Literary Devices – Esther 2¹

Literary Allusions

The description of Achashverosh's search for a wife contains allusions to several other stories in Tanakh:

• David's search for a virgin to keep him warm in his old age (Melakhim I 1)
• Yosef's gathering of food during the years of famine (Bereshit 41)
• The embalming of Yaakov (Bereshit 50) 

 

 

 

In all three cases, the similarity in language and uniqueness² of the phrases employed suggest that these are intentional allusions rather than coincidental parallels. As is often the case, though, it is the differences between the verses which reveal the author's message, a scathing critique of Achashverosh's attitude towards women:

• One woman or all – While King David searched for but one fitting woman ("נַעֲרָה יָפָה"), Achashverosh gathers unto him all the virgins of the kingdom ("כָּל נַעֲרָה"). While David does not have relations ("וְהַמֶּלֶךְ לֹא יְדָעָהּ") even with his single choice, Achashverosh sleeps with all ("...בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה"), only to later discard them to be untouched again for the rest of their lives.
• Women and wheat – Achashverosh appoints officers to gather all women to him, while Yosef does the same to collect wheat. The parallel language ("וְיַפְקֵד פְּקִדִים... וְיִקְבְּצוּ אֶת כָּל") leads to the inevitable conclusion that for Achashverosh, the women were mere food, there to satisfy an insatiable appetite.
• Anointing and embalming – The comparison of the women's preparations to the embalming of Yaakov's corpse ("כִּי כֵּן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי הַחֲנֻטִים / מְרוּקֵיהֶן") suggests that Achashverosh did not treat these women as living people, but rather as merely bodies. All the time the women spent preparing for a potential wedding was, in reality, preparation for a lifetime in a harem, a funeral of sorts.

Internal Structure – Parallel Halves

The chapter can be viewed as composed of two parallel halves:

 

• Shushan’s maidens – The opening section of each half focuses on Shushan's maidens, not mentioning Esther at all.  In the first half, the king’s young servants  propose gathering young girls and letting them be provided with cosmetics, whereas the parallel segment describes the idea in action – the gathering of the girls and a detailed description of the period spent beautifying them.
• Esther, the adopted daughter – After describing all of the maidens, the narrative shifts to a discussion of Esther and her special relationship to Mordechai. This is appropriate in the first half, the exposition of the characters. The repetition of this information in the description of Esther’s turn, in the parallel segment of the second half, surprises the reader. The repeated expression "who had adopted her as his own daughter" emphasizes the relationship between Esther and her cousin.
• The taking of Esther – The next stage, in both halves, describes the taking of Esther. In the first half, Esther is taken under the supervision of Hegai, and in the second half, she comes even nearer to the king, being taken to the palace. 
• Finding favor – Esther wins the favor of each of the two men she encounters, and the development is noteworthy.  In the first half, Esther "won the favor" of Hegai, whereas in the second half, she "won the grace and favor" of the king. Moreover, the king "loves" Esther, a verb that conveys particularly strong emotion
• Hiding of nationality – The big surprise of this scene appears at the end of each half, with the repetition of the description of Esther’s relationship to Mordechai. In the first half, Esther refuses to divulge her nationality because of Mordechai’s command, and even in the second half – after being selected as queen – Esther continues obeying Mordechai. Here, the narrative emphasizes their connection in a most obvious manner: "as she had done when she was under his tutelage".

The literary structure of this representation intimates several messages hidden under the formal narrative surface:

• Esther versus the maidens – The beginning of each half stands in contrast with its continuation, highlighting how deeply Esther differs from all of the other maidens. The text devotes much detail to the numerous ways in which the girls could doll themselves up. Whereas the other women took advantage of the full range of possibilities at their disposal, Esther asked for nothing. The disparity between the portrait of "each girl’s turn" (v. 12) and Esther’s turn (v. 13) expresses the fundamental disparity between the worlds and values of the respective characters.
• Esther's success – Esther’s passivity contrasts with her sudden and overwhelming success.  At first, Esther finds favor in Hegai’s eyes (v. 9), and even in v. 15, the text develops the events involving Esther by first saying: "Esther won favor in the eyes of all who saw her".  Yet, in the description of the Achashverosh reaction to Esther, a new verb is utilized, quite surprising in the Shushanite context: “The king loved Esther more than all the other women” (v. 17). In light of the narrative’s portrait of the king, his being suddenly captivated by love for one of the women surprises the reader and, it seems, wins a point in Esther’s favor.
• Esther's personal tragedy – The unit’s structure and verbal texture also allude to Esther’s personal tragedy.  The narrative mentions Mordechai twice, thereby forming a sort of literary inclusio for the story of Esther in the royal courtyard. Note the verb לקח which the text utilizes in each of these descriptions:  Mordechai adopted ("לְקָחָהּ") her as his own daughter.  The verb is soon repeated in the context of Esther's arrival at the palace:  "Esther too was taken ("וַתִּלָּקַח") into the king’s palace".  Employing the same verb directs the reader’s attention to the hidden tension between these two "takings" and to the personal tragedy which Esther undergoes.

Alternative Internal Structure – Chiasm

One can alternatively view the chapter as a chiasm, with an a-b-c-d-e-d-c-b-a structure:

 

According to this option, the chiastic structure serves to highlight how Esther surpassed expectations in becoming queen, differentiating herself from the other contestants. 

• From pleasure to love – While the king looked to replace Vashti with "one who would please him", in the end he "loves Esther."   Esther thus moves from under the supervision of Hegai, closer to the king.
• Gracing all – At first, Esther only finds favor in the eyes of Hegai, by the second half of the story she graces all who see her.  
• Esther versus Persian maidens – The structure also highlights the vast gap between Esther and the other maidens.  Most of the women, immersed in the superficiality of Persian culture, take advantage of the spices and make up at their disposal, immersing themselves for months.  Esther, though, does not ask for anything.

Parallel Stories

Esther’s personal tragedy stands out in the comparison between this scene and a similar story in Bereshit 12, the taking of Sarah:

 

The similarity between the two stories is apparent and emphasizes that just as it would be difficult to present the story of Abram and Sarai as a successful Cinderella story, so Esther’s being taken to the king’s palace is more heartbreaking than happy.  In essence, a comparison of the two stories shows the tragedy of Esther’s situation even more: after Hashem protects Sarai, she leaves unhurt and returns to Abram’s arms.  Esther, though, remains in the Persian king’s palace for the remainder of her life.