Resumo: Os dramaturgos gregos basearam as suas peças em fatos mitológicos e históricos que receberam uma interpretação trágica. Dentro deste contexto, Jack Richardson, que tem um profundo conhecimento da tragédia Grega, também tenta inserir alguns acontecimentos políticos e históricos que afetam a Civilização Moderna dentro da estrutura do mito de Orestes. Em sua peça, The Prodigal, que está sendo analisada nesta dissertação, ele enfoca a Guerra de Tróia e, como acontece em todas as guerras, os soldados que voltam, como os cidadãos de Argos, são atingidos pelas conseqüências psicológicas de após-guerra de exaustão e fadiga. Na peça citada acima, a dimensão política é fundamental e constitui uma espécie de leitmotiv que sustenta a ação. O autor demonstra um interesse especial pela função política do homem - a estrutura política determina os aspectos sociais e religiosos nesta peça. Em um texto literário, o aspecto político não transporta valor por si só, mas, pode significar um elemento essencial de sua estrutura. Richardson dramatiza a sua teoria de Evolução Histórica em The Prodigal pondo em evidência as razões e circunstâncias que causam a queda de uma Instituição, que não pode manter os seus valores fundamentais contra uma nova mentalidade que emerge. Ele analisa as divergências políticas, a sociologia da família e discute argumentos religiosos, literários e filosóficos, tendo como modelos os personagens da antiga mitologia. O principal objetivo desta dissertação é determinar a teoria de Evolução Histórica de Jack Richardson em The Prodigal. A minha intenção é comparar a peça moderna com a Oréstia de Ésquilo para determinar até que ponto os dois dramaturgos sustentam os mesmos pontos de vista e quais especificamente são as inovações introduzidas por Jack Richardson.

Desde que foi publicado, em 1975, Lavoura arcaica vem intrigando os leitores com a sua dessemelhança. Em meio a livros que absorviam a violência do regime militar brasileiro, Raduan Nassar surgiu com uma obra estranha, que se nutria de uma linguagem poética profundamente ressonante, do pensamento monoteísta mediterrâneo, da herança cultural árabe, da subversão pela via da sexualidade. O tempo passou, o escritor abandonou a literatura, muita coisa interessante foi dita sobre o romance, mas seus enigmas são ainda sementes lançadas em solo fértil. Lavoura arcaica é mais uma releitura da prolífica parábola do filho pródigo, presente no Evangelho de Lucas e reelaborada inúmeras vezes ao longo dos seus dois mil anos de existência. A história do jovem rebelde que decide romper os laços com a família para se lançar no mundo tem se mostrado generosa para com a imaginação de muitos autores, que se dispuseram a reescrevê-la com o filtro de suas óticas particulares. Alguns deles estão no presente trabalho: Gide, Kipling, Kafka, Rilke, Dalton Trevisan, Lúcio Cardoso e também o teólogo católico Henri Nouwen. Apesar das variações, a volta para casa ocupa em todas as narrativas um lugar privilegiado. Essa é uma história, afinal, sobre os motivos que levam o sujeito a ir embora e, mais ainda, sobre as razões que fazem com que regresse. Arrependimento, recomeço, fraqueza, derrota, amor? A despeito das muitas antíteses que encontramos no texto de Raduan, elas não exigem que façamos uma escolha entre o arcaico e o moderno, entre ficar ou partir, entre o individual e o coletivo, entre a contenção e a entrega. Essa é a questão: Lavoura arcaica não é um livro sobre a luta do bem contra o mal, da liberdade contra a opressão, mas um painel que mostra como tudo isso se mistura na mesma paisagem ou, parafraseando o personagem André, como as coisas só se unem se desunindo / Since it was published in 1975, Lavoura arcaica keeps puzzling readers with its dissimilitude. Amongst books that absorbed the violence of Brazilian military dictatorship, Raduan Nassar came out with a strange work full of distinctive elements: a deeply resounding poetic language, thoughts inspired by Mediterranean monotheism, Arab cultural inheritance, subversive sexuality. Time has passed, the writer has abandoned literature and many interesting things have been said about the novel, but its enigmas still are seeds sown on good soil. Lavoura arcaica is another reinterpretation of the prolific parable of the prodigal son, found only in the Gospel of Luke and many times retold. The story of the rebellious young man who decides to break bonds with family to throw himself into the world has been generous to the imagination of many authors, who have rewritten it using their own particular lenses. Some of them are here: Gide, Kipling, Kafka, Rilke, Dalton Trevisan, Lúcio Cardoso e also the catholic theologian Henri Nouwen. Despite variations, the homecoming occupies a privileged spot in their narratives. After all, this is a story about the motives that causes somebody to leave and, more than that, about the reasons why he or she returns. Repentance, a new beginning, weakness, defeat, love? In spite of the many antitheses that can be found in Raduans text, we are not required to make a choice between the archaic and the modern, between staying or leaving, between the individual and the collective, between restraint and fulfilled desire. That is the point: Lavoura arcaica is not a book about the conflict between good and evil, freedom and oppression, but an overview that shows us how all those things are mixed together or, paraphrasing the character André, how things connect themselves only by disconnecting themselves

