Women in the Book of Ruth

Women in the Book of Ruth

Women are often trapped in an essentially idle, domestic role,

praised for purity and lack of sexual desire, pampered as ornaments, but

given no effective life functions other than demonstrating a few social

graces and bearing children, as is established by the Judeo-Christian ethic

and is reinforced in the story of Ruth. Though the story of Ruth appears in

the Old Testament, its relevance is not limited by its datedness, but serves

as a direct parallel to the predicament of the modern woman. Though

Christianity no longer dominates so visibly as it did prior to secularization

and modernization, its remains a strong undercurrent in that its influence

is still felt in contemporary Western society. Likewise, in the story of Ruth,

God is not a physical presence but is felt in the affected decisions Ruth

makes and in the path her life takes. Ideals still prevalent in society today

are drawn from the male-dominated Christian ethic. Thus, God plays a

more subdued, but at the same time no less powerful role both in society

today and in the story of Ruth. This is evidenced in Ruth's decision to stay

with her mother-in-law upon the death of her husband. Ruth does this not

according to her own desires, of which none are made known to the reader,

but rather acts upon the desires of God, man, and society in accordance to

what has been deemed "right". The decision to remain with her

mother-in-law, then, is not only a symbol of acting upon theJudeo-Christian

ethic, but also of women's dependence under that ethic. A mother is

ultimately the person on whom a child is raised to depend, so it is not

insignificant that, when robbed of a man on whom to depend, Ruth turns

not only to a mother figure,...

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... pressures of society.

In addition, it serves to highlight the expectations placed upon women

across the ages: to serve the family first, to keep a respectable image in

society, and to marry and procreate. Ruth then, ironically, becomes a

symbol for women's oppression where she could easily have been a symbol

of liberation. In the context of the Old Testament, the irony is undeniable

as Ruth is traditionally known for her loyalty. However, this only furthers

her function as a symbol of oppression as her loyalty was to society, not to

herself, a situation from which it was impossible to benefit. Moreover, Ruth

is a symbol for sacrifice for the wrong reasons. She is caught in a limbo

between martyrdom and self-interest, between the beginnings of the

Judeo-Christian ethic and its end. Ruth is the ultimate modern woman; this

should be pitied, not celebrated.