Aseneth—From Priestess to Handmaid and Slave

Aseneth of "Joseph and Aseneth" is an intriguing figure in this classical romance. She is described in rather unusuual terms; that is, she is portrayed as a powerful, independent priestess who is suddenly confronted with Joseph, the great Hebrew hero who is also the great Egyptian savior. Aseneth falls in love with him and is ready to go to great lengths to "get" him as a husband. For that purpose the text tells us that she first has to convert and describes the process of her conversion in extraordinary sexual terms! While being thus (sexually) engaged, Aseneth is transformed from a woman who has total control of her life and destiny to one that is manipulated by men (Joseph and a look-alike angel) for their own rather shocking purposes.