Desde que foi publicado, em 1975, Lavoura arcaica vem intrigando os leitores com a sua dessemelhança. Em meio a livros que absorviam a violência do regime militar brasileiro, Raduan Nassar surgiu com uma obra estranha, que se nutria de uma linguagem poética profundamente ressonante, do pensamento monoteísta mediterrâneo, da herança cultural árabe, da subversão pela via da sexualidade. O tempo passou, o escritor abandonou a literatura, muita coisa interessante foi dita sobre o romance, mas seus enigmas são ainda sementes lançadas em solo fértil. Lavoura arcaica é mais uma releitura da prolífica parábola do filho pródigo, presente no Evangelho de Lucas e reelaborada inúmeras vezes ao longo dos seus dois mil anos de existência. A história do jovem rebelde que decide romper os laços com a família para se lançar no mundo tem se mostrado generosa para com a imaginação de muitos autores, que se dispuseram a reescrevê-la com o filtro de suas óticas particulares. Alguns deles estão no presente trabalho: Gide, Kipling, Kafka, Rilke, Dalton Trevisan, Lúcio Cardoso e também o teólogo católico Henri Nouwen. Apesar das variações, a volta para casa ocupa em todas as narrativas um lugar privilegiado. Essa é uma história, afinal, sobre os motivos que levam o sujeito a ir embora e, mais ainda, sobre as razões que fazem com que regresse. Arrependimento, recomeço, fraqueza, derrota, amor? A despeito das muitas antíteses que encontramos no texto de Raduan, elas não exigem que façamos uma escolha entre o arcaico e o moderno, entre ficar ou partir, entre o individual e o coletivo, entre a contenção e a entrega. Essa é a questão: Lavoura arcaica não é um livro sobre a luta do bem contra o mal, da liberdade contra a opressão, mas um painel que mostra como tudo isso se mistura na mesma paisagem ou, parafraseando o personagem André, como as coisas só se unem se desunindo / Since it was published in 1975, Lavoura arcaica keeps puzzling readers with its dissimilitude. Amongst books that absorbed the violence of Brazilian military dictatorship, Raduan Nassar came out with a strange work full of distinctive elements: a deeply resounding poetic language, thoughts inspired by Mediterranean monotheism, Arab cultural inheritance, subversive sexuality. Time has passed, the writer has abandoned literature and many interesting things have been said about the novel, but its enigmas still are seeds sown on good soil. Lavoura arcaica is another reinterpretation of the prolific parable of the prodigal son, found only in the Gospel of Luke and many times retold. The story of the rebellious young man who decides to break bonds with family to throw himself into the world has been generous to the imagination of many authors, who have rewritten it using their own particular lenses. Some of them are here: Gide, Kipling, Kafka, Rilke, Dalton Trevisan, Lúcio Cardoso e also the catholic theologian Henri Nouwen. Despite variations, the homecoming occupies a privileged spot in their narratives. After all, this is a story about the motives that causes somebody to leave and, more than that, about the reasons why he or she returns. Repentance, a new beginning, weakness, defeat, love? In spite of the many antitheses that can be found in Raduans text, we are not required to make a choice between the archaic and the modern, between staying or leaving, between the individual and the collective, between restraint and fulfilled desire. That is the point: Lavoura arcaica is not a book about the conflict between good and evil, freedom and oppression, but an overview that shows us how all those things are mixed together or, paraphrasing the character André, how things connect themselves only by disconnecting themselves

