Judah Ben-Hur

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Judah Ben-Hur
Ben-Hur character
Charlton Heston in Ben Hur trailer.jpg
Charlton Heston as Judah Ben-Hur from Ben-Hur (1959)
First appearance A Tale of the Christ (1880, novel)
Last appearance Ben-Hur (2016, film)
Created by Lew Wallace
Portrayed by
Voiced byCharlton Heston (2003)
In-universe information
AliasesBen-Hur
Son of Hur
Young Arrius
OccupationPrince
Galley Slave
Charioteer
FamilyMiriam (mother)
Tirzah (sister)
SpouseEsther
ReligionJudaism, later Christianity

Judah Ben-Hur, shortened to Ben-Hur, is a fictional character, the title character and protagonist from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ . The book covers the character's adventures and struggle against the Roman Empire as he tries to restore honor to his family's name after being falsely accused of attacking the Roman governor. Judah encounters Jesus Christ and becomes a Christian.

Contents

Etymology

Wallace wrote that he chose the name Ben-Hur "because it was biblical, and easily spelled, printed and pronounced." [1] The name appears once in the Bible (Hebrew : בן־חור), as the name of one of King Solomon's twelve district governors (1 Kings 4:8). In Hebrew the word "bén" means son. In the King James Version Bible, referring to Solomon's district leaders, he is mentioned as "...the son of Hur.", confirming he was 'Judah son of Hur'. [2] The name Hur appears a few times in the Bible, most notably as one of the companions of Moses and Aaron.

Concept and creation

The Count of Monte Cristo was the inspiration for Ben-Hur; the main character Edmond Dantes is falsely accused, escapes his imprisonment and seeks vengeance on those responsible for his imprisonment. [3]

Fictional character biography

Judah Ben-Hur is a Jewish prince of Jerusalem who is descended from a royal family of Judaea; son of Ithamar; [4] enslaved by the Romans and freed by Quintus Arrius, a Roman warship commander, who also adopts Judah as his son. [5] Judah later becomes a trained charioteer intending to defeat Messala as retribution for falsely accusing him and his family of attacking the Roman governor during a military parade earlier on in the book. Messala is Judah's boyhood friend who becomes his rival later in the Sheik Ilderim's chariot at Antioch. [6] [7] Afterwards, Judah becomes a follower of Christ and recognizes Him as the man who offered him water as he was being sent to the galleys. He watches him perform miracles, witnesses the crucifixion and realizes that He is a heavenly King, not an earthly king. His encounters with Jesus throughout his journey ultimately change his perspective on life – realizing that forgiveness is more important than revenge. Esther becomes his wife and the mother of his children. [8]

Five years after the chariot race, Judah learns from Iras that she killed Messala. In approximately AD 64 (being the tenth year of Nero's reign), Judah finds out about the suffering of their fellow Christians. He gives his fortune to help construct the Catacomb of Callixtus and an underground church within the catacombs.

Adaptations

Ramon Novarro as Ben-Hur (1925) Ramon Novarro as Ben-Hur.jpg
Ramon Novarro as Ben-Hur (1925)

In the 1899 Broadway play, Ben-Hur was portrayed by Edward J. Morgan who replaced Walker Whiteside at the last minute.

In the 1925 silent film, Ben-Hur was portrayed by Ramon Novarro.

In the 1959 film directed by William Wyler, Ben-Hur was played by Charlton Heston, [9] who won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Marlon Brando, Burt Lancaster, Paul Newman and Rock Hudson turned down the role before Heston accepted it. In this version, Ben-Hur becomes a Christian at the crucifixion of Christ; whereas in the book Ben-Hur becomes a Christian earlier. Ben-Hur is given a more bitter personality; Balthazar, one of the three wise men having witnessed the birth of Christ, begs him to listen to the teachings of Jesus but Judah rebuffs him saying that he has business with Rome. Blaming Rome for destroying the once good Messala (prior to his corruption) and what has happened to his family, Judah refuses to have anything more to do the Empire and asks Pilate to return his ring to his adoptive father, Quintus Arrius. In contrast with the book, while witnessing the crucifixion, Judah comes to realize that forgiveness is better than vengeance, feeling Jesus' voice taking the sword of anger and hatred out of his hand.

Heston reprised his role in the 2003 animated film. Although this version is similar to the 1959 film, some differences include Ben-Hur, his family, Balthazar and a redeemed Messala witnessing the crucifixion together.

Judah Ben-Hur also appears in the Back to the Future animated series episode "Roman Holiday".

On stage, Ben-Hur was portrayed by Sebastian Thrun, which premiered at the O2 Arena in London in 2009. [10]

In the 2010 television miniseries, Ben-Hur was played by Joseph Morgan.

