French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Hetzel, The Queen of Sheba: From Traditions to Literary Myth
Other Literary Studies

Aurélia Hetzel, The Queen of Sheba: From Traditions to Literary Myth

Paris: Classiques Garnier, "Comparative Perspectives" series, 2012.

EAN 9782812405051.

Price: 49 EUR

724 p.

Publisher's description:

The story of the Queen of Sheba, which can be found in the Bible, the Quran, and various traditions, has enjoyed a rich legacy in literature and the arts. Analyzing the ways in which the Queen of Sheba appears allows us to view these works in terms of relays, detours, and variations, revealing that in the collective imagination, the Queen of Sheba is an ideal model and her myth an exemplary story.

Aurélia Hetzel examines how the legendary figure of the Queen of Sheba evolved across sacred texts and secular traditions, shaping the collective imagination in Western and Eastern cultures. By tracing her presence through centuries of literature and the arts, the study highlights the mechanisms of cultural transmission, showing how a foundational narrative is continually reinterpreted through literary variations and artistic detours.

This scholarly volume contributes to comparative literature and mythography, offering valuable insights for researchers and students interested in the afterlife of biblical and Koranic archetypes. It addresses how figures from antiquity are transformed into ideal models and exemplary stories, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the persistent resonance of the Queen of Sheba in modern and pre-modern creative works.