The Banquet Of Women Depicted In The Book Of Esther
From the beginning of the story of Esther on, social position is very important (Day, pp. 24). The book of Esther opens with an elaborate description of banquets organized by king Ahasuerus, first for all his officials and ministers (180 days) and later for all the people present in the citadel of Susa (7 days) as a display of “the wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and pomp of his majesty” (NSRV, Esther 1:4). However, in Esther 1:9 we read that queen Vashti “gave a banquet for the women” (NSRV), indicating that the king’s banquets were for men only. Her banquet does not have an elaborate description like the king’s banquets have. This could indicate that a banquet for women only was not regarded as very important (Day, pp. 31). The banquet could
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be held to occupy the women, who were not invited to the king’s banquet, while their men enjoyed themselves. This would be a case of gender discrimination (Day, pp. 31).
But maybe women were invited to both the king’s banquet and the queen’s banquet. They might have simply preferred to be in the company of other women (Day, pp. 31). Another explanation could be that it was not believed to be appropriate to include the royal queen in immoral social occasions, and that therefore she had her own, more formal gathering (Reid, pp. 83). During the king’s banquets however, alcohol was flowing, and on the seventh day of his second banquet, the drunk king ordered to bring Queen Vashti before him to show off her beauty (Esther 1:10-11). However, queen Vashti refused to be used as a sex object (Esther 1:12). While in the ancient world her dignity would be viewed as motivated by ancient standards of rank (Fox), her act is often seen as a feminist act in the contemporary Western society. In feminist interpretations, Vashti is often interpreted as a strong character who “challenges the male behavior of a patriarchal society that was structured around power and abuse in political and personal relationships” (Reid, pp. 95). However, Reid argues that the first chapter of the book of Esther, and the description of queen Vashti mainly serve to set the story and not to highlight a theme (Reid, pp.
96). And the first chapter certainly sets the place of women at court: women were expected to obey men.
be held to occupy the women, who were not invited to the king’s banquet, while their men enjoyed themselves. This would be a case of gender discrimination (Day, pp. 31).
But maybe women were invited to both the king’s banquet and the queen’s banquet. They might have simply preferred to be in the company of other women (Day, pp. 31). Another explanation could be that it was not believed to be appropriate to include the royal queen in immoral social occasions, and that therefore she had her own, more formal gathering (Reid, pp. 83). During the king’s banquets however, alcohol was flowing, and on the seventh day of his second banquet, the drunk king ordered to bring Queen Vashti before him to show off her beauty (Esther 1:10-11). However, queen Vashti refused to be used as a sex object (Esther 1:12). While in the ancient world her dignity would be viewed as motivated by ancient standards of rank (Fox), her act is often seen as a feminist act in the contemporary Western society. In feminist interpretations, Vashti is often interpreted as a strong character who “challenges the male behavior of a patriarchal society that was structured around power and abuse in political and personal relationships” (Reid, pp. 95). However, Reid argues that the first chapter of the book of Esther, and the description of queen Vashti mainly serve to set the story and not to highlight a theme (Reid, pp.
96). And the first chapter certainly sets the place of women at court: women were expected to obey men.