The Two Decalogue In The Light Of Bakhtin's Discourse Theory

Exodus20:2-17 and Deuteronomy5:6-21 are two complete text of Ten Commandments in the Pentateuch.They are roughly the same,but there are several differences.In this paper,Bakhtin's discourse theory will be used to discuss the similarities and differences between the two Decalogue in the Pentateuch.We use the theory of absolute discourse to read the Decalogue.Bakhtin' discourse theory is to study long novels,so we need to identify the genre of the Bible.The special thing about the Bible is that it is a combination of many genres.The Bible accords with Bakhtin's definition of long novel.So we could use Bakhtin's discourse theory to read the Decalogue.Absolute discourse has the following characteristics: authority;the nobility of the environment;independence.The Decalogue belongs to the absolute discourse.Basically,absolute discourse cannot be described,but the Decalogue is with conversational nature.Because the Decalogue is a covenant between the Lord and the Israel,and is described by the author,containing the author's intention.The speech of others is the independence self-consciousness of the speaker.It reflects the image of the speaker.Therefore,the absolute discourse has an underlining.There are two ways to receive the word of the Lord in the Decalogue,one through the narrator's direct quote and the other through the fictional character.Dialogic is the key to Bakhtin's discourse theory.Reading the Decalogue dialogically,attention must be paid to the speaker and his words in the novel.The ten commandment of the Exodus shaped the image of a divine power and stern and kind——the Lord.While the ten commandment of the Deuteronomy shaped the image of a servant of the Lord and the leader of the nation——Moses.What kind of self-consciousness can take out from the words of the two different images? Then we'll focus the dialogue between the Lord and Moses.The word of the Lord is about the same as that of Moses except for three major differences.After analysis,the words of Moses strengthened the meaning of historical events,and emphasizes the guiding role of future practice.That is to say,Moses emphasizes that the Israel must believe in the covenant of the Lord,and to encourage the people by keeping promise.The change of Moses' discourse reflected the importance attached to the status of women and slaves.Land policy became popular and protected legal land.From these changes,Moses change the word to adapt to the changing social environment.It conforms to the development trend of the future society.The third chapter mainly analyzes the voice of the narrator.And what we need to say is,our study of the narrator is theoretical,not historical.The narrator asks Moses to repeat the ten Commandment,the object of the contract has changed in the present situation.And the Israel are at the border of the Promised Land.Reaffirming the commandment is a renewal of faith.The common meaning of the Decalogue reflects the meaning of history and the narrator's political conception of the law community.Reading the two texts of the Decalogue with Bakhtin's discourse theory,we can find the characters of the fiction and the image of discourse in the novel.At the same time,hidden conversations are also discovered.There is no doubt that Bakhtin's discourse theory enriches the reading of the Bible.