BiBLiOTHECA SACRA 159 (July-September 2002): 277-87

PLOT STRUCTURE IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER

Forrest S. Weiland

THE FIRST ARTICLE IN THIS SERIES investigated the literary genre and narrative design of the Book of Esther, showing how they support the book's historicity and aid in clarifying

the type of message the reader can expect.1 This article analyzes the plot structure of the book. The setting, major conflicts, and resolutions provide the literary framework on which the author builds his message.

P L O T STRUCTURE

At least as early as Aristotle literary critics recognized the main components of a plot. Aristotle believed that a plot contains three foundational elements: a beginning, a middle, and an end.2 Modern scholars cite the same elements. For example Wilcoxen identifies the beginning, middle, and end as the ingredients that constitute a plot and says tha t they "contribute to the buildup and release of dramatic tension."3 Similarly others speak of setting, conflict, and resolution, or setting, plot complication, and denouement. These plot elements can be observed in the story of Esther.

Forrest S. Weiland is a Greater Europe Mission missionary and an adjunct faculty member, Christian Heritage College, El Cajon, California.

* This is the second of four articles in the series "Literary Art in the Book of Esther."

1 Forrest S. Weiland, "Historicity, Genre, and Narrative Design in the Book of Esther," Bibliotheca Sacra 159 (April-June 2002): 151-65.

2 K. A. Telford, Aristotle's Poetics: Translation and Analysis (South Bend, IN: Gateway, 1961), 15.

3 Jay A. Wilcoxen, "Narrative," in Old Testament Form Criticism, ed. John H. Hayes, Trinity University Monograph Series in Religion (San Antonio: Trinity Uni­versity Press, 1974), 2:93.

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SETTING

The word "setting" refers to "the temporal and spatial environment of the action of a narrative."4 Ryken indicates that a setting usually refers to the physical, temporal, and cultural environment tha t provides the necessary background to the action in the story.5 The author of Esther did not specify the date in the way a modern historiographer might do; but he did identify the location, the empire, the king, and years of his reign, all of which are relevant to the story (Esth. 1:1-3; 2:16; 3:7).6

In the opening verses the narra tor carefully described the geographical extent and cultural environment of Ahasuerus 's kingdom (1:1-9). The lavish description of the 180-day banquet at the palace presents this king's pomp, vast wealth, and power (vv. 4-7). A series of descriptive terms work together to portray an opulent setting.7 The major conflicts of the story occur against this background.

M A J O R CONFLICTS AND RESOLUTIONS

A conflict or series of conflicts t ha t moves dramatical ly and chronologically toward a resolution compose a plot.8 In his analysis of Hebrew narrat ives Ska distinguishes between three kinds of narrat ive plots: those involving (1) a change of knowledge, (2) a

Webster's Third New International Dictionary (Springfield, MA: Merriam, 1971), 2079.

Leland Ryken, How to Read the Bible as Literature and Get More Out of It (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984), 35. 6 The events in the Book of Esther took place between 486 B.C. and 465 B.C. in King Ahasuerus's palace in Susa, the capital city of the Persian Empire (F. B. Huey Jr., "Esther," in The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 4 [Grand Rapids: Zonder­van, 1988], 788). Many Jews did not return to Israel after Cyrus issued his decree to allow them to do so (Ezra 1-6). Historically the story of Esther takes place between the events of chapters 6 and 7 of the Book of Ezra. 7 These include riches, royal glory, splendor, great majesty, fine white and violet linens, cords of fine purple linen on silver rings, marble columns, couches of gold and silver, mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, precious stones, golden vessels, and bountiful wine. 8 Ryken, How to Read the Bible as Literature and Get More Out of It, 40. Anthony C. Thiselton observes that chronological movement and human conflict make a plot interesting. "Narrative, therefore constructs a coherent logic, but by presenting a plot temporally, concretely, and in terms of human interrelations, it carries those readers along who might remain uninvolved or unimpressed by abstract logical argument, the force of which is atemporal" (New Horizons in Hermeneutics [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992], 482).