This dissertation consists of an interpretation of the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) from the perspective of Greco-Roman moral philosophy. It is divided into three parts. Part 1 traces the history of relating the New Testament to Greco-Roman literature and philosophy. Despite the importance of this perspective for the study of Luke-Acts, the relationship between Luke 15: 11-32 and Greco-Roman moral philosophy has not been investigated before. The legitimacy of this approach is demonstrated by a literary analysis of the parable, which demonstrates the formal emphasis placed upon the liberal and compassionate words and actions of the father. The strong moral orientation of the parable is further illustrated by the formal, linguistic and thematic features which it shares with the other L parables. Part 2 consists of a study of the Greco-Roman moral topos On Covetousness. The use of the Greco-Roman topos as a critical tool for the study of the New Testament is evaluated, the term is defined, and the influence of the topos On Covetousness upon representative works of moral philosophy is studied. This part ends with a summary of the characteristic features of the topos and its use by writers with differing philosophical affiliations. Part 3 reads the whole parable in terms of the topos On Covetousness,with the emphasis being placed on the relationship between the Lukan text and works of Greco-Roman moral philosophy. The parable is seen to be structured according to the influential Peripatetic doctrine of the mean, with the father representing the virtue of liberality, and his two sons the opposing vices of prodigality and meanness. The comparison with the topos reveals Luke's strong rejection of the two vices, and his endorsement of the Greco-Roman virtue of liberality, which is modified by his emphasis upon the Christian virtue of compassion. The approach affirms and demonstrates the internal unity of the parable and its close relationship to the Lukan theme of the correct use of possessions.

Investigates to which extent the Mauritius government programmes and policies address the need for reform and reintegration of juvenile detainees. The specific objectives of the author are: a) To layout the normative content of both the international and regional legal framework on the reform and reintegration of juvenile detainees. b) To establish to what extent the government of Mauritius has adopted and implemented legislation, policies and practical programmes in the Juvenile Justice System (JJS) that are in conformity with the international principles on JJS and secure successful rehabilitation and reintegration of juveniles in detention. c) To identify the challenges faced by stakeholders in implementing the relevant programmes and d) To suggest steps that can be taken by both Mauritius and other African governments to transform the JJS to guarantee rehabilitation and reintegration of juveniles. / Mini Dissertation (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / http://www.chr.up.ac.za/ / Centre for Human Rights / LLM

In this thesis I develop a theological ethics of migration that is attentive to the contemporary global crisis of human migration. Using the fourfold sense of scripture, with particular attention to allegory, as reclaimed from patristic and medieval exegesis by Henri de Lubac, I investigate four biblical narratives that I will show are paradigmatic of biblical approaches to the treatment of migrants. These narratives include Exodus, the Book of Ruth, and the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. I present an in-depth exegesis of these narratives as vital theological and ethical sources for addressing the contemporary migration crisis. The core claim I advance in this thesis is that migration is theologically significant for Christians because loving aliens is commended throughout scripture and the theme of hospitality to migrants is central to the prophetic witness of the Church to the nations. Refugees and migrants reveal the interconnected nature of the contemporary world, and I argue that the millions of people who are currently on the move from their home nations are not only an urgent humanitarian challenge to the global community, but an ethical and theological litmus test of contemporary global civilization. The existence of so many migrants and refugees in a global civilization divided into bordered nation-states, which is also daily joined by movements of people and goods in planes, ships and trucks, reveals inconsistencies in modern political conceptions of the nation-state and of the rights of citizens. I argue that longstanding theological traditions that speak of Christians as wanderers and aliens provide a valuable source for addressing and repairing these inconsistencies. In Part I, I address the politicization of migration and modern contradictions that arise between migration law and globalization, such as territorial sovereignty and economic liberalism, and I identify vestiges of social contract theories arising before and during the Enlightenment as preventing migration from being addressed in ways that acknowledge basic and profound truths about the interconnected nature of the world. I argue that without addressing these underlying issues, migration will remain an ongoing political and humanitarian problem. In Part II, I engage in biblical exegesis to develop ethical claims for Christians and the Church, and address the underlying issues identified in Part I. I will argue that the exegesis of these biblical narratives reveal that aid, care and rescue of migrants, even to the point of self-sacrifice, present contemporary Christians and others with the opportunity to rediscover the meaning of justice and citizenship on an interconnected planet.

Thesis (M.A.E.T.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-90).

