Dwelling in Fragility: Poetic Historiography and Historical Trauma in Chronicles with Resonance on the Trauma Fiction of Han Kang

This article explores how the book of Chronicles functions as a form of poetic historiography, a narrative strategy that ritually sustains communal memory of trauma through theological rhythm, literary structure, and liturgical repetition. In dialogue with the trauma fiction of Han Kang, the 2024 Nobel Laureate in Literature, the study draws literary and theological resonances between the Chronicler’s historiographical techniques and Han’s poetic prose. Both bodies of work preserve fragility and suffering without seeking resolution. By reframing Israel’s historical failures as sacred memory rather than erasure, the Chronicler invites postexilic readers to dwell within vulnerability and participate in communal hope. This trauma-informed reading of Chronicles expands current biblical scholarship by highlighting how sacred historiography can witness to suffering, shape identity, and offer a theological space for lament and restoration.