Literary Devices in The Book of Ruth
Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
What's Up With the Title?
Books in the Bible get their names all different ways. Some are named after the people who wrote them (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Some titles come from the first line of the story (like Genesi...
What's Up With the Ending?
The last paragraph of Ruth's story is an interesting one. After we read all about the lives of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz—three random folks from Bethlehem—we get hit with a surprise. This is actual...
Trivia
Ruth has the highest ratio of dialogue to narrative of any biblical book. We guess it's true: ladies love to talk. Is Shmoop right, guys? High five! Or… not. (Source, p. 192.)TV mogul and all-aro...
Sex Drugs And Violence Rating
The Book of Ruth is completely drug and violence free. We'd say it's sex-free, too, but then there's the whole scene where Ruth uncovers Boaz's "feet." Scandalous. But, hey, if you won't tell, then...
Allusions
Ode to a Nightingale by John KeatsIn Keats's poem, the speaker alludes to Ruth "sick for home, / She stood in tears amid the alien corn." Wait a second, there's no crying in gleaning.Rabbit, R...