Book of Ruth
 "Ruth in Boaz", by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1828 | |
| Original Title: | מגילת רות |
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| Central Theme: | The Power of Loyalty |
| Synopsis: | The second of the Five Megillot - the widowed Ruth accompanies her mother-in-law when she returns to the Jewish people |
| Series: | The Bible |
| Preceded by: | Song of Songs |
| Followed by: | Lamentations |
| First published: | In its current form, sixth to fourth century BCE |
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"For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God." |
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In Jewish traditions, Ruth is the second of the Five Megillot. In Christian traditions, Ruth is a short Interquel between Book of Judges and the Books of Samuel. The story details how Ruth, a Moabite widow, finds a new husband.
Read it here.
Tropes used in Book of Ruth include:
- Chekhov's Gunman: It's only at the end of her story that we find out Ruth's significance; she's David's great-grandmother.
- Determined Widow
- Hope Spot: In Judges.
- May-December Romance: Boaz was much older than Ruth, and says as much. This does not deter her.
- Out-of-Genre Experience: The Book of Ruth, which reads like a domestic drama, is set in the action-packed Crapsack World times of Judges.
- Plucky Girl: Ruth.
- Ready for Lovemaking: After Boaz had fallen asleep on a grain heap, Ruth uncovered his feet, lay down, and waited for him to wake up with cold feet. This being ancient Israel though, consummation did have to wait until after the wedding.
- With Hebrew being a bit sexually euphemistic, the part about "feet" may, in fact, be referring to his genitals. While Boaz surely did hold off on the consummation, having his whole lower half exposed and then awakening to find a pretty lady at the foot of his bed would have made the none-too-subtle point she was making nigh-impossible to miss.
- Undying Loyalty: To her mother-in-law, Naomi.