Theme Of Heroism In Judith

Authors develop characters’ personalities in order to add depth to their story and allow readers to feel more connected to the characters. Beyond this, characterization also allows authors to develop the themes of their stories in a more clear manner. A prime example of this would be in the poem Judith, where the author contrasts Judith and Holofernes’ personalities in order to develop the major themes of heroism and having faith in God.

Although readers dive into this poem in the middle of the story, the author still manages to establishes Judith’s character in clear manner through their choice of words. In using words such as “radiant lady” (Judith 14), “bright maiden” (Judith 44), and “brilliant maid” (Judith 124), the author makes it clear

A hero is defined as a person who is idolized as a role model due to their noble qualities. Therefore, a hero must put someone else’s needs before their own. Through the Book of Judith, the reader knows that the Assyrians have cut off the water supply to Bethulia, the town in which Judith was born and raised. Although Judith has no apparent moral obligation to fight, she voluntarily declares that she will save Bethulia and does not depend on the leaders of Bethulia to complete this task, a prime example of Judith putting other people’s needs before her own. This story was told in biblical history, therefore the poet had the obligation to continue this heroic portrayal of Judith in the poem. The poet uses phrases such as “brave lady” (Judith 109), “famed for valor” (Judith 146), and “victory folk” (Judith 151) when referring to Judith, as a way to further develop her character as the hero of the story. This is contrasted by Holofernes, who serves as a foil to Judith, which forces readers to zero in on the heroic characteristics of Judith. For example, Holofernes proves to lack heroic qualities by drinking beyond his limits at the feast and attempting to rape Judith. On the other hand, Judith uses her wits in order to catch Holofernes in a position where she could kill him and save her home

Although Judith is characterized as a strong, independent women, she maintains her faith in God. For example, directly after defeating Holofernes, Judith says a prayer in order to thank God for giving her the strength to save her hometown. After asking for forgiveness from God, the public thanked Judith by giving her strength and encouragement. This further developed her character as a hero while showing that keeping god in mind helped Judith accomplish her goals. While the Bible teaches this, the author of Judith maintained this theme in order to show people that strength and courage come from maintaining faith in God.

Characterization has been established as an important part of literature as it allows authors to fully develop characters’ personalities, allowing readers to understand the characters and their actions. In the poem Judith, the author uses adjective phrases to describe Judith and Holofernes’ personalities. The diverse contrast in their nature highlights the heroic qualities in Judith, which teach the reader to have faith in God, as that is where her courage and strength stems from. Therefore, characterization can further be used as a technique to establish major themes in a work of