Just finished the book THE TESTAMENT OF MARY by COLM TOIBIN
which is also a Broadway play…
I am more of a history purist and for stories that relate or
try to portray a certain event in history like the life of Mary, Jesus’ mother,
at the time of Jesus’ short ministry; I demand from the author some historic basis
like what Reza Aslan presented in his book The Zealot; Toibin uses only Gospel
stories to create his drama.
As an example, Toibin dramatizes the whole crucifixion scene
based on the Gospels without reference to the historic basis how Roman
crucifixions were handled. He also totally falls for the whole Pontius Pilate nonsense
as if he was somehow sympathetic to the plight of Jesus. There are many more
examples but I guess I should acknowledge that he is basing his story on the
Gospel accounts and not historic accuracy.
In his dramatic portrayal of Mary in those turbulent times,
he has her talk about how her son had changed from the boy she raised. How he
turned away from her and just surrounded himself with his followers, who she
did not like or trust.
She also talked about how certain so called miracles may
have been staged (turning water into wine) and how Lazarus was a zombie that
should have been allowed to die.
In the end, she was troubled and puzzled how Jesus’
followers were trying to make her remember things “differently” than how they
really happened.
It was an interesting portrayal of Mary’s days during her
son’s ministry but I guess I am not into this type of fiction no matter how
dramatic.
Some may find it interesting and the author is a gifted
writer of note so the writing is first class but I guess I am after knowable
facts and not just dramatizations of semi-fictional Gospel stories.
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