Comments on: The tale/tail of Vashti http://jimgetz.org/2008/10/21/the-taletail-of-vashti/ The musings and wanderings of an academician. Wed, 09 May 2012 22:45:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: jimgetz http://jimgetz.org/2008/10/21/the-taletail-of-vashti/#comment-929 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:16:19 +0000 http://jimgetz.wordpress.com/?p=369#comment-929 Maureen,

Thanks for your comments. I’m not sure I’d go so far as saying Esther had a “Cinderella situation”. It strikes me more as “Ms America meets the Kit Kat Ranch”. Though I think you’re spot on with the Scheherazade.

]]> By: Maureen http://jimgetz.org/2008/10/21/the-taletail-of-vashti/#comment-926 Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:25:34 +0000 http://jimgetz.wordpress.com/?p=369#comment-926 This seems much more like the dilemma of the faithful samurai serving a rotten master. Vashti refused to walk into the midst of a drunken mob, and especially not wearing her royal crown. Then the jerk councilor seized the opportunity to get rid of her. (Possibly after setting her up, but possibly just because drunken jerks hate sober and dignified queens.)

This allows us to introduce and explain the Cinderella situation of Esther, but puts her in almost a Scheherazade situation: it’s obvious that being queen is not going to be fun or easy. A wise woman is always thinking both defensively and offensively, and the wife of a powerful man can’t trust her husband not to be a crazy drunk who loves to impress his friends.

But that’s just my interpretation…. :)

]]> By: Erik http://jimgetz.org/2008/10/21/the-taletail-of-vashti/#comment-904 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:15:33 +0000 http://jimgetz.wordpress.com/?p=369#comment-904 that’s what I mean by the HB trying to highlight Esther. It’s making an underscore of the power of a strong but obedient wife….maybe…

]]> By: jimgetz http://jimgetz.org/2008/10/21/the-taletail-of-vashti/#comment-902 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:17:59 +0000 http://jimgetz.wordpress.com/?p=369#comment-902 I’m inclined to agree with you, Erik, accept for this bit in Memucan’s advice: “For this deed of the queen will be made known to all women, causing them to look with contempt on their husbands”. However, you’re right, the two are deeply intertwined.

]]> By: Erik http://jimgetz.org/2008/10/21/the-taletail-of-vashti/#comment-901 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:02:13 +0000 http://jimgetz.wordpress.com/?p=369#comment-901 It seems like historically the gender roles bit would have been less of a problem (even though HB focuses on it, probably to highlight Esther) and more the refusal (especially publicly) of the king. You just don’t do that and live typically, wife or no wife. This is a society where turning your hat upside down in such a way that it resembles the crown means you die.

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