The Narrative of Amnon and Tamar: Moral implications
The second book of Samuel narrates the violent history of the sons of King David (2 Samuel 13: 1-22). The author of the book understands the story of Amnon and Tamar as a narrative essay about violence. In the text, the author tries to problematize gender and power relations. Amnon acts driven by a fantasy of power without limits; his behavior is a fulfillment of his father’s sin with Bathsheba. The first two verses of the story are devoted to the presentation of the conflict and the people who will unfold in the story. After the presentation of Absalom as the son of David and his sister Tamar as a beautiful woman, the narrator introduces Amnon. It is reminder that he is also David's son. …show more content…
When your father comes to visit you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and encourage me to take food. If she prepares something in my presence, for me to see, I will eat it from her hand.’” (2 Samuel 13: 5). The situation sets forth by Jonabab points to Amnon seeing Tamar. Amnon was very clever and requested the king to send Tamar to his house and prepare some special delicacy for him. The request made by his son was very natural to his father and Tamar being a good daughter was flattered by the request of her father. On the other hand, the contrast between weakness and active royalty in Amnon is the fantasy of unlimited power. In this way, the narrator announces a possible way of developing the Amnon crisis. Amnon conceived a violent, passionate love for his sister Tamar, and desired to possess her no matter the consequences. David sends Tamar to his brother's house without being able to guess the degree of physical proximity that Amnon intends for …show more content…
Amnon overpowered Tamar and ended up forcing her. Amnon's emotional tension had increased to a point he could not control it. Unable to contain himself, he takes Tamar by force. Amnon develops a strange emotional behavior, he becomes agitated and intense. Apparently, Amnon loved Tamar to the point of weakening him; his emotions increased its intensity to cause different effects on the subject and the environment. He uses his manly powers to increase his hate toward Tamar: “Then Amnon felt intense hatred for her; the hatred he felt for her far surpassed the love he had had for her. Amnon said to her, ‘Get up, leave’” (2 Samuel 13: 15). His passionate love for her turned to bitter hate. He was a man and his gender roles were stronger than those of Tamar, who was innocent all the time. She did nothing bad, just showed her affection for a brother that was supposedly sick and per request of her father; she fell into a shameful trap. His mainly conduct reflects the domination men had over women at that time. Hence, for Tamar, the cowardly act done by the brother brought great shame to her. She was a virgin royal princess, due to the shame her brother exposed her to, “Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long tunic in which she was clothed. Then, putting her hands to her head, she went away crying loudly” (2 Samuel 13:
The second book of Samuel narrates the violent history of the sons of King David (2 Samuel 13: 1-22). The author of the book understands the story of Amnon and Tamar as a narrative essay about violence. In the text, the author tries to problematize gender and power relations. Amnon acts driven by a fantasy of power without limits; his behavior is a fulfillment of his father’s sin with Bathsheba. The first two verses of the story are devoted to the presentation of the conflict and the people who will unfold in the story. After the presentation of Absalom as the son of David and his sister Tamar as a beautiful woman, the narrator introduces Amnon. It is reminder that he is also David's son. …show more content…
When your father comes to visit you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and encourage me to take food. If she prepares something in my presence, for me to see, I will eat it from her hand.’” (2 Samuel 13: 5). The situation sets forth by Jonabab points to Amnon seeing Tamar. Amnon was very clever and requested the king to send Tamar to his house and prepare some special delicacy for him. The request made by his son was very natural to his father and Tamar being a good daughter was flattered by the request of her father. On the other hand, the contrast between weakness and active royalty in Amnon is the fantasy of unlimited power. In this way, the narrator announces a possible way of developing the Amnon crisis. Amnon conceived a violent, passionate love for his sister Tamar, and desired to possess her no matter the consequences. David sends Tamar to his brother's house without being able to guess the degree of physical proximity that Amnon intends for …show more content…
Amnon overpowered Tamar and ended up forcing her. Amnon's emotional tension had increased to a point he could not control it. Unable to contain himself, he takes Tamar by force. Amnon develops a strange emotional behavior, he becomes agitated and intense. Apparently, Amnon loved Tamar to the point of weakening him; his emotions increased its intensity to cause different effects on the subject and the environment. He uses his manly powers to increase his hate toward Tamar: “Then Amnon felt intense hatred for her; the hatred he felt for her far surpassed the love he had had for her. Amnon said to her, ‘Get up, leave’” (2 Samuel 13: 15). His passionate love for her turned to bitter hate. He was a man and his gender roles were stronger than those of Tamar, who was innocent all the time. She did nothing bad, just showed her affection for a brother that was supposedly sick and per request of her father; she fell into a shameful trap. His mainly conduct reflects the domination men had over women at that time. Hence, for Tamar, the cowardly act done by the brother brought great shame to her. She was a virgin royal princess, due to the shame her brother exposed her to, “Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long tunic in which she was clothed. Then, putting her hands to her head, she went away crying loudly” (2 Samuel 13: