On finishing Ben Hur

So I read Ben Hur. It was exactly as ridiculous as it should be. (Also, now that I think of it, I read an abridged version at camp a long time ago.) Wallace is actually a good writer, although he follows the 19th century convention of having historical novel characters use thee and thou all over the place. The race scene is particularly thrilling (and Messala doesn't die, he just gets crippled for life), especially as a former racer myself, though not of chariots.

Speaking of Messala, although Wallace's project was clearly not to create a masterpiece of characterization, would it have hurt to make the guy a little less insufferable? I don't mind villains, if they carry it off well, but there's a way to do smug and self-satisfied that makes me like them, and all I wanted to do with Messala was smear a pie in his face.

The Jesus-business was very interesting - not the conversion, which felt shoehorned in*, but the discussion of His execution. Surprisingly enough for the author a proselytizing work, Wallace goes into the political reasons - that the Romans had interfered with the governance of the Jews and even the appointment of the high priest; that the nobles and the common people were at variance; and that because of these things the province was a powder-keg.

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*The plot: Messala is a jerkface, gets Ben-Hur sent to the galleys and his mother and sister imprisoned. Ben-Hur comes back, gets revenge. Awesome chariot race! Ben-Hur is very very rich! Messala gets a pretty lady to betray Ben-Hur! Oh also he follows Jesus and helps build the catacombs in Rome. But mainly revenge!

**Note on my music: Lascia ch'io pianga is kind of awful for male voice, sry2say