“Joseph is the wearisomest and self-righteous Pharisee who ever ransacked the Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses on his neighbor.”
Analysis of Emily Brontë's Quote
In this quote, Emily Brontë is critiquing Joseph, a character from her novel "Wuthering Heights." By describing him as "the wearisomest and self-righteous Pharisee," Brontë is comparing Joseph to the Pharisees, who were known for their strict adherence to religious laws. She accuses Joseph of twisting the teachings of the Bible to suit his own selfish purposes, using promises to benefit himself and curses to condemn others. This quote highlights Brontë's disdain for Joseph's hypocrisy and religious arrogance. By aligning him with the Pharisees, she reveals her belief that Joseph's actions are morally reprehensible and betray a lack of true faith and compassion.
Modern Relevance
Emily Brontë's quote about Joseph being a self-righteous Pharisee who twists scripture to his benefit can be seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers of using religion to judge and condemn others in a hypocritical manner.
Emily Brontë criticizes a character named Joseph
"Joseph is the wearisomest and self-righteous Pharisee who ever ransacked the Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses on his neighbor.”
Reflecting on Emily Brontë's Quote
As we consider this quote by Emily Brontë, it prompts us to reflect on the character of Joseph as described. Here are some questions to help deepen our understanding and reflection on this statement:
- How does Emily Brontë's characterization of Joseph as wearisome and self-righteous impact your perception of his personality and actions?
- In what ways do you see Joseph as someone who uses religious texts to justify his behavior and beliefs, even at the expense of others?
- Do you believe there are parallels between Joseph's behavior and the actions of individuals or groups you have encountered in your own life?
- How does the concept of self-righteousness manifest itself in society and its impact on relationships between individuals?
- In what ways can we guard against falling into the trap of self-righteousness and judgment of others, as exemplified by Joseph in this quote?
Similar quotes
“He was, and is yet, most likely, the wearisomest, self-righteous pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself, and fling the curses on his neighbours.”
“But the disciple had the advantage over the Pharisee in that his doing of the law is in fact perfect. How is such a thing possible? Because between the disciples and the law stands one who has perfectly fulfilled it, on with whom they live in communion...Jesus not only possesses this righteousness, but is himself the personal embodiment of it. He is the righteousness of the disciples...This is where the righteousness of the disciple exceeds that of the Pharisees; it is grounded solely upon the call to fellowship with him who alone fulfills the law.”
“I think most decent people would be horrified at what happens today, even in our enlightened country. There are still mean, self-righteous Pharisees, who have a sick need to punish others whose troubled lives they can never begin to understand, much less feel compassion for.”
“The heart of the Pharisee is within us all, to redefine God's law so it doesn't apply to me anymore. It applies to my neighbor but not to me.”
“When Pharoah restored the chief butler to his position as foretold by Joseph in his interpretation of the butler's dream, he forgot Joseph. "Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph but forgot him." (Genesis 40:23). Why does the Bible use this repetitive language? It is obvious that if the butler forgot Joseph, he did not remember him. Yet both verbs are used, "not remembering" and "forgetting." The Bible, in using this language, is teaching us a very important lesson. There are events of such overbearing magnitude that one ought not to remember them all the time, but one must not forget them either. Such an event is the Holocaust.”