The story of joy : from the Bible to late Romanticism /

Describing this volume as an exercise in "cultural philology," Potkay (English, College of William & Mary) traces the various meanings of "joy" in texts ranging from the Old Testament through Romantic poetry, with some comments on a recent movie, American Beauty (1999). The "story" is interdisciplinary and informed by the author's wide-ranging reading; he also provides most of the translations--from Greek, Latin, and several of the languages of medieval Europe, as well as from modern languages. According to Potkay, the word "joy" means much more than an extreme form of happiness. Old Testament authors seem to use the word as a sign of God's revenge, medieval French poets use it to signify erotic pleasure, and William Blake uses it to describe troubling the Almighty. This reviewer is unconvinced that the meaning of the word can ever be fixed. The real question about this book is one of audience. The primary readers are likely to be advanced scholars; the good bibliography may extend the book's audience somewhat. Summing Up: Graduate students and researchers. J. R. Griffin University of Southern Colorado