Novel

The novel, published in 1880 by Lew Wallace, describes the life of the  Jewish prince Judah Ben Hur in the first century AD. Ben Hur is condemned to the galleys after an alleged attack on the Roman governor of Judea. He survives against all odds and, after his return home, he begins to plan an uprising against the Roman occupation. Ben Hur wins a chariot race against the Roman Messala, his former friend and now his opponent. Through his encounters with Jesus, whom he accompanies to his death, Judah Ben Hur is convinced by the Christian teachings of peace. He turns away from his violent political plans.

The charm of the story comes from the fact that the author intertwines the well known life of Jesus Christ with the destiny of Ben Hur. The audience encounters both the Sermon on the Mount and a sea battle. The story combines the Nativity story with a chariot race, the crucifixion of Jesus with an emotional love story.