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Haman and Mordecai
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Haman and Mordecai

masque by Handel
Also known as: “Esther”
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Quick Summary

The biblical story of Haman and Mordecai is central to the Book of Esther. Haman, a Persian court official, plotted to exterminate all Jews in the Persian empire. However, his scheme was thwarted by Esther, a Jewish queen, and her cousin Mordecai. As a result, Haman was executed, and the Jews were saved. This event is commemorated by the Jewish festival of Purim.

George Frideric Handel, a renowned Baroque composer, adapted this story into an English oratorio titled Esther (originally Haman and Mordecai). This work, first performed around 1718, was a significant step in the development of the English oratorio genre, which typically dramatized biblical stories in English. Handel's Esther paved the way for his later, more famous oratorios like Saul and Messiah.

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. Esther
  2. Haman
  3. George Frideric Handel

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