Queen Esther: The Wily Political Wife
Peggy Daly Pizzo
March 5, 2023
Background
Briefly, Esther, the beautiful former royal concubine made Queen by Ahasuerus, the King of Persia, defies a royal decree to appear before the king and then cleverly carries out a private "dinner-party" confrontation between the King and his advisor (and influential donor) Haman, who has persuaded the King to order the genocide of the Jews. During this confrontation, Esther courageously reveals herself to be Jewish and exposes the false and evil nature of Haman's behavior. Haman is punished and the decree is rescinded. (Esther 1-10).
Esther as a Courageous Risk Taker
Esther undertakes considerable peril in defying a royal decree to appear unbidden before the king--an act which, by decree, is to be met with death (Esther 4:11). The previous Queen, Vashti, suffers grievous consequences when she defies a different kind of royal decree, issued by Ahasuerus in a state of intoxication. Not only does Queen Vashti embarrass and infuriate the king by her noncompliance, but she also arouses the anxieties and ire of the male courtiers who openly express their concerns that other wives might become uppity and defiant towards their husbands, based on Queen Vashti's example (Esther 1:16-19).
Esther risks, at this moment of decision, not only the king's wrath and condemnation to death---but, even if she succeeds in avoiding that, the wrath of the influential male advisors to the king--always a serious risk for a "political wife."
A focus on Esther's courageous risk-taking in her singular approach to the king in his throne room might obscure the other risks she has taken, leading up to and following this decision. Some of these brave decisions include the choice to stay in communication with her adoptive (and Jewish) father Mordechai, even after he is disgraced and condemned by the cruel Haman and the Jews ordered to be massacred (Esther 4:4-19). Through the eunuchs and her maids, she even sends Mordecai clothes, after he has rent his and publicly resorted to sackcloth (Esther 4: 4-5). She also chooses to organize, from within a harem, a three-day public fast of all the imperiled Jewish people in the city of Shushan, and to fast herself, along with her maids, in solidarity with them (Esther 4: 16-18) : "Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast in my behalf; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast. Then I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish, I shall perish! " (Esther 4:16-17) From within the harem, she is allying herself (in an act that carried the risk of being exposed by her likely enemies within the harem) with the condemned Jewish people.
Finally, she chooses not only to reveal her own Jewish identity and plead for her life and that of her people but also to expose Haman, a previously highly trusted advisor to her husband, in a court where other men like Haman have clearly wielded considerable influence over the king and might not take kindly to witnessing a women's even more considerable influence--no matter what the issue (Esther 5:4-13; 7:1-9).
Esther as a Loving and Protective Wife
A political leader is always in danger of revolt and assassination (physical or political) by disgruntled and angry staff; by those desiring to claim leadership for themselves or by those deeply opposed to the leader's policies. Esther, with the support and advice of Mordechai, thwarts the efforts of two of the king's eunuchs to murder him (Esther 2: 21-23). Her genuine concern for the king and her willingness to take risks as an informant may have Increased his trust in her. And his receptivity to her sudden (uninvited) appearance in the throne room.
Esther as a Politically Astute Networker
Even as a young virgin new to the harem and this court, Esther shows her political savviness by befriending the eunuchs, who are essential sources of information about court life and the King. The eunuchs can also be couriers of messages to and from the outside world. Esther is then in turn befriended chiefly by the eunuch in charge, Hegai, who "treated her and her maids with special kindness." (Esther 2:9) Hegai then advises her as to what to bring with her on her first night with the king (Esther 2:15). The eunuchs and Esther's maids then bravely carry messages back and forth to the condemned Mordechai, actions essential to the success of overturning Haman's influence on the king.[1]
Esther is often portrayed as a beautiful woman, who was also brave. But Esther also uses astute intelligence, guile, and politically savvy charm to save the Jewish people from genocide. A harem to the ruler of the vast Persian Empire would have been an intensely political and competitive environment.[2] It would have taken great political skill to survive--and even succeed--in this court.
Esther as a Wily Political Hostess
Even as a queen, Esther wisely stays within the traditional political wife's "gracious hostess" role to set a cunning trap for Haman, who is completely taken in by the honor of the queen's invitation to dine with her and the King (Esther 5: 5-9; 7:1-9). A king will always need to keep his political advisors (and donors) happy, so Ahasuerus is also compliant with Esther’s agency as political wife/hostess in apparent support of his treasured courtier (Esther 5:5-9).
Haman is especially valuable to the king. He is not only a political advisor. He has just supplied the kingdom's treasury with a large sum of money, to finance the genocide of the Jewish people, whom Haman has convinced King Ahasuerus are his enemies (Esther 3: 8-11). During not the first, but the second dinner party, after even more trust in her has developed, Esther risks it all and reveals the evil nature of Haman's intrigues--in front of Haman (Esther 3:3-9).
Esther as (At Least Temporarily) Royal Advisor and Co-Ruler
Esther astutely understands the importance of a written royal decree to ensure the safety of the Jews and she persuades the King to issue one, with Mordecai (Esther 8:4-15). The King then seeks out her advice. Mordecai also issues an ordinance decreeing the annual observance of the Feast of Purim as a time of rejoicing over the genocidal forces that had been arrayed against them (Esther 9: 20-23). Esther then goes further and writes, in her own name, a second "letter of Purim with the purpose of confirming with full authority (emphasis mine) the aforementioned one of Mordecai." (Esther 9:29) This is an extraordinary act of female agency for the wife of a king in that era.
Esther as Executive, Ordering the Celebration of an Annual Jewish Religious and Cultural Festival: Purim
As noted above, Esther co-orders the future annual celebration of this escape from genocide in the community-wide festival of Purim. In this role, and with what may have been the active encouragement of (or at least permission of) the king, her actions to save the Jewish people are documented in writing and published. Thus, she becomes an influencer--for the ages--of Jewish culture.
Reflections
The story of Esther is one of female personal evolution as well as agency. Her growth from a (simply) beautiful young maiden to a resourceful and clever woman capable of acting courageously within a hugely patriarchal environment speaks of inner strength and intelligence. It is time to see her in the fullest sense of who she was.
[1] Since this role as couriers to the condemned Mordechai also carries considerable risks to the eunuchs and to Esther's maids, it raises the possibility that benevolent actions by Esther towards these individuals created some deep personal devotion to her. [2] One might rightfully assume that I have little knowledge of harems. However, on a trip to Istanbul, I was given a very informative tour of the exterior of Topkapi Palace, which long housed the large harems of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire. Although the tour was only of the exterior, due to renovations of the interior, the docent explained a great deal about life in that and similar harems. The only way that the women of the harem could secure their safety over time was by becoming the amorous favorite of the ruler--but also, and very importantly, the mother of his heirs. Thus, competition among the women could become brutal and even, on occasion lethal. See Jeffrey Hays, “HAREM OF THE OTTOMAN SULTAN | Facts and Details,” accessed May 23, 2022, https://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat65/sub424/entry-5880.html#chapter-0 for more information.
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