Esther by Mordecai (-1900)

Name: Esther
Author: Mordecai

The Book of Esther is a work in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. It is one of the five Megillot, or scrolls, and tells the story of Esther, a Jewish woman who became the queen of Persia and saved her people from destruction. The book begins with a brief description of the Persian Empire and its king, Ahasuerus. Ahasuerus is looking for a new queen and chooses Esther, a young Jewish woman who is living in exile in the kingdom. Esther's cousin Mordecai encourages her to keep her Jewish identity a secret. Meanwhile, the king's advisor, Haman, plots to have all the Jews in the kingdom killed. Mordecai discovers the plot and informs Esther, who then goes to the king and reveals her identity. She pleads with the king to spare her people, and he agrees. The king then orders Haman to be hanged and the Jews are saved. The book ends with a celebration of the Jews' deliverance and the establishment of the festival of Purim. The book is traditionally read aloud on the holiday of Purim.

By Mordecai · First published -1900 · Genre: Religious Fiction, Historical Fiction, Drama · 10 chapters · 5,626 words

First lines

Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

What this Textopian page supports

Esther is listed on Textopian as a novel by Mordecai, dated 1900 BCE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Mordecai
Date: 1900 BCE
Language: English
Genres: Religious Fiction, Historical Fiction, Drama, Romance
Length: 5,626 words
Structure: 10 chapters, 167 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

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Discussion starters

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How does this novel by Mordecai fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles

Genres

Religious Fiction — Esther is a book of the Bible, which is a religious text, and it is a work of fiction.
Historical Fiction — Esther is set in the Persian Empire in the 5th century BCE, making it a work of historical fiction.
Drama — Esther is a dramatic story of a young woman who saves her people from destruction.
Romance — Esther is a story of romance between Esther and the King of Persia.