The Red Tent - Anita Diamant

When (if) you read the bible, you often come across characters that pop up only once, and are in the spotlight for a moment, and then disappear again... but you suspect they have more story to tell than is recorded. For example, the story of Joseph (and his 'technicolour' coat) is famous, but what do you know about his only sister?

Nothing? Yeah me too! Until I read this fantastic book.

Anita Diamant takes the story ...
...develops it. The result is largely an imaginative work of fiction, however, it is deeply rooted in information from other sources. For example, Joseph's time in Egypt is included, and other stories about Jacob, such as his difficult relationship with his brother Esau. The Red Tent is therefore deeply plausible as a narrative. There are no details that jar, or suspend belief. Maybe the historic reality is not recorded, but something that was lost ... more

When (if) you read the bible, you often come across characters that pop up only once, and are in the spotlight for a moment, and then disappear again... but you suspect they have more story to tell than is recorded. For example, the story of Joseph (and his 'technicolour' coat) is famous, but what do you know about his only sister?

Nothing? Yeah me too! Until I read this fantastic book.

Anita Diamant takes the story of Dinah, mentioned only in passing in the bible, and develops it. The result is largely an imaginative work of fiction, however, it is deeply rooted in information from other sources. For example, Joseph's time in Egypt is included, and other stories about Jacob, such as his difficult relationship with his brother Esau. The Red Tent is therefore deeply plausible as a narrative. There are no details that jar, or suspend belief. Maybe the historic reality is not recorded, but something that was lost has been restored. The important of women, and women's lives is to some extent recaptured, and their role in this ancient society reinstated.

Now don't be put off at the stage. I am reviewing a novel. This is not particularly a religious book, except in so far as it is about the history of characters central to two religious traditions. Religious ideas and practises are mentioned, but at this early stage of Jewish development, there was a surprising lack of orthopraxy... even within Jacob's (Joseph's dad) family, his wives (yes... four of them!) held vastly differing religious views, worshipping a number of gods, and taking part in their own 'religious' practises.

One of these practises was going into the red tent.

Each month, as they menstruated, the women of the tribe entered the red tent. They relaxed, gossiped and rested there; eating special foods, and celebrating their womanhood and fertility. The youngest children could of course accompany them, but no men were allowed in the tent. This was solely a woman's world. The first time a girl bled, she was welcomed into the tent with a party. They fed her well, gave her sweet wine to drink, and painted her with henna. Becoming an adult was a pleasure and rite or passage, not something that is hidden away and swept under the carpet as it often can be today. There is no shame involved, just celebration.

The Red Tent is split into three sections. The first tells Dinah's story from before she was born through the stories her mothers pass on about how they all met Jacob and became his wives. Jacob's four wives are in fact sisters, Leah and Rachel's kinship is well known, but Bilhah and Zilpah were also Laban's daughters by slave girls. These four women have close and in Rachel and Leah's case, tumultuous relationships, and 12 sons between them. (There is a family tree at the front of the book so you don't get confused.)

The second section, entitled 'My Story' is about Dinah's birth and childhood. While she is still young (before she enters the red tent for the first time) Jacob and his wives pack up and leave Laban, entering the wilderness and travelling south. They visit Rebekah, Dinah's grandmother, and also meet Esau, which is tense as Jacob worries a lot about this meeting. The women's role in these events is usually marginalised, however the book retains its focus on their concerns and lives.

During this time, Rachel, who is already proficient as a mid-wife starts to train Dinah as her apprentice. It is a skilled role, and one of the ways women in this period were able to gain a little independence from men. The mothers they delivered would often pay them in gifts, and they would travel to births both near and far as their reputation carried them.

As Dinah becomes a woman, and enters the red tent for the first time, we hear a lot about the ceremony of her coming of age, and celebrate her womanhood with her. From this time, she is an eligible maid, who could be married. The circumstances around her marriage however are very much the climax of the book, so I won't give it away. Suffice to say, it is tragic and violent. The book changes direction after this point, leaving behind Jacob and his wives and sons, and moving with Dinah into Egypt.

The third and final section is about Dinah's life in Egypt, working as a midwife, and meeting Egyptians. While still compelling reading, I found this less involving that the earlier sections. Although events still tie in well with the bible and other historical sources, what actually happened to Dinah seems to fall increasingly under the banner of conjecture. It is a good story; it just might well not all be true.

Towards the end of the book, Jacob dies, and Dinah travels to Canaan to see him, and say goodbye. She finds this journey emotional and difficult, but as a narrative device, it serves to show what has happened to the other characters in the first two sections of this book, which as a reader I appreciated.

The style of this book is tender and intimate. It is clear, I think, that it was written by a woman, principally about women, and is intended for women. There is a sense of coming close, and whispering about stories that are not remembered by men, and things that are very important, but not written fully in other places. I really like the idea of filling in the gaps of someone's story. (As long as it is seen as a story not as a true history) I do not think the female focus need deter too all male readers, though they should perhaps be aware of what they are getting into!

If you want to read the original version of Dinah's story, she is mentioned in Genesis 30:21, Genesis 46:15 and the main story in Genesis 34. If you want to have a read, but don't have a bible, it is available online at www.biblegateway.com, you can either search for 'Dinah' or put in the references as I have typed them. It should be noted, however, that if you read this you'll know quite a bit of what happens in the book, so watch out if you don't want to spoil the plot!

The Red Tent is published by Pan, is 386 pages long, and costs £6.99, but Amazon sell if from £3.99.

Highly Recommended.

 

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