Fair to Look Upon

In Short

Written on the eve of her own wedding, a young woman’s satirical journey through the Old Testament challenges traditional notions of female submission. Examining figures from Eve and Sarah to Delilah, Rahab, and Ruth, the narrator demonstrates that biblical women consistently exercised agency, outwitted authority, and secured their own desires. By blending irreverent humor, late nineteenth-century wit, and direct engagement with scriptural texts, the book reframes classic religious narrative into a sharp commentary on gender dynamics, domestic influence, and the persistent illusion of patriarchial control. It remains an entertaining specimen of American Gilded Age humor and early popular feminist critique.

The Story

The narrative frame opens with a modern young woman facing her imminent marriage. Troubled by religious doctrines and historical expectations regarding wifely obedience—particularly apostolic admonitions urging women to submit to their husbands—she embarks on an exhaustive examination of the Bible to discover whether submissive wives ever truly existed.

Beginning in Genesis, she reinterprets the story of Eve not as a tale of human downfall, but as the origin of female ambition and intellectual curiosity. Rather than a passive victim, Eve is depicted as a strategic actor who approaches the Serpent to gain knowledge and subsequently manages Adam through charm and shared experience. Proceeding through the patriarchal narratives, the author highlights Sarah’s decisive influence over Abraham, noting how the patriarch regularly deferred to his wife's demands regarding Hagar and domestic affairs.

The story continues through successive generations of biblical figures. Rebekah takes center stage as a master strategist who openly manipulates her household, orchestrating the succession of her preferred son, Jacob, and engineering family affairs to her liking. Rachel and Leah are depicted as practical managers who barter over Jacob, while Rachel outwits her father Laban by hiding his idols. In Egypt, Potiphar's wife and the Hebrew midwives demonstrate different facets of female self-determination, culminating in the strategic genius of Moses' mother and the Pharaoh’s daughter, who collaborate across social boundaries to save a child while bypassing male authority entirely.

Moving into the historical books, the narrator details the exploits of Rahab, who single-handedly negotiates the safety of her household in Jericho; Deborah, who commands military operations while her male general falters; and Jael and Delilah, who dismantle formidable military leaders through tactical cunning. The narrative reflects on the Witch of Endor dictating terms to King Saul, Bath-sheba navigating court politics, and Abigail outmaneuvering both her foolish husband and David's army. In the book of Ruth, the young widow’s famous devotion to Naomi and her courtship of Boaz are presented as brilliant, calculated moves by a woman in full command of her destiny.

Having surveyed the scriptural record from Creation to the monarchy, the narrator concludes that sacred history features virtually no submissive, passive women. Instead, she finds an unbroken record of determined women who shaped events through wit, charm, and sheer persistence. Returning to her immediate personal life, she meets her fiancé. Enlightened by her readings and recognizing that male demands for submission are quickly abandoned in the face of genuine affection, she happily agrees to marry him on her own terms.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Preparing for her upcoming wedding, the narrator resolves to study the Bible to see if women were ever truly submissive to their husbands. Her investigation starts in Eden, where she casts Eve as an ambitious figure who took charge of her destiny and led Adam into consciousness.

Patriarchs and managing wives Examining the households of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the author reveals how Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel consistently exercised their own wills. From Sarah's domestic dictates to Rebekah's tactical maneuvering over Isaac's blessing, the men repeatedly defer to female initiative.

Tactics along the Nile and beyond The focus shifts to Egypt and the Wilderness, where Potiphar’s wife, the Hebrew midwives, and Moses' mother bypass male authority to achieve their goals. Later, leaders like Rahab and Deborah demonstrate that women held the true strategic and political initiative during key moments in Israel's history.

Courts, queens, and clever widows The exploration culminates with the narratives of Delilah, the Witch of Endor, Bath-sheba, and Ruth, each using intellect, charm, or audacity to navigate patriarchal structures. The narrator concludes her study convinced that submissive women are entirely absent from the historical record.

A modern compromise Returning to the present day, the narrator greets her suitor, who readily yields his claims to authority in exchange for her love. Satisfied that her independence remains intact, she cheerfully consents to marriage.

The People

• The Narrator: A witty, independent nineteenth-century bride-to-be. Seeking to understand her future marital obligations, she undertakes a thorough reading of Scripture, using humor and sharp textual analysis to debunk the ideal of the submissive wife.
• Eve: The original woman of Scripture, portrayed not as a fallen sinner, but as an inquisitive, ambitious initiator who introduced thought, taste, and self-awareness to human existence.
• Rebekah: The wife of Isaac, characterized as a brilliant strategist. She manages domestic affairs with an iron hand, successfully outmaneuvering her husband to secure Jacob's inheritance.
• Rachel: The favored wife of Jacob, depicted as a headstrong and resolute woman who manages her husband, trades for his attentions, and outwits her father Laban.
• Ruth: The widow of Moab, whose famous loyalty to Naomi and romance with Boaz are framed as the actions of an intelligent, resourceful woman executing a masterful plan for her future.
• The Fiancé: A well-meaning modern young man whose initial demands for domestic authority dissolve as soon as he faces the prospect of losing his sharp-witted bride.

In Its Own Voice

"A careful perusal of my Bible convinces me that the 'holy women of old,' as Peter dubs them, were all afflicted with a chronic determination to have their own way--and they had it." The author summarizes her overall finding after surveying the lives of patriarchal wives.

"Because it has been supposed that she was very naughty. In this world it is the wicked folks who get the glory and the everlasting fame; the good people get the snubs, the crumbs, the eternal oblivion." Reflecting on the enduring legacy of Lot's wife and her decision to look back.

"'I don't want you to be submissive; I just want you to love me and--and--boss me,' he added, in the very depth of repentance." The narrator's fiancé yields his claims to household authority during their final reconciliation.

What It's Really About

Beneath its comedic surface, Fair to Look Upon engages directly with nineteenth-century debates regarding gender roles, marriage, and religious authority. By systematically reviewing biblical narratives, the book challenges the traditional theological argument that women are ordained by God to be passive, obedient helpmeets to men.

The work argues that female agency is not a modern aberration, but an integral feature of human history from its very inception. Freeley points out that the men of Scripture frequently relied upon, acquiesced to, and benefited from the initiative and cleverness of their wives. By highlighting the gap between apostolic preaching and actual Old Testament narrative, the text questions how religious tradition has been interpreted to enforce female subordination, proposing instead that mutual affection and practical female leadership have always governed domestic relations.

Why Read It Today

Fair to Look Upon offers a fascinating glimpse into late Victorian popular humor and early feminist literary critique. Readers interested in gender studies, nineteenth-century American literature, or creative biblical interpretation will find Freeley's energetic, conversational tone refreshing and surprisingly modern in its irreverence.

The book's brevity and lively prose make it an light, engaging read, though modern readers should be prepared for its distinctly nineteenth-century stylistic flourishes, romantic sentimentality, and occasional period attitudes regarding ancient Near Eastern cultures. Its primary charm lies in its unapologetic playfulness and the sharp, direct manner in which it dismantles long-held cultural assumptions using the very text cited to support them. It remains a memorable testament to the ways humor can be deployed to critique established social norms.