I'll Give Hugh Nibley Credit

[Solon]

I couldn't sleep last night and so I stayed up most of the night reading Nibley's little tract called "There Were Jaredites." It actually meshes nicely with my research in ancient Greece, since Nibley casts the book of Ether as a "record" of a "heroic" society, akin to the society immortalized in Homer's two epics and some other Ancient Near East traditions (e.g. Gilgamesh).

I've never read Ether as having epic overtones - the wandering heroes, the "god-like man" (brother of Jared), large-scale yet individualized warfare, a warrior's code, etc. Nibley's characters then suggest that historical/archaeological kernels of this story will be found, just as Schliemann found something at "Troy." But, "the world" of the epic will never really be found since it's a literary construction, not a historical narrative.

Nibley's only problem (and it's not his fault) is that he wrote it before the decryption of Linear B in the 1950s, which proved that the inhabitants of Mycenaean citadels were actually Greeks. This, coupled with more recent finds about the doubtfulness of a "Dorian Invasion" and the nature of Iron-Age (sometimes called "Dark Age") Greek society makes Nibley's paradigm a bit dated. But it's still a fun exercise.

Not to mention it's written as a dialogue in the Platonic style.

Don't read this short book if you're wanting "proof" of the Jaredites in the Americas. In fact, the more persuasive argument would be that the author of Ether had Homer's epic literature in mind when he penned (or chiseled) the story - an obvious anachronism. But do read it if you want to think about the book of Ether in a new way.

[FMCoug]

Does this mean I can watch Brother, Where Art Thou and count it as scripture study?

[JohnnyLingo]

In before SU's tirade.

It is an interesting read. I'm with you, in that it's not 100% compelling in its evidence, but overall not bad.

[All-American]

I couldn't sleep last night and so I stayed up most of the night reading Nibley's little tract called "There Were Jaredites." It actually meshes nicely with my research in ancient Greece, since Nibley casts the book of Ether as a "record" of a "heroic" society, akin to the society immortalized in Homer's two epics and some other Ancient Near East traditions (e.g. Gilgamesh).

I've never read Ether as having epic overtones - the wandering heroes, the "god-like man" (brother of Jared), large-scale yet individualized warfare, a warrior's code, etc. Nibley's characters then suggest that historical/archaeological kernels of this story will be found, just as Schliemann found something at "Troy." But, "the world" of the epic will never really be found since it's a literary construction, not a historical narrative.

Nibley's only problem (and it's not his fault) is that he wrote it before the decryption of Linear B in the 1950s, which proved that the inhabitants of Mycenaean citadels were actually Greeks. This, coupled with more recent finds about the doubtfulness of a "Dorian Invasion" and the nature of Iron-Age (sometimes called "Dark Age") Greek society makes Nibley's paradigm a bit dated. But it's still a fun exercise.

Not to mention it's written as a dialogue in the Platonic style.

Don't read this short book if you're wanting "proof" of the Jaredites in the Americas. In fact, the more persuasive argument would be that the author of Ether had Homer's epic literature in mind when he penned (or chiseled) the story - an obvious anachronism. But do read it if you want to think about the book of Ether in a new way.

It's a fun read. I have it in a book published along with "Lehi in the Desert" and "The World of the Jaradites." It definitely changed the way I look at the stories of the Book of Mormon.

[Solon]

Does this mean I can watch Brother, Where Art Thou and count it as scripture study?

Sure. Why not?

It's a fun read. I have it in a book published along with "Lehi in the Desert" and "The World of the Jaradites." It definitely changed the way I look at the stories of the Book of Mormon.

Yeah, that's the book I have. It's been sitting on my shelf for years, but I had never even flipped through it before last night.

[All-American]

You know, for all the flak Nibley gets because of his unorthodox methodology, the Mormon scholarly world owes him an awful lot. He is responsible for the realization among many LDS that serious scholarship can be-- and indeed, should be-- a part of Mormon culture. Many within the LDS scholastic world mention Nibley as one whose vision and insight were an inspiration to them. Many Nibley proteges are still around, including a few under whom I studied in the BYU classics department. Even the fact that years later, we are able to look back at his work and evaluate its deficiencies is a testament to his contribution.

[Solon]

You know, for all the flak Nibley gets because of his unorthodox methodology, the Mormon scholarly world owes him an awful lot. He is responsible for the realization among many LDS that serious scholarship can be-- and indeed, should be-- a part of Mormon culture. Many within the LDS scholastic world mention Nibley as one whose vision and insight an inspiration to them. Many Nibley proteges are still around, including a few under whom I studied in the BYU classics department. Even the fact that generations later, we are able to look back at his work and evaluate its deficiencies is a testament to his contribution.

Good points. I'm as hard on Nibley as anyone, but I think some of his essays are very insightful and creative ("Approaching Zion" is my favorite). If only because he sparks such reaction, Nibley would be hugely important. As it is, he has a lot of positive things to say as well.

Maybe I should be bugged, though, that he didn't put me to sleep last night.