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The Art of Persuasion and the Book of Ruth: Literary Devices in the Persuasive Speeches of Ruth 1:6–18

Drawing from contemporary studies in real-life persuasion, the present paper underscores its centrality in the book of Ruth. I investigate the persuasive elegance of the opening scene (1:6–18) and its representational importance to subsequent scenes of persuasion in Ruth. The paper describes specific literary devices deployed by Naomi and Ruth in their quest to persuade each other. In particular, it notes the persuasive effects of repetitions, rhetorical questions, hypothetical scenes, emotive language, polite addresses, and oath-swearing formulae. Additionally, I highlight the importance of these devices in the protagonists’ characterization, the book’s plot, and its narrative space.