to the presence of bands of ecstatic prophets in Israel (15), and the establishment of the monarchy certainly also saw the introduction of court prophets (e.g., Nathan). During the period of the divided monarchy up to the fall of Samaria in 722 BCE, most references to prophetic activity are associated with the northern kingdom (e.g., the Elijah and Elisha cycles in 2 Kings). Prophets are portrayed as part of a prophetic community of ascetics who separated themselves from normal society (15). Prophets are also associated with warfare, and a prophetic figure in this time is often depicted as a charismatic wonderworker (15). Apart from these professional prophets independent figures working in isolation from official structures (15) such as Hosea, Amos, Micah, and Isaiah became prominent. Whereas professional prophets as functionaries were supportive of official policy, the independent prophets were critical of it (15). In the so-called Deuteronomistic History a real prophet had to adhere to strict requirements (see Deut 18:9 22): prophets were to be native Israelites speaking only in the name of Yahweh and were not to practice foreign modes of mediation (16). In spite of its diversity, preexilic prophecy is especially associated with these independent figures, while a profound change took place in postexilic times. The written word came to be preferred over oral delivery, and the wisdom of the past was viewed as more authoritative than inspiration in the present (17). Priestly traditions become more prominent, and prophets such as Joel, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi seem to have had a role closely associated with the temple and the official cult (18). A text such as Zech 13:1 6 seems to indicate that the canonizing of earlier prophetic traditions removed the need for new prophetic voices (19).
Finally, Mathews advocates A Performance Approach to the Prophetic Traditions (19 22). She argues that performance readings of prophetic texts can provide the necessary link between the persona of the prophetic figure as he is presented in the text by redactors and compilers and the text itself. Performance theory emphasizes embodiment in all modes of prophetic communication by drawing attention to the whole communication event, not just the words (19 20). Numerous authors indicated that prophetic activity is closely associated with times of crisis for Israel, and performance theory precisely illuminates the fact that embodying messages on liminal occasions requires enactment (20). Not just prophetic words, but prophetic acts could be the catalysts for social change (20). Mathews argues that the very process of reworking traditions for new settings, that become authoritative for a community, can also be construed as enactment (20). All the issues of special interest to the scholars of prophetic literature today the transformation of prophetic witness to prophetic literature, the second temple context for the final redaction of the literature, the particular shape and editorial activity in the Book of the Twelve, and the ongoing role and place of the prophet in keeping the traditions relevant to new settings will be elucidated substantially by approaching the text via performance criticism (22). In chapter 2 Mathews provides a thematic overview of the field of performance studies as it exists across a range of disciplines (23). Performance criticism does not imply the analysis of theater but cuts across a broad range of disciplines, including the arts, literature, linguistics, and social sciences (23). After a short overview of performance studies (24 26), Mathews discusses five Performance Themes (27 35) dominant in performance criticism: self reflexivity (the performer is aware of the separation between the self and the role; 27 28); universality (performance is a holistic means of communication and thus relevant to a broad range of experience; 28 30); embodiment (performance emphasizes that knowledge is created by participation rather than abstract ideas; 31 32); process (the actual activity of the performance is as important as the completed event; 32 33); and reenactment (all performance is based upon a preexisting model; 33 35). She then elaborates upon Performance Features (35 49) by indicating that five elements are essential in any performance: author and script (36 39); actor(s) (39 42); audience (42 46); setting (46 47); and improvisation (48 49). Performance criticism is a dynamic process emphasizing the fluidity of the construction of meaning and recognizes that performance has the potential to provide a site for social and cultural resistance (49). In chapter 3 Mathews indicates how principles of performance criticism have been applied in the field of biblical studies to date. She regards it as a shortcoming that performance readings of biblical texts focus primarily upon a performance concept (69) as key to interpret certain biblical texts. What she proposes is to move beyond the application of a performance concept to a biblical book and to ask whether
it is valid to view an entire text such as the book of Habakkuk in its entirety from the perspective of performance theory (69). Chapters 4 7 of the book then contain the application of these theoretical considerations to the book of Habakkuk. Chapter 4 plays an important role in the preparation of Mathews s performance reading of the book. She discusses the main literary-critical issues in the book s long history of interpretation: the text and text-critical difficulties (73 74); uncertainties concerning Habakkuk as a historical figure (74 76); and issues regarding authorship (76 77), the setting of the book (77 81), and the book s genre (81 82). In her performance reading she departs from the two distinct superscriptions (1:1; 3:1) and proposes that the book can be divided into two acts, each subdivided into different scenes (see 85). Habakkuk 1:1 is a Prelude. Act 1 Crisis (1:2 2:20) can be subdivided as