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change of situation, or (3) a change of values.9 In a plot involving a change of knowledge the reader knows at the end of the story what was unknown at the beginning. In a plot involving a change of situation a transformation of the circumstances takes place. And in a plot involving a change of values a transformation in the lives of the characters occurs. Ska maintains that a good narrative usually employs all three kinds of plot.10

Aspects of all three are evident in the Book of Esther. For example, a change of knowledge takes place in the shocking revelation at the second banquet when both Haman and Ahasuerus learn that Esther was of Jewish descent. However, the dominating plot type concerns a change of situation, most clearly seen in the reversal of Hainan's plan to annihilate the Jews. The situation at the end of the story is dramatically different from the situation at the beginning. The third type of plot mentioned by Ska, a change of values (or transformation of the main characters), is perhaps the most subtle plot type in Esther and yet is significant because it communicates the author's message. The narrator did not directly reveal a spiritual or ethical change in the lives of either Esther or Mordecai. But he did chronicle Esther's accession to the position of queen and Mordecai's elevation to second-in-command in the Persian Empire. Most notable is the transformation of Mordecai's initial desire to conceal that Esther was of Jewish descent (2:10, 20). Ironically the unfolding drama did not permit Mordecai, Esther , or the Jews to keep their identity secret, for events compelled them to an open display of fasting. Ultimately the turn of events and the Jews' emergence from anonymity led them to experience great favor among the multitude (2:10, 20; 4:3-4, 8, 14; 10:3).n

As mentioned above, the predominant plot form in Esther concerns a change of situation. The story is built around three conflicts tha t chronicle this change. The first conflict—between Queen Vashti and King Ahasuerus (1:10-22)—had only an indirect connection to the following conflicts, but it was foundational to the rest of the story. This initial conflict set the stage for Esther's rise to queenship. The second conflict arose when Mordecai refused to

Jean Louis Ska, Our Fathers Have Told Us Introduction to the Analysis of He­brew Narratives (Rome Editrice Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 1990), 19 For a further discussion of plots see Shimon Bar-Efrat, Narrative Art in the Bible, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Senes (Sheffield Almond, 1989), 93-140

1 0 Ska, Our Fathers Have Told Us, 19

This will be explored further in the final article in this series

280 BiBLiOTHECA SACRA / July-September 2002

bow down to Haman (3:5). The third conflict, an outworking or complication of the second, surfaced when Haman planned to annihilate the Jews (3:6). These last two conflicts developed simultaneously but arrived at separate resolutions.

THE CONFLICT BETWEEN KING AHASUERUS AND QUEEN VASHTI

Vashti disrupted the festivities and created the initial conflict in the Book of Esther when she defied the command of King Ahasuerus, who wanted her to display her beauty before his military establishment.12 The author did not explain the reason for Queen Vashti's disobedience; however, in light of ensuing events, it is clear that her insubordination set the stage for Esther's rise to prominence. This initial conflict has both comical and satirical overtones. First, her refusal came at a most inopportune time, when the king was at the height of his merriment (1:10). His sudden response of anger and wrath (v. 12) stands in contrast to his former amusement. Second, the king felt impelled to ask his wise men what he should do with his unsubmissive wife. The narrator provides a touch of sarcasm by portraying a rebellious wife against the backdrop of Persian pomp and power and by the king's sudden plunge from merriment to burning anger. "The narrative has descended from the sublimity of imperial pomp to the most ridiculous and unprepossessing aspect of domestic life."13

From the perspective of the Jewish reader this may have been a sarcastic jab at the Gentile power that ruled over the postexilic community. This conflict reached its comic high point when panic seized the king and his wise men and they felt compelled to try to save face. They feared that Vashti's refusal to appear before the king might lead to "contempt" from all the wives against uall the princes and all the peoples in all the provinces" (v. 16, italics added). Their nail-biting anxiety appears exaggerated when they fretted that a rebellion among the wives of Persian officials in all the provinces would take place that very day (v. 18). The author probably intended to portray Gentile power sarcastically when the Persian king and his wise men secured spousal obedience by creating a formal edict, written in every language of the kingdom, legislating that every man must rule in his own house (v. 22). Also

l¿ This banquet most likely corresponds to the great feast Xerxes gave before he invaded Greece in 481 B.C. In the banquet he planned that invasion with his leaders (John A. Martin, "Esther," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck [Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1985], 702). 13 David J. A. Clines, The Esther Scroll: The Story of the Story, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series (Sheffield: JSOT, 1984), 32.

Plot Structure in the Book of Esther 281

the punishment inflicted on the queen—banishment from the king's presence—ironically accomplished exactly what she had chosen.

