The Great Whore of Babylon in the Vision of Apocalypse 17. A gender-informed approach bridging the gap between socio-historical and feminist-critical interpretations

The vision of Apocalypse 17 describes in a judgmental manner the Great Whore. Whereas nothing in her attire or adornment indicates the justification of such a title, sexual appellatives permeate her description thus confining her interpretation within certain boundaries. This research subjects the vision of the Great Whore to a feminist critique by employing various interpretative strategies, especially readers’ response in order to overcome the gap existing between socio-historical (traditional) interpretations of the Great Whore and feminist-critical (postmodern) ones. Preoccupied with analyzing the effects the text has on readers, the dissertation is ultimately a reaction to readings that conceive the Great Whore figuratively, as referring to a city. For this reason, I embrace the sexuality permeating the description of the Great Whore. The thematic approach currently described implies engaging with the vision of the Apocalypse afresh, by articulating the stand against the androcentric ideology in the text and inadequate treatment of feminine imagery. In this attempt, I fully acknowledge the power of the metaphorical expressions contained in the image of the Great Whore, as well as value the sources identified traditionally in the construction of this counter-creation of God. Ultimately, I offer a corrective approach in the textual treatment of the Great Whore, which is frequently read and interpreted in the light of Apocalypse 18. Intertextuality and intersubjectivity help maintain a balance while interpreting by constantly unmasking the ideological effects of Biblical texts, contained in particular generic expressions.