Herod and Marianne

by Pär Lagerkvist and Par Lagerkvist

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: B000HYX5E2
• Release Date: January 1968
• Publisher: Alfred A Knopf
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Another view of King Herod

Par Lagerkvist deserves to be better known to American readers - his works do not stop at Barabbas and The Dwarf. The strength of this particular volume lies in his ability to delineate personality so clearly that the actions/interactions are so clearly natural that his prose needs no explanation of behvaior. It allows him to write in a crisp, precise style that is nothing but a pleasure to read.The dust cover suggests that Mariamne's ordeal is a foreshadowing of that of Jesus Christ. This is certainly true, but it is not necessary to step beyond the bounds of the book to find meaning and insight.

A story about the value of love

Par Lagerkvist wrote several short novels that have often been compared to parables. In 1951 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. "Herod and Mariamne" is one of his short novels, and it is based on the life of King Herod of Judea. Herod is best known for brutally ordering the slaughter of male infants and children in Bethlehem during the time of the birth of Jesus. There was another side to Herod that is not well known: Herod was responsible for building the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The temple, made mainly of white marble and gold, was one of the most beautiful buildings in all of history. How could such beauty have come from the brutal heart of Herod? The love of Herod's life was Mariamne. She is described as being totally different than Herod. One day she came to the palace, seeking mercy for a condemned prisoner. Herod listened to her plea for compassion, and something about her touched his heart. He freed many prisoners that were facing certain death. Mariamne came to the palace several times, always asking mercy for others. After one visit, Herod asked Mariamne to become his wife. She agreed to marry him, hoping that she might change him and help everyone. But after a time, Herod began to fall back into his old ways of suspicion and fear. He became suspicious of Mariamne. He reached the point where he began to think about ordering Mariamne's death. It was hard for Herod to understand that if he destroyed Mariamne; he would also be destroying the best of himself. The beauty of the magnificent temple would be as nothing; if he lost the love of Mariamne. There is a sense of timeless truth to this story that was written many years ago. It is a story that will echo in your heart.