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This book is a short easy read. I think it's best done in one sitting to appreciate the story.
Now I know where Mario Puzzo got his inspiration for the last part of the Godfather.
Two things stand out in this book.
First and most obvious, a woman has major role in the story. Extremely rare in the Bible.
Second, God is COMPLETELY absent from the story. No input from the big guy. No one praising or praying to him. Just a story about hate, murder, revenge and power. Ala, The Godfather.
The book starts off with one of the most misogynistic pieces so far. A drunken King Ahasuerus want to parade his hot wife around for his friends at a party. She doesn't want to be treated as such and the result is the king and his buddies creating a law that commands women to submit to their husbands (I'm surprised this law didn't exist already!) Of course, the king is going to need a new wife! Enter Esther.
This is were the story gets good. I won't ruin the ending for you but let's just say the word Jew can easily be replaced with Corleone.
Obviously the Jews in this book believed in "Do unto others" but not the "as you would have them do unto you" part of the saying!
@Bruce,
ReplyDeleteObviously the Jews in this book believed in "Do unto others" but not the "as you would have them do unto you" part of the saying!
How so? Are you saying they didn't have the right to defend their lives? The didn't "Do unto others". Mordecai did not write a decree to kill anyone that was not a Jew did he? I remember reading the Jews could gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.(8:11)
I believe personally that the law of self-preservation gave Mordecai very good reason to write what he did.
I also noticed that they didn't take the spoil for a prey (9:10,15,16). Why would that be? You know that copy past job i do... ;-)
(MHC)
They slew none but those they found in arms; and therefore they did not take the spoil, but left it to the women and little ones, whom they spared, for their subsistence; otherwise as good slay them as starve them, take away their lives as take away their livelihoods. Herein they acted with a consideration and compassion will worthy of imitation.
By the king's (Mordecai's) order they had the right to kill the woman and little ones.(8:11) So you really have it backwards. "as you would have them do unto you" I think this would fit.
Esther was the best read yet! Quite the page turner. Admittedly after Chronicles anything with a plot is welcome. I think Ruth is still my favorite book thus far, but this is a close second. If not for the misogyny it could have had the top spot.
ReplyDeleteYep, a good read...although all I kept picturing was the film within the film, "Home for Purim," in Christopher Guest's "For Your Consideration" and Catherine O'Hara dressed as Queen Esther at the dinner table.
ReplyDelete