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Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880) is a novel by Lew Wallace.
Abstract
The first novel on NT times to gain superstar status as the best-selling American novel of the 19th century, surpassing Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) and retaining this distinction until the publication of Mitchell’s Gone with Wind (1936). Wallace, a retired general and politician, drew on military and personal experience to shape the character of the noble Jew Judah and his confrontation with the Roman general Messala, until his meeting with Jesus and his conversion to the new faith.
Editions
Published in New York, NY: Harper & Bros., 1880. Often reprinted. Some of these reprints continued to be popular bestsellers, notably,
- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1908 @1880 Wallace), novel (reprint)
- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1922 @1880 Wallace), novel (reprint)
- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1992 @1880 Wallace), novel (reprint)
Translations
Huge international success was translated in all major European (and non-European) languages.
1887 (German)
First translation of the novel. Translated from English into German by Bonaventure Hammer. Published in Stuttgart, Germany: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1887 (often reprinted).
1888 (Danish)
Translated from English into Danish by Vilhelm Møller. Published in Copenhagen, Denmark: Georg Chr. Ursins Efterfølger, 1888 (often reprinted).
1888 (Swedish)
Translated from English into Swedish by A. Boggiano. Published in Stockholm, Sweden: Fr.Skoglund, 1888 (often reprinted by various Publishers).
1889 (Finnish)
Translated from English into Finnish by S. Aatto. Published in Porvoo, Finland: WSOY, 1889 (often reprinted).
1889 (Czech)
Translated from English into Czech by Alois Koudelka (1861-1942). Published in V Brne : Nákladem J. Dvoráka, 1889.
1889 (Polish)
First Polish edition of Lew Wallace's novel. Translated from English into Polish by Zofja Grabowska (d.1929). Published in Warsaw, Poland: Wydanie Redakcji Wedrowca, 1889.
1889 (Dutch)
1890 (German)
Second German translation of the novel. Translated from English into German by Paul Heichen. Published in Halle: O. Hendel, 1890.
1890 (Russian)
Translated from English into Russian by E. Beketovoi. Published in St. Petersburg: A.S. Suvorina, 1890.
1890 (French)
Translated from English]] into French by Joseph Autier (pseud. for Louise Cornaz). Published in Lausanne: H. Mignot, 1890; 2nd rev. ed. Paris: Grassart, 1893.
1895 (German)
Translated from English into German by Henry W. Seibert]. Published by Harper & Brother, 1895.
1895 (Italian)
Based on Hammer's 1887 German translation. Translated from German into Italian by Alfonso Maria Galea. Published in Modena, Italy: Tip. Pontificia ed Archivescovile, <2 vols.> 1895.
1897 (Arabic)
"To the Hon. Lew Wallace ... with the compliments of the Presbyterian Mission Press, Beirut, Syria, January 1st, 1897."
Translated from English into Arabic by Cornelius Van Dyck (1818-1895). Published in Cairo, Egypt: Maṭabaʻat al-muktataf, 1897.
1900 (Italian)
"Prima traduzione italiana." Translated from English into Italian by H. Mildmay and Gastone Cavalieri. Published in Milan: Baldini, Castoldi & Co., 1900.
Herbert Alexander St. John Mildmay (M / Britain, 1836-1922)
1901 (Polish)
Second Polish edition of Lew Wallace's novel. Translated from English into Polish by Antoni Stefanski (1865-1929). Published in Warsaw, Poland: Miarka, 1901 (often reprinted).
1908 (Icelandic)
1911 (Armenian)
1916 (Japanese)
星をめあてに = Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1916 @1880 Wallace / Matsumoto), novel (Japanese ed.)
Translated from English into Japanese by Takeshi Matsumoto. Published in Tokyo, Japan: Keiseisha Shoten, 1916.
1921 (Yiddish)
In the Yiddish edition the original subtitle ("A Tale of the Christ') is modified ("Historisher roman oys der tsayt fon bais-sheni").
Translated from English into Yiddish by Zalman Rejzen. Published in Vilne Lithuania: Vilner farlag fun B.A. Kletskin, 1921 / 2nd ed. 1926 / 3rd ed. 1931.
