Queen Esther has been criticized, most notably by feminists, for her alleged passivity, deviousness, and reliance on her beauty alone. Michael V. Fox argues that such a reading not only is ahistorical but profoundly misunderstands Esther’s evolution from a passive naïf to a brave and intelligent operative and heroine. The pivotal moment, Fox writes, occurs the second time Mordecai urges her to take action against Haman’s genocidal plot:
[Esther] resolves to do her duty and immediately a change comes upon her. She abruptly and surprisingly commands Mordecai [who until now has done all the commanding] and, using the imperative, with no polite circumlocutions, instructs him to assemble the Jews for a public fast. In convening such an assembly and issuing directives to the community, Esther is assuming the role of a religious and national leader. She has taken control. . . .
She now takes her fate in her hands with a courageous declaration: “And in this way I will go to the king, contrary to law, and if I perish, I perish.” This is the courage of one who realizes she must do her duty without certainty of success, and even without a simple faith that a higher being will protect her. . . .
Read more on TheTorah.com: http://thetorah.com/the-women-in-esther/