In “The Hero Pattern and the Life of Jesus,” my old folklore professor Alan Dundes offers a psychoanalytic approach to interpreting the life of Jesus. Read the brief excerpt (page 211, paragraph 3 – page 216) and answer the following questions. (Feel free to read the entire chapter if you like.):
● How is the life of Jesus a reflection of family dynamics in the culture area in which it originated (circum-Mediterranean)?
● How does Jesus achieve the “Oedipal ideal of being his own begetter”?
● Do you think this interpretation is effective or are there flaws in Dundes’ framework? Explain your answer with evidence.
Sample Solution