Questions to think about while we learn about these character archetypes:
1) What does their archetype mean in a modern context?
2) Have you seen these kinds of characters elsewhere in the world, text, songs...?
3) Are there parts of these characters that you personally identify with? Who and why? What can we learn about ourselves? There can be multiple!
Vashti, the Shrewish Woman
(ט) גַּ֚ם וַשְׁתִּ֣י הַמַּלְכָּ֔ה עָשְׂתָ֖ה מִשְׁתֵּ֣ה נָשִׁ֑ים בֵּ֚ית הַמַּלְכ֔וּת אֲשֶׁ֖ר לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃ (ס) (י) בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י כְּט֥וֹב לֵב־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בַּיָּ֑יִן אָמַ֡ר לִ֠מְהוּמָן בִּזְּתָ֨א חַרְבוֹנָ֜א בִּגְתָ֤א וַאֲבַגְתָא֙ זֵתַ֣ר וְכַרְכַּ֔ס שִׁבְעַת֙ הַסָּ֣רִיסִ֔ים הַמְשָׁ֣רְתִ֔ים אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃ (יא) לְ֠הָבִיא אֶת־וַשְׁתִּ֧י הַמַּלְכָּ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בְּכֶ֣תֶר מַלְכ֑וּת לְהַרְא֨וֹת הָֽעַמִּ֤ים וְהַשָּׂרִים֙ אֶת־יָפְיָ֔הּ כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽיא׃ (יב) וַתְּמָאֵ֞ן הַמַּלְכָּ֣ה וַשְׁתִּ֗י לָבוֹא֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּיַ֣ד הַסָּרִיסִ֑ים וַיִּקְצֹ֤ף הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַחֲמָת֖וֹ בָּעֲרָ֥ה בֽוֹ׃
(9) In addition, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for women, in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus. (10) On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he ordered Mehuman, Bizzetha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs in attendance on King Ahasuerus, (11) to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing a royal diadem, to display her beauty to the peoples and the officials; for she was a beautiful woman. (12) But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the eunuchs. The king was greatly incensed, and his fury burned within him.
"Thou call’dst me a dog before thou had a cause; But since I am a dog, beware my fangs." - William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
Achashverosh, the Fool King
King Lear (Act 1, Scene 1)
In the meantime I’ll get down to my real business.—Hand me that map over there.—I hereby announce that I’ve divided my kingdom into three parts, which I’m handing over to the younger generation so I can enjoy a little rest and peace of mind in my old age.—Cornwall and Albany, my loving sons-in-law, I now want to announce publicly what each of my daughters will inherit, to avoid hostilities after I die. The two great princes of France and Burgundy, vying for the hand of my youngest Cordelia, have been at my court a long time and will soon have their answers.—My daughters, since I’m about to give up my throne and the worries that go along with it, tell me which one of you loves me most, so that I can give my largest gift to the one who deserves it most.
Esther, the Righteous Temptress
"Thank you, next..." - Ariana Grande
The Book of Judith 13:1-11
1. And when it was grown late, his servants made haste to their lodgings, and Vagao shut the chamber doors, and went his way. 2. And they were all overcharged with wine. 3. And Judith was alone in the chamber. 4. But Holofernes lay on his bed, fast asleep, being exceedingly drunk. 5. And Judith spoke to her maid to stand without before the chamber, and to watch. 6. And Judith stood before the bed praying with tears, and the motion of her lips in silence, 7. Saying: Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, and in this hour look on the works of my hands, that as thou hast promised, thou mayst raise up Jerusalem thy city: and that I may bring to pass that which I have purposed, having a belief that it might be done by thee. 8. And when she had said this, she went to the pillar that was at his bed's head, and loosed his sword that hung tied upon it. 9. And when she had drawn it out, she took him by the hair of his head, and said: Strengthen me, O Lord God, at this hour. 10. And she struck twice upon his neck, and out off his head, and took off his canopy from the pillars, and rolled away his headless body. 11. And after a while she went out, and delivered the head of Holofernes to her maid, and bade her put it into her wallet.
