Traumatizing Metaphors: Hosea's Animal Imagery in Light of Cultural Trauma Studies

By combining cognitive metaphor studies and cultural trauma studies, this project intends to investigate whether animal metaphors in the book of Hosea can be considered linguistic tools for the transmission of collective trauma from the Northern kingdom of Israel to the Persian province of Yehud. Grounded in so-called Persian hypothesis, this thesis explores how Yehud’s intellectuals used animal metaphors not only to express trauma but, first and foremost, to create a link between their intended audience and the past Northern kingdom of Israel and thereby contribute to a process of cultural traumatization.