follows: Scene 1: 1:2 4; Scene 2: 1:5 11; Scene 3: 1:12 17; Introduction to Scene 4: 2:1; Scene 4: 2:2 5; Scene 5, Part 1: 2:6 13; Interjection: 2:14; Scene 5, Part 2: 2:15 19; Interlude: 2:20. Act 2 Faith (3:1 19) can be divided into the following subsections: Prelude: 3:1; Scene 1: 3:2; Scene 2: 3:3 15; Scene 3: 3:16 19a; Postlude: 3:19b. Mathews utilizes performance terminology, but her demarcation of units by and large agrees with traditional views on the book s structure (see Sweeney; Andersen). Her novel approach to Habakkuk could have been enhanced if she also challenged traditional views on the structure of the book. I have argued in a number of publications that principles of unit delimitation pose challenges to the traditional (by and large) form-critical delimitation of units in Habakkuk. A new look at the basic building blocks of the book would also have influence on a performance reading. Chapter 4 also contains a fairly literal translation of Habakkuk (89 96) as script for the performance reading that follows in chapters 5 7. The translation is supported by appendix 2, Detailed Translation of Habakkuk (204 38). Detailed translations notes accompany the translation of each verse and reveal that Mathews approaches the Masoretic Text of Habakkuk conservatively. The notes contain important exegetical remarks as well. In chapters 5 7 Mathews reads each chapter of the book of Habakkuk according to the principles of performance criticism. She first reads every demarcated act according to the five basic elements of author and script, actors, audience, setting, and improvisation. Each chapter of the book is then analyzed according to the performance themes of selfreflexivity, universality, embodiment, process and reenactment. The scope of the review does not allow for any detailed discussion of these analyses. Mathews s performance reading highlights important contours of the biblical text and often leads to astute observations. For example, Mathews remarks regarding 1:4 that הצדיק is, significantly, written with the definite article, while רשע is indefinite. It suggests a specific righteous person being surrounded by wickedness (208 209). She then proposes that הצדיק in 1:4 might refer to the prophet acting on behalf of his people but also as a veiled reference to
Yahweh, who is perceived as unable to act due to imprisonment by wickedness (101). She observes that 1:5 11 cannot be regarded as Yahweh s answer to the prophet s complaint in 1:2 4. The complaint of the prophet in 1:2 4 is in fact ignored, and it is as if Yahweh as actor has suddenly woken up and remembered his lines, firmly taking center stage (105) while Habakkuk is marginalized. Habakkuk 1:5 11 should rather in its entirety be regarded as having happened in the past, an earlier prophecy to the nation being presented here as a flashback (105). Throughout Mathews emphasizes the importance of improvisation in a performance reading of Habakkuk. Material from other contexts as well as material earlier encountered in the book itself is constantly being reinterpreted and reapplied. For instance, she points to the reinterpretation of the phrase who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town with iniquity from Mic 3:10 in Hab 2:12. In Micah it refers to iniquities in Jerusalem. Habakkuk reworks an earlier judgement of Yahweh s own people to apply to the outsider and broadened the misdemeanour to cover injustices against many nations (133). A final example: Mathews indicates that the second superscript in Hab 3:1 has been taken by many as an indication that Hab 3 is a later addition to an already-existing document. A performance reading, תפלה (1:1) and משא however, highlights the element of surprise inherent in the terms creates the expectation of judgment, but the script provides a call to worship משא (3:1). rather than an announcement of judgement. This is a fascinating author who does not write according to script but who nonetheless conveys a sense of unity through the actions, speeches, and psychological development of the main character (143). Finally, chapter 8 elucidates the contributions that performance criticism makes to the interpretation of Habakkuk. Mathews indicates that reading the text from this perspective allows for a new appreciation of the inherently dramatic nature of prophecy in general and the book of Habakkuk in particular (165). All identified performance themes (selfreflexivity, embodiment, universality, process, reenactment) are abundantly present in the book of Habakkuk (166 68), while the identification of the performance features of script, actor, audience, setting, and improvisation in each identified act indicates that it is appropriate to read the book as a performance (169). The book of Habakkuk can in the end be read as a drama, and a performance reading elucidates the drama of the book with greater clarity than traditional historical-critical methods (172). A performance reading suggests that the text of Habakkuk can be read as a script with emphasis upon the composition as a complete unit (173) that invites readers to see as well as to hear its message (174). Mathews emphasises that reenactment is not only present in the book, but that the book has been reenacted through the centuries (189 196). She illustrates it with reference to ten examples ranging from the Septuagint version of the book to modern reenactments.
There is great merit in Mathews s performance reading of Habakkuk. She elucidated many important features of the book, especially the book s ability constantly to surprise the audience with subtle twists in the script and in the actions of its main actors: Yahweh, the prophet, and the Chaldean king. I fully endorse her conclusion that reading Scripture through the lens of performance studies ensures that these ancient texts are not locked away as historical artifacts but instead continue to have an impact on communities of faith and the surrounding world (200).