Interpreting the Ehud Narrative through Grotesque Realism and Menippean Satire

Abstract This study analyzes the Ehud narrative using Mikhail Bakhtin’s theories of carnival literature, grotesque realism, and Menippean satire. While exploring François Rabelais’s novel, Bakhtin identified the concepts of “the upside-down” and “word play” in carnival festivals and applied them to his interpretation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novels. He also examined key characteristics of carnival literature, emphasizing special genres, such as humor, comic, grotesque realism, and Menippean satire. Building on Bakhtin’s theories, this study seeks to pinpoint the carnivalesque features in the final text of Judg 3. On the surface, the narrative of Ehud recounts the Israelites’ victory, led by the Benjaminite Ehud, over Eglon, the king of Moab. However, this implies the notion that the lower classes can overthrow the upper classes at any time. From the reader’s perspective, this demonstrates the importance of exercising when wielding power. Moreover, the narrative of Ehud serves as a heuristic tool, prompting readers to reflect on their own circumstances.