The Language of Violence and War: A Study of Imagery in Lamentations and Contemporary Glavda

The research explores the ongoing relevance of Lamentations and its insights into the effects of violence and conflict, drawing parallels to the experiences of the Glavda community in North-Eastern Nigeria, impacted by the Boko Haram insurgency. It highlights that while these contexts differ in time, culture, and history, their shared responses to violence, conveyed through imagery, offer profound insights into human reactions to suffering and conflict. The study begins with an introduction (Chapter 1), establishing the research’s aim, theoretical framework, and a review of relevant literature. Chapter 2 analyses Lamentations, emphasising its foundational and secondary metaphors, which shape the text’s imagery. Chapter 3 shifts focus to Glavda context, exploring themes of conflict, social issues, and displacement, often expressed through traditional songs. Chapter four compared and analysed the coping mechanisms of pain and suffering within the contexts of Lamentations and Glavda. Chapter five contains the general summary, research findings, conclusion and recommendations. The research applied insights from CMT and RT to investigate the imagery employed in the contexts of Lamentations and Glavda. Analysing the diverse imagery in these contexts reveals the underlying factors influencing people’s interpretations and responses to violence. The research extensively utilised Shebanq queries to situate imagery in Lamentations within the HB, which sheds light on the development and utilisation of the imagery and their contexts within the respective HB books. The Shebanq queries in this research were based on their particular constructions in Lamentations. This means the key elements that form the imagery in Lamentations are searched to see their similar occurrences in other HB books. The research highlights the universal human experience of responding to violence and war, showing remarkable consistency in emotional reactions such as grief, psychological distress, and the pursuit of healing across cultures. Common metaphors, such as “people are animals” or “people are plants”, emphasise dehumanisation and fragility in the face of conflict. Geographic and cultural factors significantly shape these responses, as seen in Lamentations’ use of culturally symbolic gestures. Gender roles, for instance, shape metaphors in Lamentations (e.g., Jerusalem as a widow or bereaved mother), reflecting the ancient Judean societal context. Similarly, Glavda laments draw on culturally embedded symbols like the calabash for peace, showcasing the interplay between cultural ideologies and metaphorical expressions. The study finds that Glavda laments, while distinct, parallel Lamentations in their use of symbolic imagery to express loss and resilience. The findings in this research offer practical insights for translators, emphasising the need to account for cultural nuances in metaphor interpretation. For example, while “pouring out one’s heart” symbolises trust in Lamentations, it signifies calming anger in the Glavda context, underscoring the importance of context-sensitive translations. The study recommends further research on the motivations of perpetrators of violence, exploring the psychological or cognitive factors influencing their actions and the imagery they employ. Additionally, a trauma-focused approach could deepen understanding of how imagery helps individuals process and recover from violence. In conclusion, this research affirms that while the contexts of Lamentations and Glavda are distinct, their shared reliance on imagery reveals profound insights into human resilience, cultural diversity, and the enduring quest for healing in the aftermath of violence and conflict. Imagery bridges experience and expression, providing a versatile language to cope with the complexities of human suffering and recovery.