The conflict between Vashti and Ahasuerus arrived at its resolution when the anger of the king finally subsided and his a t tendants proposed a plan to replace the deposed queen (2:1-3). This comic scene provided the necessary backdrop for the subsequent plot developments. The removal of Vashti explains how Esther, an orphan of Jewish descent, could achieve access to queenhood in the Persian Empire. This initial conflict also set the mood and tone for the subsequent conflicts. When Clines wrote that "chapter one licenses a hermeneutic of suspicion," he probably means t h a t the satirical elements in the chapter prepare the reader to encounter a more pronounced form of irony as the story unfolds.1 4

THE CONFLICT BETWEEN HAMAN AND MORDECAI

The central plot conflict in the Book of Esther begins in chapter 3. By this time the reader has already moved through the somewhat humorous events of chapter 1 and the romantic events surrounding the selection of Esther as queen in chapter 2. The author now advanced his story with three words, "After these events" (3:1). Haman's sudden murder/genocide plot confronts the reader in the next few verses. From this point forward the intensity level of the story increases. The narrator identified Haman as an "Agagite" (v. 1). When one considers that Mordecai was a descendant of Kish, a Benjaminite (2:5), and H a m a n is called an Agagite, it seems probable t h a t the designation "Agagite" reminded the reader of King Agag and the animosity of the Amalekites against Israel (1 Sam. 15).1 5

1 4 Ibid, 33

5 Some have connected the term "Agagite" to a province in Persia "The land of Agag is mentioned in Akkad inscr of Sargon, prob referring to Media" (A Κ Helmbold, "Agagite," in Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible [Grand Rap­ids Zondervan, 1975], 68) Also Martin states, "It seems unlikely t h a t a high-ranking Persian official would be related to a west Semite who lived 600 years ear­lier Archaeologists have uncovered an inscription which indicates t h a t Agag was also the name of a province in the Persian Empire" (Martin, "Esther," 705)

According to another view the term "Agagite" has a general meaning "Perhaps ['Agagite' is] a general term for enemy Perhaps the term in Esther is a figure of speech what Agag was to Saul, H a m a n was to Mordcai [sic], a mortal enemy" (Helmbold, "Agagite," 68) Walter C Kaiser J r notes that the etymological meaning of the word is "usually taken from Akkad 'agagum' to get angry, furious" ("Agag," in Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, 68)

Berg expresses still another view "Most commentators follow Josephus, the

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When Haman saw that Mordecai, a Jew, refused to bow down to him, he was "filled with rage" (3:5).16 The conflict between these two men continued until King Ahasuerus ordered Hainan's execution (7:9-10). An event so insignificant as the king's sleeplessness (6:1) functioned as a turning point17 in the conflict. The author prepared the reader for Hainan's downfall and the resolution of this conflict in two ways: first, through the humiliating scene in which Haman had to honor Mordecai his enemy (w. 6-12), and second, through a statement from Haman's wife and friends that reversed the initial counsel they gave to him. Unwittingly their words were prophetic, illuminating the irony of Haman's plan. "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him" (v. 13).

The climax of this conflict came at the second banquet when Esther blurted out in the king's presence, "A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!" (7:6). The execution of Haman moved this conflict to its resolution. Thereafter the level of tension in the story dropped dramatically. But the conflict that was created by establishing an irrevocable Persian law to annihilate the Jews continued.

THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THEIR ENEMIES

The plot to annihilate all the Jews arose simultaneously with Haman's plan to murder Mordecai and was a complication of the conflict between the two men (3:4). In rapid succession Haman cast

Talmud, and the Targumim which view Haman as descended from Agag, the Amalekite king opposed by Saul" (Sandra Beth Berg, The Book of Esther: Motifs, Themes, and Structures [Missoula, MT: Scholars, 1979], 66). Edwin M. Yamauchi agrees with Clines in substantiating this view. "It is possible as Clines suggests, that Mordecai was refusing to bow down to Haman because as a Jew he did not wish to bow down to the descendant of Agag, the ancient enemy of Israel" (Yamau­chi, Persia and the Bible [Grand Rapids: Baker, 19901, 236). 16 The author had used the phrase "and his wrath" in Esther 1:12 to portray the king's rage at Queen Vashti, and then he used the same word to describe Haman's anger at Mordecai (see also 5:9). The author employed the term twice in 7:7-10 to record Ahasuerus's anger at Haman. The term describes the intensity of the con­flicts that arose in the story, and by its repetition it serves as a minor unifying mo­tif.

7 Although some trace the turning point of the story to Esther's words, "I will go to the king," or to the king's favorable response of extending his scepter (4:14; 5:1-3), these episodes did not ease the tension, which increased when Esther de­layed her request at the first banquet (5:7-8) and Haman built a gallows for Morde­cai (v. 14). Esther 6:1 functions as a turning point because the king's insomnia set in motion a series of events that led to the execution of Haman—the resolution of this conflict.

