Review of Northrop Frye's "The Great Code: The Bible and Literature"

I welcome questions, comments, or concerns about the material contained in this video.
Rating: ***** (out of *****)
You can purchase this book at: www.amazon.com/...

[@alohm]

Picked a physical copy up in the thrift store. Tried reading it without a Bible refresher... I only made it a portion of the way.
So I spent the year studying the Bible again. And I am restarting the great code today. Excellent take. Thanks for the share.

[@NicholasOfAutrecourt]

You're very welcome. Thank you for leaving the kind words! By all means, let me know what you think of it once you finish it.

[@alohm]

@@NicholasOfAutrecourt This is one of the most difficult books I have come across. And the most wonderful. It is about narrative and myth and how it shapes our language and culture, and most importantly - ourselves... I wish the Bible aspect didn't put so many off... I love it and it has in turn birthed a love for the wisdom of the Bible, and that is beyond the context the book gives to us in other literature and language...

[@NicholasOfAutrecourt]

Oops, I originally posted this on the Ranciere video by mistake, but I wanted to tell you here:
You might also recommend Frye's "Anatomy of Criticism," which will help them better understand where he's coming from as a practicing literary critic. It's also widely read in theory courses, though I don't know how well it's known in Europe.

[@neilkeating9753]

Hello John. I much enjoyed your review.
I note your mention of Frye’s “exile of belief”. I see why. I come at TGC as a Christian. So I’m interested that Frye in later life said something like ‘I can’t believe the NT doesn’t have divine origin’.
Code is a wonderful book and our small Anglican Church is running a group to watch the UToronto 25 lectures.
Regards, Neil Keating. Auckland.

[@NicholasOfAutrecourt]

If he believed the New Testament was divine in origin, it's curious that he never explicitly says this in either this book or in "Words With Power," his other major book of Biblical criticism that was published just months before he died.

[@neilkeating9753]

@@NicholasOfAutrecourt agreed. I have to recant and apologise. Here’s what Frye said: “It would be absurd to see the NT as only a work of literature’. Very different of course from what I said.
I found that in a review of Robert Denham’s book on Frye. Title ‘NF: religious visionary etc’. Read it in First Things Dec 2005. Cheers.

[@oneilgerald]

I just read this book for a course! You really helped me remember all of the concepts! Thanks so much!

[@latoyabenjamin2952]

I found this review well developed and I am much more eager to begin reading the book. When he explained the stages I was able to relate. How are we supposed to interpret the Bible? The Bible is very complex and I find it intriguing by talking to my pastor to try to break it down to understand it on a deeper level. this is definitely something worth listening to!