Freeing Ahasuerus, Haman, and Mordechai: Liberating the Oppressor in the Book of Esther

Abstract

Abstract The approach taken in this essay proceeds from the assumption that the biblical text of Esther reflects a patriarchal ideology and it is largely the males in the story who wield the power. However, instead of examining the negative consequences for the female characters and how the patriarchal system forces them to operate, I look to the male characters to see how they fare in the system of patriarchy which they undoubtedly inhabit. In the first part of the essay, I consider the call issued by womanist and liberation theologians from traditionally marginalized communities for the need for liberation of both the oppressed and the oppressors from systems of oppression. In the second part of the essay, I respond to this call via an analysis of the book of Esther. First, I examine four different actions or attitudes that characterize the men in the story. Second, I observe some places where their power clearly brings them loss. Third, I argue that the destructive attitudes, actions, and relationships of the men in the story demonstrate their own need for liberation from the oppressive system of patriarchy from which they supposedly benefit.