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Literary notes about Kin (AI summary)

The word kin in literature functions not only as a marker of blood relations but also as a symbol of broader social and emotional bonds. It is often deployed to stress both literal family ties and more expansive affiliations, as when ancient texts impose strict boundaries around familial intimacy, insisting that "no man shall approach" someone "near of kin" [1] and later emphasizing the inescapability of those bonds in royal or tragic contexts [2]. In historical narratives, kin may denote a lineage or even a principled connection between groups, as illustrated by its usage referring to noble or official kin in medieval settings [3]. At times the term is harnessed with irony or colloquial vigor, where contemporary voices bring the familiar sound of kinship into everyday dialogue, blurring the line between innate loyalty and a more casual camaraderie [4, 5]. Throughout the literary spectrum, kin, whether celebrated as a sacred tie or treated with playful subversion, emerges as a flexible concept that enriches the portrayal of relationships, community ties, and the intricate web that binds individuals together.
  1. No man shall approach to her that is near of kin to him, to uncover her nakedness.
    — from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete
  2. To you and all the world are known The perils of a monarch's throne, While foe and stranger, kith and kin By his misfortune trust to win.
    — from The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Valmiki
  3. "The Kin, in the thirteenth century, used badges of office made of silver.
    — from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo and da Pisa Rusticiano
  4. He said dey ain’t nobody kin save his own self—can’t do it by faith, can’t do it by works, can’t do it no way at all.
    — from The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain
  5. So—you’s got to show him what you kin do in de nex’ few days.
    — from The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain

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