Women as Agents of Salvation
A Narrative Interpretation of Esther 4–5 and 7
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64099/wacvj161Keywords:
Esther, Narrative Hermeneutics, Patriarchy, Transformation, Women’s AgencyAbstract
Within a socio-religious context still shaped by patriarchal structures, revisiting female biblical figures is essential to reaffirm women’s strategic role in social and theological transformation. This article examines the transformation of Esther in chapters 4–5 and 7, tracing her shift from a woman constrained by patriarchal-feudal norms to a central agent in the deliverance of her people. Employing a narrative hermeneutical approach, the study analyzes plot development, character progression, symbolic actions, and power relations embedded in the text. The findings indicate that Esther undergoes a process of critical awareness that enables her movement from a passive position toward active, strategic, and deliberate leadership. Through intelligence, courage, subtle diplomacy, and collective engagement with her community, she successfully disrupts the established gendered power hierarchy without direct confrontation. The narrative further reveals the ethical complexity of liberation, as Esther’s success ultimately involves strategies intertwined with violence. This study invites renewed theological reflection on the intersections of gender, power, and salvation, and highlights the contemporary relevance of Esther’s narrative for understanding female agency within today’s religious and sociocultural contexts.
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