The Portrayal Of Demonized Women In Ken Richards Delilah, By Kirk Richards

Recreations of biblical characters and their stories are common in the art world. However, the portrayal of demonized women, such as Jezebel or Delilah, is rarely done from a non-Hebrew perspective or from one that shows how their actions could be interpreted as good rather than cruel. In Kirk Richards' Delilah, the use of lighting, composition and symbolism within the painting mimic saintly portraiture to cast Delilah in a positive light as the savior of her people, instead of the common portrayal of her as a seductress or traitor. Through this depiction, Richards' shows the misogynistic and unjust nature of this story by changing the perspective from one that favors Samson to one that favors Delilah and the Philistines.
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Overall, through this depiction, the one sided narration of the story and its violent nature come to light. Usually, Delilah is a seemingly sexual and manipulative woman, whose sole purpose is to find Samson's weakness despite the fact that he is favored by God. However, Richards changes the way Delilah is presented, thus affecting the viewer's understanding of the narrative. From the perspective that sees Delilah as a Saint who acts out of concern for the Philistines, and the one that Richards emphasizes with the structure of his painting, Samson and his god are murderers who mercilessly cut down Delilah's people, especially considering Samson's final act of martyrdom is mass murder. In this context, not only is Delilah no longer described as traitorous, but she is actually the Saint and savior rather than Samson, despite the fact that Samson is the one chosen by God, a god that now appears unmerciful, unjust and cruel. In the end, it is thanks to her that Samson's reign ends and her people are saved until Samson's final act of