Queen Vashti: The Heroic Women In The Book Of Esther

The Old Testament is full of countless stories featuring men and their sons who face trials that they are able to overcome and be great men of God. Seldom are the women of the bible discussed and celebrated to show how truly empowering their stories are. There are many women, from Sarah to Deborah, who prove that they are just as powerful and brave as men. There is one book in the bible that encapsulates just how heroic women can be: The Book of Esther. Not only does this story have one strong woman, but two. Queen Vashti is a strong willed and courageous queen who does what she believes is right, whereas Esther begins as shy and reserved. However, in the end only one of them is able to make a difference in the eyes of the people. Esther’s

Starting off as an orphaned Jewish girl, Esther’s first name was Hadassah, who was adopted by her cousin Mordecai. When the king sent out the order for all young virgin girls to come before him, Mordecai had Hadassah change her name to Esther and hide her Jewish background. All the girls were taken in for extensive beauty treatments, “six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics” (Esther 2:12). This goes to show that the king was only looking for something else that he could own by forcing every eligible maiden out of their homes and lives to choose a wife. Those who were not chosen were placed with the concubines, never to see the king again unless he requests them by name. In the beginning of the Book of Esther, Esther displays an obedient and passive personality. She followed very closely to the instructions of Mordecai and even the advisement of Hegai, the King’s eunuch, “she asked for nothing except what Hagai…advised” (Esther 2:15). Esther was the perfect fit for what the king was looking for, an obedient young maiden. To the king, she was not someone who would defy his orders like Vashti. Esther was afraid to break rules and had grown up to believe that good girls do what they are