The theme of "Ben Hur" is:"Presentation and dramatization of the dichotomy regarding the nature of the Christian concept of the Kingdom of God,the ultimate purpose behind the coming of Jesus Christ and the means by which the Kingdom of God can be established on Earth."

The jist of the plot,or the plot-theme is:"The story of a man who is a victim of injustice of the Romans and consequently,filled with growing hatred,bitterness and vengeance,seeks to overthrow the Roman empire by waging war with the much-awaited Messiah,or the Son of God-and establish the Kingdom of God on Earth."

The dichotomy is this : one view is that the Kingdom of God is a political concept-which will replace the mighty Roman Empire-and that war and bloodshed will establish it.
On the contrary,the truth (the other side of the dichotomy) is that the Kingdom of God is a purely spiritual concept and that it can be established on Earth only through love,faith and good works.

It is difficult to decide who is the protagonist-Jesus Christ or Ben Hur.
Since Wallace's objective was to clarify the meaning behind the coming of Christ,we may say that Christ is the protagonist-though not many pages have been devoted to Him.

Ben Hur represents the erroneous side of the dichotomy. It is through his role we are made to understand what actually IS the Kingdom of God and what means can make it possible.
The story primarily deals with WHY Ben Hur follows the wrong path(how he is blinded by a strong sense of hatred and vindictiveness).

Laudable is the literary skill with which the story of Ben Hur has been inextricably interwoven with the life of Christ to bring out the purpose of the novel.

The dominating element in the novel is the heightened sense of suspense.Besides making it an action-packed thriller where events suceed each other with amazing rapidity,Wallace has infused into every chapter a stong element of suspense-from the very first to the very last.
Despite the neck-breaking speed with which the story proceeds,one never feels that the novelist has compromised on delineation of his characters' motives or psychology or the explanation of their actions or the events.

Another merit is the brilliant language.Without being over-detailed,vaguely metaphorical or losing track of the plot,Wallace's descriptions are characterised by an evaluative vividness,lucidity,clarity and charming poetry.
They do not,as in the case of many other novels take away from the story its tautness.

"Ben Hur" has it all-a tight,taut,economized plot-structure;thrilling,suspenseful action;historical and religious value;a wide cast of inspiring,lovable heroic characters;an enthralling sense of drama and a rich,poetic style of writing.

All I can say,at the end,is: Read it and revel in a major literary achievement of the Romantic genre.

In one of the most unique parlays in human history, Lew Wallace was not only a significant Union General during the Civil War, he also wrote one of the best selling novels in all of literature. After the war, posted to a deadly dull Western fort, Wallace began writing to fill the empty hours. Prompted by a casual discussion about the life and times of Jesus, he set this great story of revenge against the backdrop of Christ's mission.

Judah Ben-Hur is a Jew of Jerusalem. Arriving at manhood, he has become estranged from his childhood friend Messala, a Roman noble. The two exchange bitter words and when Ben-Hur later accidentally dislodges a roof tile which strikes a Roman official, Messala has him sent to the galleys and his mother and sister, Tirzah, sent to a leprosy infested prison cell. As he is being led to the ship on which he will be enslaved, Ben-Hur is offered a drink of water by an unforgettable stranger. Onboard ship, Ben-Hur befriends the Roman admiral Arrius and, after saving his life, is made his heir and a citizen of Rome.

Several years later, wealthy and well educated, Ben-Hur returns to Judea to look for his mother and sister and wreak his revenge on Messala. Vengeance comes when he vanquishes Messala in a chariot race, but his family, freed from their squalid cell and suffering from leprosy, hide from him. Meanwhile, Christ has come to Jerusalem preaching to increasing crowds and Ben-Hur, recognizing the kindly stranger who once helped him, becomes a leader of a group of armed guards bent on protecting him. His devotion becomes all the more complete after Christ heals Tirzah and his mother. But when the time comes, Ben-Hur heeds Christ's wishes and does not intervene. He does manage to return the long ago favor and give Christ a drink and remains to bear witness to the crucifixion. The story concludes with the increasingly wealthy Ben-Hur using his riches to fund the catacombs of Rome from which Christianity would emerge to conquer the Empire.

It is no mystery why this is one of the most beloved of all American novels. The savage revenge theme, worthy of The Count of Monte Cristo, intertwines with the story of Christ to produce a story that is thrilling, uplifting and timeless.

GRADE: A+

Ben Hur is a great book. It deals with Christianity and one man's jouney to finding the Lord. Ben Hur is a rich young Jewish man with a perfect life. Then his life is shattered by an unfortunate accident. He is sent to be a galley slave for a crime he did not commit. The rest of the book deals with his quest for revenge on the boyhood friend who betrayed him and his desperate search for his mother and sister. Though the book he moves closer to the Lord. Ben Hur is very long and not an easy read.