Category:Judith (subject)

Judith is a literary character, the protagonist of the Book of Judith.

Judith in ancient sources

According to the book of Judith, Judith was a wealthy and beautiful widow, who freed her people by killing Nebuchadnezzar's general Holofernes who was about to invade the land of Israel.

Judith in Scholarship

Scholarly research focuses on the study of the Book of Judith. The suggestion that Judith could be a fictional counterpart of the Hasmonean Queen Salome Alexandra, facing the invasion of the Armenian King Tigranes the Great would give some historical relevance to the character.

Judith in Fiction

Judith enjoyed an extraordinary success in Christian iconography, especially in the period of the Counter-Reformation, as a symbol of the inviolability and invincibility of the Church. The subject offered the opportunity to portray a heroine in which beauty and strength were united. Judith was usually depicted in the act of beheading Holofernes, or triumphant with the sword and the head of Holofernes, often in company with her maidservant, by artists such as Titian, Caravaggio, Valentin de Boulogne, and many others. In the 18th century, the most celebrated composers (including Scarlatti and Vivaldi) made her the protagonist of oratorios. La Betulia liberata by Pietro Metastasio became one of the most popular librettos, set to music by numerous composers, including the young Mozart. By the early 20th century, however, Salome replaced Judith as the most popular Biblical heroine, by taking up most of her features and adding that touch of youthful perversion that the pious widow Judith could not have.