Plot Structure in the Book of Esther 283

lots (v. 7), the king gave him his signet ring (3:10), and Haman set the execution date (w . 12-15)—all of which worked to intensify the conflict and create a feeling of panic.18 With every passing moment the fate of the Jews worsened. They had fallen into the hands of a revengeful Haman and an oblivious Ahasuerus. The decree created chaos and confusion in the capital city while the king and Haman, unconcerned, sat down to drink (v. 15).

Twice the author of Esther stated that a written Persian law could not be revoked (1:19; 8:8).19 Queen Vashti's earlier defiance, identified as a breach of law (1:15), met with punishment. As Berg indicates, "The audience can have no doubt that Haman's edict will be enacted."20

Several reactions to Haman's edict serve to heighten the conflict. First, Ahasuerus was unaware that it was the Jews whom Haman intended to massacre and tha t his wife was a Jewess. Second, the narrator chronicled the distressing effect that Haman's plot had on Mordecai. "He tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly" (4:1)—a dramatic reversal of the anonymity he initially sought. Third, the rest of the Jews reacted with "fasting, weeping, and wailing" (v. 3). Fourth, Esther 's initial reaction caused alarm, for she did not appear to be positively disposed to Mordecai's order for her to approach the king. The king's unlimited power to wield the sword against anyone who might cause him displeasure made any approach to the throne of the potentate life-threatening (v. 11).

This conflict began to move toward a resolution when Mordecai convinced Esther to act. His words issued a warning to Esther not to assume that she could divorce herself from the fate of the Jews, and yet his words also provided the first glimmer of hope. "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent a t this t ime, relief and

1 0 In ancient times the signet ring was equivalent to one's signature. In Genesis 41:42 Pharaoh gave Joseph his signet ring as a sign of authority (John C. Whitcomb, Esther: The Triumph of God's Sovereignty [Chicago: Moody, 1979], 71).

1 9 The irrevocability of Persian law is reflected in a statement from Siculus Dio-dorus in which he wrote about the death sentence that Darius III passed on Cha-ridemos: "Once the king's passion had cooled he promptly regretted his act and re­proached himself for having made a serious mistake, but all his royal power was not able to undo what was done" (Diodorus of Sicily, vol. 8, t rans . C. H. Oldfather [Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1963], 203). The Book of Daniel refers to the same law (Dan. 6:8, 12, 15). Whereas King Nebuchadnezzar was above the law, the Persian kings were said to be bound by the law.

2 0 Berg, The Book of Esther, 75.

284 BiBLiOTHECA SACRA / July-September 2002

deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" (w. 13-14).

Esther's resolve, "I will go to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish," gives the reader the sense that Haman would not have his way without a fight (v. 16). Yet the resolution to this conflict did not come immediately. Several delays took place, which served to complicate the plot and draw out the tension to the last possible moment. The literary device called "time delay" increases dramatic suspense and permits the introduction of additional information.21

In chapters 5-7 the dramatic tension of the story increases. This is seen in a delay in the movement toward resolution and in the author's telescoping of the time involved in certain events.22

The first time delay takes place when Esther withheld her request, even after the king had extended his scepter and offered her half of his kingdom.23 The reader expects Esther to jump at the opportunity to reveal her request. But whatever Esther's motive may have been, the delay has the literary effect of drawing out the tension. The reader must wait for Esther's request for help, wondering if the king will answer so favorably at the next banquet.24 This postponement allowed for the introduction of additional information concerning two events: the advancement of Haman's immediate plan to execute Mordecai immediately (5:13-14), and the king's sleepless night, which led to the humiliation of Haman and the honoring of Mordecai (6:3-11). Both

Ibid., 78. Bar-Efrat explains the importance of time delay this way: "By studying the relation between narration time and narrated time the relative weight of the various sections of the narrative will be clarified, as will their proportions with re­gard to one another and the narrative as a whole, thereby disclosing the focal points of the narrative" (ibid., 143). 2 2 This does not mean that the author misrepresented the actual time, but rather that he expanded on some actions and quickly passed over others in accord with his literary purpose. 2 3 The phrase "even to half the kingdom" in 5:6 and 7:2 is a polite oriental expres­sion indicating generosity (Carey A. Moore, Esther, Anchor Bible [Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1971], 55).

Angel Manuel Rodriguez suggests that Esther delayed her request in order to make sure it would be granted. He also holds that asking for the life of her people at the second banquet with the king, was terrifying for her because she had to reveal her Jewish identity (Esther: A Theological Approach [Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1995], 70). Esther 4:11 reveals that Esther feared the conse­quences of approaching the king's throne without being summoned. At the first banquet (as well as the second) she may have also feared that her request might be denied.

