earticle

영어

Is Hagar the weak or the victim? Il Seung Chung, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Theology Central Theological University The purpose of the present study is to examine the characterization of Hagar in the book of Genesis and offer a favorable reading of the Hagar story as a corrective to the usual negative readings. Traditional critics interpreted the Hagar story as a story of intrusion, a story of Abraham who strayed from God's plan and failed to trust God's promise. Feminist critics interpreted Hagar as a victim who experiences use, abuse and rejection. The present study revisits these negative perceptions of Hagar and retells the tale of Hagar in the narrative context. The present study intends to counterbalance this generally negative view of Hagar by emphasizing the full potential in Genesis for a positive and favorable reading of Hagar by examining Hagar's type-scenes, geography, and her narrative role as Abraham's wife compared with that of Sarah. Where more positive readings of Hagar are suggested, this is not necessarily a claim that such readings are to be adopted, but rather to demonstrate that the negative interpretations are not the only option. The lack of discussion of these options in the interpretative tradition supports the argument that negative interpretations of Hagar do not originate from the depiction of Hagar in Genesis text itself but are derived from the biases of contemporary interpreters against Hagar as the obstacle to God's promise or the victim. After the careful scrutiny of the Hagar narrative, it is concluded that Hagar is a significant and heroic character who shares narrative motifs and type-scenes with Abraham. Hagar is neither the weak nor the victim. She is an Egyptian matriarch, a woman placed among the ranks of the patriarchs, who was favored by Abraham and receives God's promise and blessings.

한국어

본 연구는 창세기에 나오는 하갈이란 등장인물의 묘사방식을 면밀히 살펴봄으로써 하갈의 이야기를 좀 더 긍정적인 측면에서 읽을 것을 제시한다. 저자는 하갈이 기존의 전통적 해석이나 페미니스트 비평가들이 주장하는 것처럼 하나님의 약속에 대한 장애물, 약자 또는 희생양이 아니라, 내러티브상의 모티프와 전형적 사건들을 아브라함과 공유하는 영웅적인 인물임을 밝힌다.