Ben-Hur (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)

At a glance:

Characters Discussed

Judah Ben-Hur, the son of a wealthy Jewish merchant. After accidentally injuring Valerius Gratus, the imperial governor of Judea, he is sentenced to life as a galley slave while his mother and sister are entombed in a prison tower. On his way to the sea, he is given water by a young boy, Jesus. He spends three years rowing in the galleys. When Quintus Arrius is given command of the Roman fleet, he is dismayed after he hears the story of the unjust treatment of Ben-Hur and his family. When Ben- Hur rescues Arrius during a sea battle, he is freed and made the...

[The entire page is 998 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the: