Tag Archives: genre classification

ON THE GENRE AND TERMINOLOGY OF REVELATORY TEXTS

This article explores various methodological approaches to studying apocalyptic visions and revelations, focusing on the challenges of genre classification and terminology within medieval Armenian texts. It examines how terms such as haytnutʿyun, tesil, and tesilkʿ appear in manuscript titles and are used in scholarly discourse. By analyzing their usage in both primary sources and modern scholarship, the study highlights the ambiguity these terms can create when attempting to define the literary nature of a given text.

The article argues that, while preserving the traditional terms associated with specific texts is important for purposes of identification, genre studies benefit from applying more precise classifications—such as the “apocalypse,” as defined in modern scholarship. These carefully drawn distinctions help differentiate between texts that may share thematic elements but differ in structure, content, or mode of revelation. Clarifying the genre and type of a text contributes to a better understanding of its place within the broader literary tradition, facilitates comparative analysis with similar works in other traditions, and supports a more systematic approach to the study of medieval Armenian revelatory texts.