The character was portrayed by Jack Huston in the 2016 film.

In contrast with the novel most of the adaptations end with Judah being reunited with Miriam and Tirzah. The aftermath and his marriage to Esther is also not part of some of the adaptations’ plot with the exception of the 2003 animated film, where Judah shares with his children his adventures and faith in Jesus.

Related Research Articles

Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontius Pilate</span> Roman governor of Judaea and condemner of Jesus

Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of Jesus and ultimately ordered his crucifixion. Pilate's importance in Christianity is underscored by his prominent place in both the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Because the gospels portray Pilate as reluctant to execute Jesus, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believes that Pilate became a Christian and venerates him as both a martyr and a saint, a belief which is historically shared by the Coptic Church, with a feast day on 19 or 25 June, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Boyd</span> Northern Irish actor (1931–1977)

William Millar, better known by his stage name Stephen Boyd, was an actor from Northern Ireland. He emerged as a leading man during the late 1950's with his role as the villainous Messala in Ben-Hur (1959), a role that earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture. He received his second Golden Globe nomination for the musical Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962).

<i>Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ</i> 1880 novel by Lew Wallace

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a novel by Lew Wallace, published by Harper and Brothers on November 12, 1880, and considered "the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century". It became a best-selling American novel, surpassing Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) in sales. The book also inspired other novels with biblical settings and was adapted for the stage and motion picture productions.

<i>Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ</i> (1925 film) 1925 film by Fred Niblo

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is a 1925 American silent epic adventure-drama film directed by Fred Niblo and written by June Mathis based on the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by General Lew Wallace. Starring Ramon Novarro as the title character, the film is the first feature-length adaptation of the novel and second overall, following the 1907 short.

<i>Ben Hur</i> (1907 film) 1907 American film

Ben Hur is a 1907 American silent drama film set in ancient Rome, the first screen adaptation of Lew Wallace's popular 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Co-directed by Sidney Olcott and Frank Oakes Rose, this "photoplay" was produced by the Kalem Company of New York City, and its scenes, including the climactic chariot race, were filmed in the city's borough of Brooklyn.

<i>Ben-Hur</i> (1959 film) 1959 American epic film directed by William Wyler

Ben-Hur is a 1959 American religious epic film directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist, and starring Charlton Heston as the title character. A remake of the 1925 silent film with a similar title, it was adapted from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The screenplay is credited to Karl Tunberg, but includes contributions from Maxwell Anderson, S. N. Behrman, Gore Vidal, and Christopher Fry. The cast also features Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet, Hugh Griffith, Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell, and Sam Jaffe.

<i>Ben Hur</i> (2003 film) 2003 animated film based on the Lew Wallaces 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ

Ben Hur is a 2003 American-Canadian animated drama film based on the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, by Lew Wallace. It is the fourth film adaptation of the novel, the prior three of which were the 1907 silent short film, the 1925 silent film, and the Academy Award-winning 1959 film.

<i>Barabbas</i> (1961 film) 1961 film by Richard Fleischer

Barabbas is a 1961 religious epic film directed by Richard Fleischer for Dino De Laurentiis Cinematografica, expanding on the life of Barabbas, from the Christian Passion narrative in the Gospel of Mark and other gospels. It stars Anthony Quinn, Silvana Mangano, Katy Jurado, Arthur Kennedy, Harry Andrews, Ernest Borgnine, Vittorio Gassman, and Jack Palance. The screenplay is based on Nobel Prize-winner Pär Lagerkvist's 1950 novel of the same title.

Arrius may refer to:

Tirzah is a biblical name, one of the daughters of Zelophehad, and subsequently the name of a biblical city.

<i>Ben-Hur</i> (play)

Ben-Hur was an 1899 theatrical adaptation of the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1880) by Lew Wallace. The story was dramatized by William W. Young and produced by Marc Klaw and A. L. Erlanger. The stage production was notable for its elaborate use of spectacle, including live horses for the famous chariot race. The hippodrama had six acts with incidental music written by American composer Edgar Stillman Kelley. The stage production opened at the Broadway Theater in New York City on November 29, 1899, and became a hit Broadway show. Traveling versions of the production, including a national tour that ran for twenty-one years, played in the United States, Great Britain, and Australia. By the end of its run in April 1920, the play had been seen by more than twenty million people and earned over $10 million at the box office. There have been other stage adaptations of Wallace's novel, as well as several motion picture versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Lew Wallace Study</span> United States historic place

The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, formerly known as the Ben-Hur Museum, is located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976, and in 2008 was awarded a National Medal from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is located in the Elston Grove Historic District. The museum is associated with the life of Lew Wallace and his 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. The study, designed by Wallace, and accompanying carriage house are the only structures pertaining to Lew Wallace that have retained historical integrity. Both of these buildings now make up the museum and exhibit many of the artifacts that Wallace used during his lifetime, as well as many objects pertaining to his literary legacy. Guided tours of the study are available for a small admission fee; the Carriage House Interpretive Center and grounds are open to the public free of charge.

