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| Image Information: Poster from a play about specific women from the Bible: Source: Echo Theatre |
So basically this is just my brain flow. Ignore at will.
Eve:
Man shouldn't be alone. Women as companions. Why do people not realize that this creation story is just a story when men and women have the same number of ribs? Tree of knowledge and going against the word of god. Two different ways of looking at it, good and bad. Kind of harsh.
Sarah:
Gifted a son even though both her and Abraham were very old. Miracle baby. 100 is very very old to be having babies.
Hagar:
Kind of weird to just decide that this hand maid is the solution to their baby making problems. And then get angry about the plan working. Bore Abraham a boy when he was four score and six (86?). After Sarah conceived Isaac she tried to force Hagar and Ishmael from them. Why would she do that? I imagine that she had a lot of time to get over her issues with Hagar and her child. A lot of jealousy in this story and the last. As well as some resentment.
Rebekah:
Okay so Rebekah becomes the wife of Isaac after helping out Abraham's brother. Wait was Rebekah barren too? And did Isaac take too more wives? What. But then she has twins; two nations in her womb. I thought it was super interesting how it mentioned that Isaac loved Esau (meat eater) and Rebekah loved Jacob. Would be easy to write a story about a family divided.
Rachel:
Okay this is one of the women from the story of the red tent. I wonder how familiar it is to that. Jacob fell in love with her at first sight, but gets tricked by her father into marrying his other daughter even though he worked for Rachel for seven years. And then he worked even more for Rachel to be actually given to him. It seems like these stories like to mess with the women. People must be super resentful towards everyone. Ugh. It even says he loves Rachel more. That means that Leah must have known that she was second choice. Really rough.
Leah:
Even better. God makes Rachel barren to even the score. And she just keeps bearing sons hoping that Jacob will love her. This is really sad. And of course Rachel gets angry (JUST LIKE HER Aunt) and starts the cycle all over again. Why do people keep giving their handmaids to their husbands as a solution? Except Rachel took that baby from her maid. Crazy. It's just reading like a really weird competition between sisters and abusing their maids and giving Jacob a ton of children. But God feels bad/remembers that he closed Rachel's womb and gives her a son (Jacob). Hurrah. This just makes me feel weird and uncomfortable.
Potiphar's Wife (Zuleikha):
This family has a really messed up dynamic. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (Leah's sons) and into the service of an Egyptian names Potiphar. A story about unrequited love turned horrible. Healthy relationships are few and far between.
Jephthah's Daughter:
Another story where someone must be sacrificed. She accepts her fate graciously enough however. Cries about her virginity and lack of life in the woods for two months and then is burned to death.
Delilah:
A woman offered a large amount of money for information on a man who was in love with her. And he loves her so much that he just offers up all of his secrets. Except that he doesn't. So she keeps asking and eventually he is worn down. And then she betrays him. All for money. Seems to be a common theme.
Hannah:
Once again another woman who had no children and another wife who did. She was the more loved of the two. Her love for her son converted this other guy though and her story didn't turn out as awful as I expected.
So after reading this first half of the Bible Women Unit I already have the makings of a story idea in my head. Most of the stories deal with the unequal distribution of love and power in relationships. Favor doesn't necessary follow with children. It'd be interesting to write about the need for favor in a life where you aren't the only wife.
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