Abstract: Women's Roles

    In this paper I will argue that although Ben-Hur (1925) tells the story of men, the interwoven stories exemplifying women's roles allows for female characters to have their own narratives and become more than background figures. This can be compared with other movies of the 20th century and how they looked at women.
    One prominent role is that of the mother or caretaker. In Ben-Hur, Miriam and Tirzah fulfill this role. They also have their own story that is separate from Ben-Hur's--their imprisonment, leprosy, sacrifice to not tell Ben-Hur that they are still alive, and their conversion to Christianity. Their screen time shows their story (crying by Ben-Hur's feet, scenes in prison). While the director could have easily mentioned that they were imprisoned once, their narrative was  instead revisited throughout the movie. The idea of the mother is also important in Cleopatra (1960). Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra is much more than the role of a mother, but it is still important to the story (scene where she falls in love with Caesar and takes care of him develops only after she learns of his illness, her concern for Caesarian).
    Another type of role that is common is the vamp. Iras in Ben-Hur is represented as a sexual object and a seductress, literally throwing herself on Ben-Hur. Often the role of the vamp is the least fleshed out, like Sofonisba in Cabiria, who has some importance to the story line (takes in Cabiria as a slave) but mostly is just represented as a sexualized persona. By the time of Ben-Hur (1959), the role of the vamp had been eliminated entirely. Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra relies a lot on sex appeal, but this is also supported by the power of her brilliant political mind.
     The final important role for women to fulfill is related to morality and self-sacrifice. In Ben-Hur (1925), Esther's character ultimately scarifies her own development for Ben-Hur by ceding her money and freedom to Ben-Hur. Still, she has her own story--she is the moral compass for Simonides (scene where he tells her it is her choice to recognize Ben-Hur or not, scene where she goes into the Valley of the Lepers to save Tirzah and Miriam). Esther's story is important to the plot because her self-sacrifice opposes Ben-Hur's revenging, who at that point is still set on racing Messala. In the 1959 Ben-Hur, the themes of revenge and forgiveness are more prominent. Esther is more of Ben-Hur's moral guide (scene where she equates him to Messala). She expresses her ideals with her voice as opposed to her actions.
     In conclusion, Ben-Hur (1925) is mostly about men and their stories. But by giving the women characters sufficient screen time we see that they are more than just their gendered roles. For example, Tirzah and Miriam are supporting characters to Ben-Hur's story and represent the importance of family and the mother figure, but they also have their own development involving their imprisonment and sickness. These additions to their stories make them more than just background figures. The structure of the story telling, by interweaving women's stories with that of the main male characters, lets the viewer know of their importance and shows their development.