Ben Hur Live is a 2009 stage adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Produced by Franz Abraham with music and narration by Stewart Copeland, it premièred on 17 September 2009 at the O2 Arena in London, the first date of its European tour.

<i>Ben Hur</i> (miniseries) 2010 multi-national TV series or program

Ben Hur is a television miniseries that first aired in 2010. Based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, the series was produced by Alchemy Television Group in association with Drimtim Entertainment and Muse Entertainment in Montreal. It aired on Canada's CBC network on April 4, 2010, and aired later in 2010 on ABC in the United States.

Quintus Arrius may refer to:

The term Bible fiction refers to works of fiction which use characters, settings and events taken from the Bible. The degree of fictionalization in these works varies and, although they are often written by Christians or Jews, this is not always the case.

Production of <i>Ben-Hur</i> (1959 film)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) originally announced a remake of the 1925 silent film Ben-Hur in December 1952, ostensibly as a way to spend its Italian assets. Stewart Granger and Robert Taylor were reported to be in the running for the lead. Nine months later, MGM announced it would make the film in CinemaScope, with shooting beginning in 1954. In November 1953, MGM announced it had assigned producer Sam Zimbalist to the picture and hired screenwriter Karl Tunberg to write it. Zimbalist was chosen because he had produced MGM's Best Picture-nominated Christians-and-lions epic Quo Vadis in 1951. The studio then announced in July 1954 that production would start in March 1955 with 42 speaking parts and 97 sets. MGM said Sidney Franklin would direct, that the script by Tunberg was finished, that shooting would occur in Rome and in Spain, and that Marlon Brando was up for the lead. In September 1955, Zimbalist, who continued to claim that Tunberg's script was complete, announced that a $7 million, six-to-seven month production would begin in April 1956 in either Israel or Egypt in MGM's new 65mm widescreen process. MGM, however, suspended production in early 1956.

<i>Ben-Hur</i> (2016 film) 2016 film by Timur Bekmambetov

Ben-Hur is a 2016 epic historical drama film directed by Timur Bekmambetov and written by Keith Clarke and John Ridley. It is the fifth film adaptation of the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace following the 1907 silent short film, the 1925 silent film, the Academy Award-winning 1959 film and the 2003 animated film; it is the third version produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It has been termed a "re-adaptation", "reimagining", and "new interpretation" of the novel, and follows Judah Ben-Hur, a young prince who is falsely accused by his step-brother, an officer of the Roman army, and is sent to slavery, only to escape and seek vengeance. The film stars Jack Huston as the titular character, alongside Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Ayelet Zurer, and Morgan Freeman. Principal photography began on February 2, 2015, in Matera, Italy and lasted about five months, finishing in June 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balthazar (magus)</span> King of Arabia and youngest of three Magi who visited Jesus

Balthazar, also called Balthasar, Balthassar, and Bithisarea, was, according to Western Christian tradition, one of the three biblical Magi along with Caspar and Melchior who visited the infant Jesus after he was born. Balthazar is traditionally referred to as the King of Arabia and gave the gift of myrrh to Jesus. In the Catholic Church, he is regarded as a saint.

References

  1. Federer, [compiled by] William J. (1994). America's God and country : encyclopedia of quotations (Trade Paper. ed.). Coppell, TX: Fame. p. 630. ISBN   978-1880563052.
  2. Uittenbogaard, Arie. "The amazing name Ben-hur: meaning and etymology". Abarim Publications. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  3. The Book Lover's Devotional. Barbour Publishing. 2011. ISBN   978-1607423898 . Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  4. Wallace, Ben-Hur (1880), pp. 100 and 171
  5. Wallace, Ben-Hur (1880), pp. 135, 160–62, and 166–67.
  6. Wallace, Ben-Hur (1880), pp. 206 and 231.
  7. Morsberger and Morsberger, p. 303.
  8. Wallace, Ben-Hur (1880), pp. 180 and 548.
  9. "Jack Huston set to star in Ben-Hur remake". BBC News. 17 September 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  10. Mark Espiner (14 September 2009). "Ben Hur Live leaves little to the imagination". The Guardian . Retrieved 24 July 2016.