Lew Wallace
Ben-Hur (1880)
Author: Lew Wallace
Genre: Christian/Historical
Plot Summary:
The book opens with a description of the birth of Jesus. It is not until the second chapter that we meet the title character, Judah Ben-Hur. His childhood friend Messala returns from his military training and mocks Judah for still adhering to Judaism instead of giving over to the militaristic spirit that is sweeping Rome. The two become enemies because of this. However, Judah decides to take military training, with the hope that he can eventually use these skills to drive to Romans from his home. But before he can start his training, a tragic accident occurs. The newly inaugurated Gratus is parading through the city. Watching from his roof, Judah accidentally knocks off a tile and it falls, killing Gratus. Messala leads a contingent of Roman soldiers to the home of Judah, giving up not only him but his entire family as well. Judah is taken prisoner. He is marched toward Nazareth. At one point he collapses in the dust by a well, and he is given a drink by a stranger from the crowd. He looks up at the stranger and he forgot his vengance and felt "as a child." The stranger was Jesus Christ. When his slave ship sinks, Judah rescues the drowning captain, who adopts him as his son. Finally, at this point, he acquires training as a soldier. Judah's adopted father dies, and he takes his name as well as his inheritance. He now returns to his home to find his mother and sister, who were arrested with him. On his way he stops by a stadium where he encounters chariot drivers preparing for a race. One of the drivers is Massala. The famous chariot race scene follows. SPOILER: Judah Ben-Hur wins the race and manages to send Massala under the hooves of the persuing horses. He lives, but will never walk again. He resumes his search for his family. While awaiting them at their house, he falls asleep. While he sleeps his mother and sister return, but do not make themselves known because they have contracted leprosy and are considered "unclean." Finally, all parties hear of the coming of "The King of the Jews." The mother and sister go to him and are cured. Judah goes to him and understands the he is the Son of God. Soon after, the family is reunited in a happy ending.
Geographical Setting: Judea
Time Period: New Testament era
Appeal Characteristics:
The plot of Ben-Hur is of the slow-moving-yet-ultimately-satisfying variety. It is epic in scope; and the reader who is willing to follow the complex story to the end will be glad that they did. The historical feel to this work of fiction will probably broaden its appeal to readers who might not be interested in a book with such overtly Christian themes. This is not a quick read, but is definitely a book you can curl up with night after night and get lost in. The fact that it was written in the prose style of 1880 gives it a further layer of history.
Read-alikes: The protagonist of Lloyd Douglas's The Robe finds himself trapped between the military and Christianity; Henryk Sienkiewicz's Quo Vadis was published around the time of Ben-Hur and is set in Biblical times featuring historical characters; Thomas Costain's The Silver Chalice features a former slave encountering biblical characters and having his life changed; Mary Ellen Ashcroft's The Magdelene Gospel gives voice to the women of the New Testament as they tell how Jesus has affected their lives; and Frank Slaughter's The Sins of Herod chronicles the exploits of Prochorus, who works for Herod but sympathizes with the Christians.
Red Flags: The book is full of unsavory things like violence, leprosy, and slavery, but in no greater amount or detail than are found in the Bible itself.
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