Judith by Howard Barker

When I was reading Judith the question, “Will Judith kill Holofernes?” never came to mind. I did not wonder about this throughout the entire play, in fact I had no idea it was going to happen until the servant pointed out the sword, and even then, I wondered if I was wrong. While I was reading the play, I even wondered if it had a major dramatic question. If I had to pick one for the play it might be, “Why is Judith whoring herself out to Holofernes?” That is something I wondered. I wanted to know why she was there, what is the purpose of this? Is she really a prostitute? It didn’t even seem like Holofernes had hired her, she just seemed to show up. The play didn’t seem to have a plot until that moment when the servant pointed out the sword. Until then the play was about two people talking, trying to love, trying not to love, trying to “fuck,” trying not to “fuck,” and meanwhile discussing death. I wasn’t rooting for anyone, and what I felt toward Judith is entirely different from rooting, it was begging her not to and questioning her words and actions. However, the question, “Why is Judith whoring herself out to Holofernes?” is not a major dramatic question. Perhaps it could be rearranged to, “Will Judith sleep with Holofernes?” It makes more sense because you can tell that Judith doesn’t want to, and the play makes you beg her not to. Not only that, but Holofernes tells her he doesn’t want to, but then asks her to take off her clothes. Before the true plot is revealed, Holofernes and Judith give mixed signals to each other and the audience. Even once her clothes are off, you wonder if they might not do it. Then their purpose is revealed and you know that her intention was not to whore herself out. They kill him. You are made to believe the question has been answered, but then Judith proposes to sleep with the man she has just killed and that her servant has just decapitated. Then, the answer is fully revealed, and the play ends.