The Politics of Paternity and Patrimony

This article reassesses the characterization of Hebrew literature as a literature of fathers and sons. It argues that not only is the image of the father more complicated in the "classic" texts than is typically noted, but that the father continues to be significant in more recent works. In these works the character of the father is often problematic—he is unnamed, unknown, or absent—and the question of paternity becomes ever more significant. The quest for a father propels many of the narratives under discussion, and can be seen as a search for roots, for identity, and for legitimacy. Connections between paternity, patrimony, lineage, and land are read against the context of politics. Ultimately the characterization of the literature is reaffirmed, although there is no attempt to claim it as all-inclusive.