What is subtext?
- Intentional subtext - imparted by the writer (e.g. Hays Code)
- Unintentional subtext - picked up by the audience
Both require close readings of the text. Both have plausible deniability.
David and Yonatan as a Case Study:
וַיְהִ֗י כְּכַלֹּתוֹ֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וְנֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן נִקְשְׁרָ֖ה בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ דָּוִ֑ד (ויאהבו) [וַיֶּֽאֱהָבֵ֥הוּ] יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן כְּנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
When [David] finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan’s soul became bound up with the soul of David; Jonathan loved David as himself.
(ג) וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת יְהוֹנָתָ֛ן וְדָוִ֖ד בְּרִ֑ית בְּאַהֲבָת֥וֹ אֹת֖וֹ כְּנַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (ד) וַיִּתְפַּשֵּׁ֣ט יְהוֹנָתָ֗ן אֶֽת־הַמְּעִיל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֔יו וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖הוּ לְדָוִ֑ד וּמַדָּ֕יו וְעַד־חַרְבּ֥וֹ וְעַד־קַשְׁתּ֖וֹ וְעַד־חֲגֹרֽוֹ׃
(3) Jonathan and David made a pact, because [Jonathan] loved him as himself. (4) Jonathan took off the cloak and tunic he was wearing and gave them to David, together with his sword, bow, and belt.
Compare to:
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֣ה הָעֵֽרָבוֹן֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶתֶּן־לָךְ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר חֹתָֽמְךָ֙ וּפְתִילֶ֔ךָ וּמַטְּךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֛הּ וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ וַתַּ֥הַר לֽוֹ׃
And he (Yehuda) said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She (Tamar) replied, “Your seal and cord, and the staff which you carry.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she conceived by him.
Back to our story:
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר שָׁא֗וּל אֶל־יוֹנָתָ֤ן בְּנוֹ֙ וְאֶל־כׇּל־עֲבָדָ֔יו לְהָמִ֖ית אֶת־דָּוִ֑ד וִיהֽוֹנָתָן֙ בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל חָפֵ֥ץ בְּדָוִ֖ד מְאֹֽד׃ (ב) וַיַּגֵּ֤ד יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ לְדָוִ֣ד לֵאמֹ֔ר מְבַקֵּ֛שׁ שָׁא֥וּל אָבִ֖י לַהֲמִיתֶ֑ךָ וְעַתָּה֙ הִשָּׁמֶר־נָ֣א בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֥ בַסֵּ֖תֶר וְנַחְבֵּֽאתָ׃ (ג) וַאֲנִ֨י אֵצֵ֜א וְעָמַדְתִּ֣י לְיַד־אָבִ֗י בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתָּ֣ה שָׁ֔ם וַאֲנִ֕י אֲדַבֵּ֥ר בְּךָ֖ אֶל־אָבִ֑י וְרָאִ֥יתִי מָ֖ה וְהִגַּ֥דְתִּי לָֽךְ׃ {ס}
(1) Saul urged his son Jonathan and all his courtiers to kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan was very fond of David, (2) and Jonathan told David, “My father Saul is bent on killing you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; get to a secret place and remain in hiding. (3) I will go out and stand next to my father in the field where you will be, and I will speak to my father about you. If I learn anything, I will tell you.”
Romeo and Juliet, Act I Prologue:
Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד מַה־תֹּאמַ֥ר נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וְאֶעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃ {פ}
Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want, I will do it for you.”
וַיּ֤וֹסֶף יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ לְהַשְׁבִּ֣יעַ אֶת־דָּוִ֔ד בְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹ אֹת֑וֹ כִּֽי־אַהֲבַ֥ת נַפְשׁ֖וֹ אֲהֵבֽוֹ׃ {ס}
Jonathan, out of his love for David, swore to him again, for he loved him as himself.
Note: This is now the second time Yonatan has 'sworn' or vowed himself to support David.
דָוִ֗ד קָ֚ם מֵאֵ֣צֶל הַנֶּ֔גֶב וַיִּפֹּ֨ל לְאַפָּ֥יו אַ֛רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ פְּעָמִ֑ים וַֽיִּשְּׁק֣וּ ׀ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֗הוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֔הוּ עַד־דָּוִ֖ד הִגְדִּֽיל׃
David emerged from his concealment at-q the Negeb. He flung himself face down on the ground and bowed low three times. They kissed each other and wept together; David wept the longer.
Context: David is about to go on the run and into hiding because Jonathan's father, Saul, wants to murder him. They were about to be separated for an unknown amount of time.
צַר־לִ֣י עָלֶ֗יךָ אָחִי֙ יְה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן נָעַ֥מְתָּ לִּ֖י מְאֹ֑ד נִפְלְאַ֤תָה אַהֲבָֽתְךָ֙ לִ֔י מֵאַהֲבַ֖ת נָשִֽׁים׃
I grieve for you,My brother Jonathan,You were most dear to me.Your love was wonderful to meMore than the love of women.
Questions:
- Was King David gay?
- What is the importance of representation? On screen or in Judaism?
- Can we assign anachronistic sexualities/contemporary identities on historical figures/characters?
"Good representation is important for many reasons, including: that it can be educational, that it affects how people are seen by others and how they feel seen themselves, and that it guides discourse about real people, places, and experiences. In the realm of culture, it subliminally dictates which issues are ‘important’ or ‘allowed’ into the mainstream, and which ones are excluded."
(https://youpress.org.uk/what-makes-good-media-representation/)
Positive media representation can be helpful in increasing self-esteem for people of marginalized groups (especially youth). Interpersonal contact and exposure through media representation can assist in reducing stereotypes of underrepresented groups. Representation in educational curricula and social media can provide validation and support, especially for youth of marginalized groups.
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/psychology-the-people/202112/why-representation-matters-and-why-it-s-still-not-enough)
לוּ שַׂר בְּנוֹ עַמְרָם פְנֵי דוֹדי וִיפִי קְוֻצוֹתָיו וְהוֹד יָפִיו מִתְאַדְּמִים הָעֵת שְׁתוֹת שֵׁכָר לֹא חַק בְּתוֹרָתוֹ וְאֶת זָכָר
If the son of Amram [Moses] had seen the face of my beloved, blushed when drunk, and his beautiful curls and wonderful hands, he would not have written in his Torah: do not lie with a man*"
*i.e. the Leviticus law disallowing homosexual acts
