The significance of secondary characters in Susanna, Judith, and the additions to Esther in the Septuagint

Abstract

Recently, the Apocryphal narratives in the Septuagint (LXX) have been studied in various ways: a feminist approach (Brenner 2004); a Greimassian approach, focusing on the dynamics within the plot (Mwambe 2009); a literary approach examining major characters (Steyn 2008); and speech-acts theory, with emphasis on the text and perceived audience (Coetzer 2009). This article adds to these approaches by examining the contributions of named and unnamed characters that play supporting roles in the books of Susanna and Judith, and the Additions to Esther in the Septuagint (LXX). It pauses on secondary characters and reads the texts through their eyes. The characters examined include Susanna�s parents, husband, and household servants in Susanna; Achior the Ammonite and Judith�s courageous accompanying maid in Judith; Gabatha and Tharra and the two accompanying courageous maids in Esther. The article also looks at large groups called the people and the army in terms of their textual contributions. It finds that secondary characters move the plot forward, provide insights on the strengths and weaknesses of the main protagonist, and should not be overlooked in a textual analysis