Introduction to The Book of Ruth
The Book of Ruth is the eighth text in the Christian bible. It begins by speaking of a woman named Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law. Naomi’s husband had died during a famine and her two sons married Ruth and Orpah. The two husbands later died as well, leaving the three women together. Naomi insisted that Ruth and Orpah go back to their own families after the deaths of the two men. Orpah followed Naomi’s orders, like the “proper woman”, while Ruth refused to leave Naomi’s side. Ruth took care of Naomi, she worked, collected gleanings in a field to help feed the both of them. Ruth later remarried, to a man named Boaz who was the owner of one of the fields she worked in. After their marriage, Ruth conceived. She gave birth to a child,a son, in which she gave to Naomi to care for so she would once again have “next-of-kin”.
Through the Book of Ruth many significant aspects present themselves. Ruth’s dedication to Naomi brings a theme of faith, not only in God, but faith in family, even after a tragedy, and the power in women together. Ruth stays with Naomi even when Orpah, her sister-in-law, leaves. She works to provide for her and Naomi, where this would normally be seen as a man’s job in today’s world, when she wasn’t even expected to stay. Ruth is able to work through hard times and take care of a woman that told her to leave, to go back to her real family and remarry. She even gives her first born child, a son, to Naomi so the family may continue. Faith, strength, and love for one’s family is presented throughout the Book of Ruth.
Interpretations of the Book of Ruth focuses on the same main aspects throughout the years. Paintings depict things like Ruth and Naomi together, Ruth working in the fields collecting gleanings, and rarely, Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah mourning over the lost men or Ruth and Boaz. Adding in different aspects from texts/journals, feminist type views begin to form through the discussion of Ruth and Naomi’s relationship. Overall, people seem to interpret the Book of Ruth to be a sense of feminine power, due to the way Ruth sticks with Naomi. This is shown in the paintings by the way they seem to focus on Ruth and Naomi’s relationship and only rarely adding in a painting of Ruth with Boaz, the only other main male figure after the death of the husbands.
