Adam, Eve, and the Tacen in Genesis B

Investigation into the usage of Old English 'tacen (-)iewan' ('to manifest a sign') and related Old Saxon terms suggests that in the poem 'Genesis B,' Adam is not exonerated by Eve's disclosure of the 'tacen' shown to her by the 'boda,' the devi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Philological quarterly 1993-12, Vol.72 (1), p.1-14
Main Author: VICKREY, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anglo-Saxon philology
Case studies
English language
English speaking literatures
Exegesis & hermeneutics
Fall of man
French speaking and English speaking literatures
Great Britain. Ireland
History and sciences of litterature
History of literature
Literary criticism
Middle Ages
Old English
Philology
Poetry
Portrayals
Religious poetry
Semiotics
West Germanic languages
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Summary:Investigation into the usage of Old English 'tacen (-)iewan' ('to manifest a sign') and related Old Saxon terms suggests that in the poem 'Genesis B,' Adam is not exonerated by Eve's disclosure of the 'tacen' shown to her by the 'boda,' the devil's messenger. Adam had earlier asked for a 'tacen' to determine whether the 'boda' was from God. However, 'manifesting a sign' in Old English always referred to a sign from a supernatural agency, with a hierarchical relationship implied. The hierarchy is subverted in 'Genesis B' when the sign is manifested by the 'boda' to Eve and then by Eve to Adam.
ISSN:0031-7977
2169-5342