The recent Bible commentary by J. Carruthers provides an overview of how the book of Esther has been interpreted through the centuries. This shows that the book has been popular in Jewish circles throughout the centuries. However, the rabbis also pointed out certain difficult aspects: namely, Esther’s failure to adhere to the dietary laws, her marriage to a pagan king, and the adaptation to Persian customs. In Christian circles, little attention was paid to the book until the Middle Ages, but a great deal after that. Carruthers also mentions how the book was used in art: in paintings (including those by Rembrandt) as well as in poetry.1
1 C'était du temps d'Assuérus, de cet Assuérus qui régnait depuis l'Inde jusqu'en Ethiopie sur cent vingt-sept provinces;