1924 (Ukrainian)
1998 (Polish)
Third major Polish translation of Lew Wallace's novel. Translated from English into Polish by Andrzej Appel (b.1969). Published in Warsaw, Poland: Prószynski i S-ka, 1998 / 2nd ed. 2010 / 3rd ed. 2014.
Adaptations
- Ben-Hur (1893 Paull), music
- Ben-Hur (1899 Young), play
- Ben-Hur (1907 Olcott), film
- Ben-Hur (1925 Niblo), film
- Ben-Hur (1959 Wyler), film
- Ben-Hur (2003 Kowalchuk), film
See also:
- Carlisle B. Holding’s Her Ben: A Tale of Royal Resolves (1889 Holding), novel (Cincinnati: Cranston & Stowe, 1889)
J. O. A. Clark, Esther: A Sequel to Ben Hur; or, The Lost Epistles of the First and Second Centuries and the Lost Records of the Great International Camp Meeting, Held at Alexandrea Troas, in Asia Minor, A.D. 80, in the Reign of the Emperor Titus (1892).
- Eldridge S. Brooks’ A Son of Issachar (1890 Brooks), novel (New York:Putnam, 1890)
- Ellis John Breckenridge’s Adnah: A Tale of the Time of Christ (1902 Breckenridge), novel (Philadelphia: George W. Jacobs & Co., 1902).
- Miles Gerald Keon, Dion and the Sibyls (New York: Benziger Brothers, 1890).
- Annie Fellows Johnston’s Joel: A Boy of Galilee (1904 Johnston), novel (Boston: L. C. Page & Co., 1904).
- Charles Sheldon’s In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do? (1897
- Henryk Sienkiewicz’s Quo Vadis? (1896) originally written in Polish but translated into English by Jeremiah Curtin in 1897.
Synopsis
The novel begins far from its title character, following instead the three wise men as they meet and tell the stories of how they came to journey to find the great redeemer of humankind. The first of the story’s books focuses solely on their journey, finding King Herod the Builder and asking after the king of the Jews, as well as Joseph and Mary’s journey to be counted in the Roman census. Along the way, it focuses on a portrait of Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth, dwelling a long time on the politics and feel of the land at that time, and introducing elements like the Roman occupation and the desires of the various Jewish factions, such as the Pharisees and the Zealots. It moves, then, to the story of a proud and gifted young hero, Ben-Hur, the prince of a house of Israel, who has gone to meet his old friend Messala, recently returned from Rome and now cold and arrogant. During the second book, Ben-Hur nearly kills the Roman procurator by an unfortunate accident, and seeks Messala’s help in explaining the situation, only for Messala to take advantage of it in order to seize and divide Ben-Hur’s property, destroying his family in the process and earning Ben-Hur’s eternal (and rather justified) hatred for his betrayal. Through his determination, gifts, and bravery, Ben-Hur is able to save the life of a kind Roman tribune while he is a galley slave, and from there sets out to recover his fortunes, save his family, and take revenge on Mesalla, which he does so in a great chariot race with enormous fortunes riding on the outcome. Messala is defeated and crippled, but enlists the help of the wicked daughter of the wise man Balthasar, a constant friend of Ben-Hur, to spy on the young Jew and attempt to undo him, though she is without success. Ben-Hur then returns to his homeland to seek his family and offer his newfound and immense fortune to the support of the foretold Messiah as a lord of Israel, hoping that with the grace of God, Israel will not only cast off Roman rule, but also actually surpass Rome and rule over the world. Balthasar constantly tries to inform Ben-Hur that the Nazarene is a prince of peace and redeemer of souls, not a great king and warrior, but Ben-Hur refuses to lose his hope for the glory of Israel. Ben-Hur is present for some of the most pivotal moments of the canonical gospels, witnessing the baptism of Jesus, bearing witness to many miracles and acts of mercy, and seeing the march into Jerusalem, and through it all stands posed with his ‘legions’ of followers to grant a crown to Jesus. His long-suffering family is healed by Jesus during the procession into Jerusalem, and shortly after, when he witnesses the capture of Jesus, Ben-Hur finally understands that Belthasar was correct, and Jesus has not come to destroy the Romans but to redeem humankind. Touched by this revelation, he converts to the service of Jesus after witnessing the death on the cross. -- Jacob Smith, University of Michigan
Bibliography
- Jon Solomon, Ben-Hur: The Original Blockbuster (Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press, 2016).
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- 1880
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