Thesis (M.A.E.T.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-90).

The Prodigal Daughter (1736) is a poem that, on the surface, appears to be an approachable text that was likely geared towards a children’s audience during New England’s first Great Awakening, within the approachable format of a chapbook. However, when explored further, The Prodigal Daughter reveals a complicated textual history during a time of theological and social revival in New England. This thesis considers the historical context of The Prodigal Daughter’s narrative, as well as the poem’s publication history. The text’s transmission is carefully examined and encapsulated in this edition—giving the reader a transcription that is the result of collating twenty-eight surviving witnesses of The Prodigal Daughter. This thesis serves as a critical edition of The Prodigal Daughter, with an introduction which includes a careful consideration of gendered theology, homiletics, the literary marketplace, and the role of the devil in the female conversion narrative during New England’s first Great Awakening.

La divination est à Rome l’instrument central du dialogue avec les dieux, et les sources témoignent de l’attention que les Romains portent aux signes divins sous la République et sous l’Empire, dans la pratique publique comme privée. Or, loin d’être une simple manifestation de crédulité, ou à l’inverse la coquille vide d’un ritualisme formel, la croyance aux signes divins a un caractère rationnel, attesté par l’existence à Rome de savoirs et de procédures divinatoires très élaborés. Cette rationalité est sensible dans un autre champ, qui n’a pas ou peu été exploré : les récits de signes. La narration d’un signe divin, telle qu’on en trouve en abondance chez les historiens impériaux, se présente sous la forme d’une description factuelle et sèche dont l’intérêt paraît limité. L’objectif de ce travail est de montrer au contraire que le récit de signes est une forme très riche qui traduit et met en œuvre la pensée divinatoire des Romains.Un signe divin ne peut être reconnu, interprété, discuté qu’à condition d’avoir été verbalisé. Puisqu’un signe est toujours mis en mots, la posture d’un sénateur devant un prodige qui lui est annoncé, celle d’un simple particulier face à un présage et celle d’un lecteur vis-à-vis du signe qu’il lit ou entend raconter sont similaires : ils reconnaissent et interprètent un signe à partir de sa traduction verbale. Ce que l’étude du récit de signes éclaire alors, ce sont les enjeux de cette mise en mots et de sa réception : sur quels critères un phénomène était-il reconnu à Rome comme un signe ? Quels obstacles rencontrait ensuite son interprétation ? À quelles conditions un signe divin pouvait-il être chargé d’une signification politique, morale, voire d’un sous-texte comique ? Quelles sont enfin les potentialités esthétiques propres au récit de signes ? Il s’agit là de montrer, en déployant ces strates de sens et en dégageant la structure fonctionnelle d’un signe, comment il pouvait être construit et compris – de montrer, autrement dit, pourquoi la divination est un art de lire et d’écrire les signes divins. / In Rome, divination is the essential instrument of the dialogue with the gods, and sources are witness to the attention that the Romans paid to divine signs under the Republic and the Empire, in the public as well as in the private practice. Yet, far from being a simple expression of credulity, or, conversely, the hollow shell of a formal ritualism, the belief in divine signs has a rational nature, as shown by the existence in Rome of extremely elaborate divinatory knowledge and procedures. This rationality is discernible in another field, which has not, or only partially, been explored: tales of signs. The narratives of divine signs, plenty of which can be found in imperial historians’ works, appear as factual and plain descriptions whose interest seems limited. The aim of this dissertation is nonetheless to show that tales of signs are a rich form of expression which translates and implements the Romans’ divinatory thought. A divine sign cannot be recognised, interpreted, discussed unless it has been verbalised. Since a sign is always put into words, the stances of a senator confronted with a heralded wonder, of an average individual faced with an omen and of a reader vis-à-vis a sign which he reads or hears about are similar: they recognise and interpret a sign from its verbal translation. Thus, the study of tales of signs sheds light on what is at stake in this verbalisation and its reception: what criteria allowed for a phenomenon to be recognised as a sign in Rome? What could impede its subsequent interpretation? Under what conditions could a divine sign be charged with political, moral meaning or even a comical subtext? Finally, what are the aesthetic potentialities specific to tales of signs? We intend to show, by unfolding these strata of meaning and by exposing the functional structure of a sign, how it could be constructed and construed – in other words, to show why divination is a craft of reading and writing divine signs.