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of these events prepare the reader for Haman's demise. In contrast to this delay the events recorded in chapter 6 are

telescoped. Haman's appearance in the king's court gives the impression tha t his arrival followed immediately after the king read the chronicles "during the night" (v. 1). Yet Haman's wife had told him to visit the king "in the morning" (5:14). Either Haman decided to visit the king that night, or the king had been reading the chronicles all night long and finally came across Mordecai's deed at the moment Haman appeared in the court the next morning. More likely the king read about the deed the night before and on the next morning asked, "Who is in the court?" (6:4). The fact tha t the king told Haman to honor Mordecai "quickly," who was at that time sitting at the king's gate, seems to indicate that it was in the morning (v. 10). Whatever the time sequence, one thing is clear: The author constructed this scene so compactly tha t several events seem to have occurred almost simultaneously. This telescoping of time accelerated the story, moving it briskly toward its climax.

As in the case of the conflict between Haman and Mordecai, the resolution to the conflict between the Jews and their enemies was alluded to in the words of Zeresh. "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him" (v. 13, italics added). Murphy in terprets her s ta tement "as an anticipation of the eventual deliverance of the Jewish people and this is clearly its intention."25

An example of tempo acceleration occurred after Haman's wife and friends announced to him his impending fall. Before Haman could catch his breath, "while they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived" and whisked him away to the banquet (v. 14). The narrator abruptly propelled the reader onward to the climactic scene of the next banquet, which anticipated Esther's request and Haman's fall.

The conflict between the Jews and their enemies could not reach a resolution until one more major problem was solved. Neither Haman's execution (7:10) nor Esther's pleading before the king (8:3-6) annulled the decree that existed in the form of Persian law. This posed a formidable hindrance in bringing this conflict to an end.

However, by this time events were beginning to turn to the

2 5 Roland E. Murphy, Wisdom Literature: Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Canticles, Ecclesi-astes, and Esther, Forms of Old Testament Literature (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1981), 165.

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benefit of the Jews and Ahasuerus had became so favorably disposed to Esther and her people that the problem was easily overcome. Ahasuerus gave Esther and Mordecai the freedom to formulate a new law (w. 8-12).

The conflict that arose in chapter 3 reached its final resolution in chapter 9 when the Jews rid themselves of their foes. Not one Jew was listed as slain in the fighting, but by way of contrast, Haman, his ten sons, and 75,800 of the Jews' enemies were killed (9:5-16).26 Thus this crisis reached its final resolution and resulted in feasting, rejoicing, and the first celebration of the Feast of Purim (vv. 17-19). "The complications have been removed and the tensions have all been resolved."27

THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS ARISING FROM THE PLOT STRUCTURE IN ESTHER

In a narrative account like the Book of Esther, in which the author did not explicitly state his purpose or message, tracing the story line, particularly the rise of plot conflicts and the movements toward resolution, helps orient readers to the narrator's message. Ultimately the resolution of the two major conflicts, one between Haman and Mordecai and the other between the Jews and their enemies, points to the truth of Zeresh's prediction that Haman would fall before Mordecai (6:13). The narrator did not tell his readers why this was so, but he surely wanted them to consider the implication of that premonition. Through Zeresh's words the author alluded to the significance of the Jewish people, whose role in God's grand purpose is clarified in the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3). The Jews were to be the conduit of God's redemptive purposes. Thus the indestructibility of the Jews, alluded to by Haman's wife and chronicled in the Book of Esther, is linked to all of the promises made to the Jews, particularly to the promise of bringing the Messiah into the world, which ultimately leads to the calling out of a people for His name from both Jews and Gentiles.

The physical preservation of the Jews in the time of Esther implies that God will make good on all his promises, "for He is not a man that He should change His mind" (1 Sam. 15:29). Finally,

™ Some scholars say these numbers are inflated in order to produce a desired lit­erary effect. However, there is no reason not to take the numbers literally. 2 7 W. Lee Humphreys, "The Story of Esther and Mordecai: An Early Jewish No­vella," in Saga, Legend, Tale, Novella, Fable: Narrative Form in Old Testament Lit­erature, ed. George W. Coats (Sheffield: JSOT, 1985), 104.

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God's physical preservation of His people at tha t t ime finds an analogous concept today in the New Testament promise recorded by Paul in his let ter to the Roman believers regarding their spiritual preservation: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . I am convinced tha t neither death, nor life, nor angels, not principalities nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:35, 38-39).

The third article in this series will consider the significance of selected li terary conventions employed by the nar ra tor to shed light on his message.

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