Bibliography: BIB28869

web link	bahai-library.com/bibliography/BIB28869
reference type	Journal Article
title	Genesis in King Lear : Joseph’s Many Colored Coat Suits Shakespeare
journal	Journal of Bahá'í Studies
author	Lysaght, Tom
authority control	Tom Lysaght
year	2019
date	Fall 2019
issue	3
volume	29
abstract	A luminary of five religions, Joseph of Egypt looms larger than life. Bahá’u’lláh even likens Himself to “the Divine Joseph” (Gleanings 103:4). However, Joseph’s gradual unveiling as a minor prophet also renders him humanly relatable in ways a Manifestation of God can never be. In the West, Shakespeare and the Bible have each served as paths to knowledge, and their union a way to wisdom. That assertion proves especially true upon comparing Joseph’s odyssey of becoming with Edgar’s in King Lear. Both the prophet and the fictional character, each brother-betrayed, transform unjust adversity into psychological and spiritual growth. They each attain an exemplary sovereignty of self over and above their separate temporal kingships. A comparison of the two affords a deeper appreciation of Joseph’s prominent place in scripture, particularly in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh.
language	English
keywords	JOSEPH (SON OF JACOB); SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM. KING LEAR; EDGAR (CHARACTER IN KING LEAR); BETRAYAL; ADVERSITY; GROWTH
pages	83–96