Three faces of a Queen: Characterization in the Books of Esther.

AuthorBerlin, Adele

By LINDA DAY. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series, 186. Sheffield: SHEFFIELD ACADEMIC PRESS, 1994. Pp. 254. [pounds]30, $45.

The three surviving texts of the Book of Esther - the Greek A text and B text and the Hebrew text of the MT - lend themselves to comparison. Usually the comparison is made for the purpose of textual criticism and/or the tracing of the growth and transmission of the story (source criticism and redaction criticism). Linda Day has engaged in the comparison for a literary purpose, to study how the characterization of Esther is achieved in each of the texts. Because Day has chosen a female character, one may detect, along with the literary interpretation she employs, elements of feminist interpretation (which often derive from literary analysis). The comparison is carefully done, and the author demonstrates her knowledge of the field of Esther studies and a sense of balance and good judgment in evaluating her data.

The book opens with an intelligent review of recent studies of Esther, and of studies of characterization. It then proceeds to a "comparative analysis" of the passages referring to Esther in the three texts. Each episode is presented in the original language and an English translation, and an analysis (basically a close reading) is given, bringing out any differences in content and emphasis. The focus is on the effect of the specific wording of each text on the characterization of Esther. This forms the main body of the volume and provides the data that is synthesized in the "comprehensive analysis," a chapter that is arranged topically and includes the following categories: the level and type of authority that Esther exhibits; the activity or passivity with which she acts; the emotions she expresses; how religious beliefs affect her; her relationships with the Jews, the king, Mordecai; how she views the Jews' adversaries and interacts with them; the way in which she exists in the Persian court; and her sexuality. A final chapter considers the implications of the study, and a good bibliography concludes the book.

What implications does Day draw from her study? She touches on the relationship of Esther to the Greek novels and concludes that they have little in common except for very general similarities. As for similarities between the books of Esther and Judith, Day outlines a number of much more striking resemblances. The real use that Day's study might serve, however, is to begin to...

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