A reaction to Jan Konst

In this response, F.-W. Korsten argues that J Konst has unjustly accused a modern rhetorical approach to historical texts of being a-historical. A mod ern rhetorical approach to literature differs from a classically oriented a pproach in the sense that it has a wider range and even encompasses the lat ter. In relation to the possibility of reading the text in the light of dif ferent positions, it is then argued that Vondel named Jeptha's daughter 'If is' after a story by Ovid, in order to indicate that the father kills the d aughter willingly and knowingly.