The varied views about the literary genre of Esther matter because they involve assumptions about the historicity of the book. Given the book’s content, form, and style, the book is best seen as a short historical story, comparable to the account of Joseph or the book of Ruth. It is a short history with a theological message.
The mention of Persian customs and Persian names show the author’s knowledge of the circumstances of the time. His message emerges indirectly in the course of the history, so it makes most sense to see the book as historical, like Genesis, Kings and Ezra-Nehemiah. The opening sentence also points in that direction (Esther 1:1–3).
Opinions differ as to the question of the literary genre of Esther.1 This question is not unimportant because it is also related to the historicity of the book. On the one hand, the book has been understood as historiography, while others deny the historicity of the content altogether and regard it as literary fiction.” Others regard it a historical novel with a
kernel of truth,” as a novella, 2 a wisdom story with a historical slant, 3 a festive legend, 4 a drama, or "burlesque.” 5 The book can best be seen –given its content, form and style– as a short historical story. This genre is comparable to the account of Joseph or the book of Ruth. It is a short history in which a theological message has been incorporated.
The many references to Persian customs and the mention of Persian names give the impression that the author is well informed about the circumstances of the time. The message he brings emerges indirectly in the course of the history. It is therefore most obvious to regard the book as a historiography, comparable to the books of Genesis, Kings and Ezra-Nehemiah. The opening sentence also points in that direction (Esther 1:1–3). However, it is often doubt about the credibility of many details that leads contemporary researchers to consider the book of Esther to belong to a different genre, such as literary fiction. From the actual content of the book itself there are no indications in that direction.6
1 C'était du temps d'Assuérus, de cet Assuérus qui régnait depuis l'Inde jusqu'en Ethiopie sur cent vingt-sept provinces;