to give her husbandand, in turn, the world, a strong son. This is the ultimate act ofmartyrdom: total sacrifice of the self through devotion to another person.Yet, oblivious to personal desire and the possibility of choice, Ruth cannever be a true martyr. It must also be considered that Ruth is neveracknowledged as the mother or the creator of David, and therefore how canshe look upon herself as such. She has been schooled by society to be bothhumble, unassuming, and submissive. Although modern woman is no longer measured by her ability toprocreate, the choice to not have children is perceived as abnormal orselfish, arising from a lack of responsibility and ability to be devoted to thegreater good rather than to personal achievement. Furthermore, theinability to procreate is a taboo topic of discussion. So, the modernwoman, aware of personal desire and choice and powerfully drawn to itsuffers greatly from the conflict between self and society, passion andresponsibility. The story of Ruth becomes a metaphor for the plight of allwomen who struggle to liberate themselves from the pressures of society.In addition, it serves to highlight the expectations placed upon womenacross the ages: to serve the family first, to keep a respectable image insociety, and to marry and procreate. Ruth then, ironically, becomes asymbol for women's oppression where she could easily have been a symbolof liberation. In the context of the Old Testament, the irony is undeniableas Ruth is traditionally known for her loyalty. However, this only furthersher function as a symbol of oppression as her loyalty was to society, not toherself, a situation from which it was impossible to benefit. Moreover, Ruthis a symbol for sacrifice for the wrong reasons. She is caught in a limbobetween martyrdom and self-interest, between the beginnings of theJudeo-Christian ethic and its end. Ruth is the ultimate modern woman; thisshould be pitied, not celebrated....