Mordecai, the Court Jew
(כא) דְּנָ֥ה פִשְׁרָ֖א מַלְכָּ֑א וּגְזֵרַ֤ת עליא [עִלָּאָה֙] הִ֔יא דִּ֥י מְטָ֖ת עַל־מראי [מָרִ֥י] מַלְכָּֽא׃ (כב) וְלָ֣ךְ טָֽרְדִ֣ין מִן־אֲנָשָׁ֡א וְעִם־חֵיוַ֣ת בָּרָא֩ לֶהֱוֵ֨ה מְדֹרָ֜ךְ וְעִשְׂבָּ֥א כְתוֹרִ֣ין ׀ לָ֣ךְ יְטַֽעֲמ֗וּן וּמִטַּ֤ל שְׁמַיָּא֙ לָ֣ךְ מְצַבְּעִ֔ין וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה עִדָּנִ֖ין יַחְלְפ֣וּן עֲלָ֑יךְ עַ֣ד דִּֽי־תִנְדַּ֗ע דִּֽי־שַׁלִּ֤יט עִלָּיָא֙ בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖א יִתְּנִנַּֽהּ׃ (כג) וְדִ֣י אֲמַ֗רוּ לְמִשְׁבַּ֞ק עִקַּ֤ר שָׁרְשׁ֙וֹהִי֙ דִּ֣י אִֽילָנָ֔א מַלְכוּתָ֖ךְ לָ֣ךְ קַיָּמָ֑ה מִן־דִּ֣י תִנְדַּ֔ע דִּ֥י שַׁלִּטִ֖ן שְׁמַיָּֽא׃ (כד) לָהֵ֣ן מַלְכָּ֗א מִלְכִּי֙ יִשְׁפַּ֣ר עליך [עֲלָ֔ךְ] וחטיך [וַחֲטָאָךְ֙] בְּצִדְקָ֣ה פְרֻ֔ק וַעֲוָיָתָ֖ךְ בְּמִחַ֣ן עֲנָ֑יִן הֵ֛ן תֶּהֱוֵ֥א אַרְכָ֖ה לִשְׁלֵוְתָֽךְ׃ (כה) כֹּ֣לָּא מְּטָ֔א עַל־נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֖ר מַלְכָּֽא׃ (פ)
(21) this is its meaning, O king; it is the decree of the Most High which has overtaken my lord the king. (22) You will be driven away from men and have your habitation with the beasts of the field. You will be fed grass like cattle, and be drenched with the dew of heaven; seven seasons will pass over you until you come to know that the Most High is sovereign over the realm of man, and He gives it to whom He wishes. (23) And the meaning of the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots is that the kingdom will remain yours from the time you come to know that Heaven is sovereign. (24) Therefore, O king, may my advice be acceptable to you: Redeem your sins by beneficence and your iniquities by generosity to the poor; then your serenity may be extended.” (25) All this befell King Nebuchadnezzar.
Haman, the Real "Queen" of Purim/Wicked Adviser
(ב) וְכָל־עַבְדֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כֹּרְעִ֤ים וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ לְהָמָ֔ן כִּי־כֵ֖ן צִוָּה־ל֣וֹ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י לֹ֥א יִכְרַ֖ע וְלֹ֥א יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ עַבְדֵ֥י הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֥עַר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְמָרְדֳּכָ֑י מַדּ֙וּעַ֙ אַתָּ֣ה עוֹבֵ֔ר אֵ֖ת מִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃... (ה) וַיַּ֣רְא הָמָ֔ן כִּי־אֵ֣ין מָרְדֳּכַ֔י כֹּרֵ֥עַ וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה ל֑וֹ וַיִּמָּלֵ֥א הָמָ֖ן חֵמָֽה׃
(2) All the king’s courtiers in the palace gate knelt and bowed low to Haman, for such was the king’s order concerning him; but Mordecai would not kneel or bow low. (3) Then the king’s courtiers who were in the palace gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s order?”...(5) When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel or bow low to him, Haman was filled with rage.
Aladdin (1992)
SULTAN: If anyone can help, it's you.
JAFAR: Ah, but it would require the use of the mystic blue diamond.
SULTAN: Uh, my ring? But it's been in the family for years.
JAFAR: It is necessary to find the princess a suitor. (JAFAR says the word 'princess' with the accent on the second syllable, "cess." He turns his staff with a cobra head towards the SULTAN. The eyes of the staff begin to glow. The room darkens, JAFAR's voice slows down and deepens. The SULTAN's eyes get a hypnotized look.) Don't worry. Everything will be fine.
SULTAN: Everything...will be...fine.
JAFAR: The diamond. SULTAN: Here, Jafar. Whatever you need will be fine. (The SULTAN removes his ring and hands it to JAFAR. The room returns to normal as JAFAR pulls back the staff.)
JAFAR: You are most gracious, my liege. Now run along and play with your little toys.
SULTAN: (Still hypnotized) Yes...that'll be...pretty good. (JAFAR and IAGO exit. We follow them. When they're out of the room, the parrot spits out the cracker.)
IAGO: I can't take it anymore! If I gotta choke down on one more of those moldy, disgusting crackers...bam! Whack! (JAFAR pulls a rope, which reveals a hidden entrance to his chambers.)
JAFAR: Calm yourself, Iago.
IAGO: Then I'd grab him around the head. Whack! Whack!
JAFAR: (Speaking over IAGO.) Soon, I will be sultan, not that addlepated twit.