The House of Rimmon: A Drama in Four Acts

In Short

This play reimagines the biblical story of Naaman, the Syrian captain, who seeks healing for his leprosy. While he fights to defend his city from Assyrian invasion, he is betrayed by a duplicitous high priest and an unfaithful wife. His redemption comes through his connection to a captive maid from Israel, whose steadfast devotion leads him to a higher truth. It is a work of poetic drama that explores the tension between political power and personal integrity, anchored by the enduring human search for mercy and genuine love.

The Story

Naaman, the celebrated captain of Damascus, returns from war to a home that feels cold and alien. His wife, Tsarpi, is secretly conspiring with Rezon, the ambitious High Priest of the House of Rimmon, to undermine Naaman’s influence and secure their own power as the city faces an ultimatum from the Assyrian Empire. As Rezon plots to use religious omens to force Damascus into submission, Naaman discovers Ruahmah, a captive maid from Israel who serves in his household. Though he is initially misled into believing Ruahmah is his wife, he finds in her a source of unexpected comfort and strength.

As the political crisis deepens, Naaman refuses to allow Damascus to become a puppet of Assyria, choosing to risk battle rather than accept a "golden yoke" of slavery. His principled stand against the priests, who favor surrender for their own gain, leads to his professional and personal downfall. Stricken by the very leprosy he feared would end his career, Naaman is abandoned by his wife, who remains tethered to the power of the priesthood. Only Ruahmah refuses to leave him, leading him toward the prophet Elisha in Israel.

Through this long, arduous journey, Ruahmah acts as his guide and advocate. Under the guise of his wife, she manages the logistics of his travel and maintains his morale. When they finally reach Israel, Naaman is healed after bathing in the Jordan, an act that shifts his spiritual allegiance from the cruel, arbitrary gods of Damascus to the one God of mercy.

Returning to Damascus, Naaman finds his reputation ruined and Ruahmah imprisoned within the temple of Rimmon, slated for ritual sacrifice by Rezon. The final act unfolds in the inner court of the temple, where the aged King Benhadad is caught between his fear of the gods and his need for his greatest soldier. Naaman interrupts the ceremony, confronting the High Priest and rescuing Ruahmah from the altar. In the ensuing confrontation, he demands that the King break with the corrupt priesthood. The play concludes with a tense standoff, as Naaman rejects the empty rituals of Rimmon and embraces a life defined by his devotion to Ruahmah and the truth he found in Israel.

How It Unfolds

The garden of shadows The story opens in the oppressive atmosphere of Naaman’s garden, where his wife, Tsarpi, and the high priest, Rezon, conspire against the hero. Amidst the fragrance of flowers and the shadow of the temple tower, they plot to break Naaman’s spirit and ensure their own rise to power.

The call to battle Damascus faces a terrifying threat from the Assyrian Bull, and the court is divided between those who demand resistance and those who seek peace through surrender. Naaman passionately argues for liberty, only to be thwarted by the priests, who manipulate religious superstition to silence him.

The descent into exile After falling ill with leprosy, Naaman is cast out, losing his status and his home. Accompanied by the devoted Ruahmah, he wanders into the mountains of Samaria, forced to confront his own mortality and his misplaced faith in the gods of his ancestors.

The river of healing Naaman undergoes the transformative act of washing in the Jordan, shedding his disease and his cynicism. This spiritual awakening brings him to a new understanding of God, one that emphasizes mercy and moral clarity over the capricious cruelty of Rimmon.

The final confrontation Returning to the temple of Rimmon to save Ruahmah, Naaman faces a final choice between the old world of corruption and the new life he has earned. He confronts Rezon and the King, ultimately dismantling the influence of the priesthood and declaring his allegiance to the truth of love and service.

The People

Naaman is a valiant, straightforward soldier who finds his strength tested by unseen, cruel forces. His journey is one of shedding illusions, moving from a rigid reliance on his sword to a more profound understanding of spiritual and personal devotion.

Ruahmah is the emotional anchor of the narrative. A captive maid with the soul of a princess, she seeks only the restoration of her lord. She is the embodiment of self-sacrifice, hiding her true identity to serve Naaman, and eventually becoming the catalyst for his physical and spiritual healing.

Rezon serves as the antagonist, a man whose piety is a mask for political ambition. He wants to consolidate the power of the priesthood by ensuring the city’s subjugation to Assyria. He represents the "House of Rimmon"—a structure of power built on fear, manipulation, and the exploitation of the people.

Tsarpi is Naaman’s wife, a woman defined by her vanity and her desire for status. She is the antithesis of Ruahmah; where Ruahmah gives, Tsarpi takes. Her eventual betrayal of Naaman highlights the hollowness of their marriage and the corrupting nature of the temple’s influence.

King Benhadad is a vacillating, elderly ruler, caught between his genuine love for his captain and his paralyzing fear of the religious authorities. His indecision drives much of the conflict, as he is consistently manipulated by the darker elements of his own court.

In Its Own Voice

The corrupt nature of the religious establishment is made clear early on by the priest:

"You shall climb, through incense-smoke, and days of pomp, and nights of revelry, glorious rites and ecstasies of love, unto the topmost room in Rimmon's tower."

As Rezon describes his vision of power, he reveals how he intends to use Tsarpi to betray her husband.

Naaman reflects on the cruelty of the gods he was taught to serve:

"But if their secret will is manifest in blind decrees of sheer omnipotence, that punish where no fault is found, and smite the poor with undeserved calamity, I will not call this fierce almightiness Divine."

Naaman’s struggle is deeply intellectual, as he rejects a god who demands suffering for its own sake.

Ruahmah’s devotion is absolute:

"The tides that fill my soul flow unto thee and follow after thee; and where thou goest I will go; and where thou diest I will die,--in the same hour."

This vow defines the selfless love that ultimately redeems the hero.

What It's Really About

At its core, the work examines the conflict between institutionalized power—represented by the House of Rimmon—and the personal, individual experience of truth. It questions whether loyalty to tradition is valid when that tradition has become cruel and dishonest. The play argues that the divine is found not in the "blind decrees" of an idol, but in the capacity for mercy, sacrifice, and human connection. By contrasting the cold, transactional nature of the priesthood with the organic, life-giving love shared between Naaman and Ruahmah, the author suggests that the ultimate test of a soul is its ability to choose integrity over the comforts of status and the safety of the status quo.

Why Read It Today

This play offers a compelling, if occasionally formal, look at the timeless struggle of the individual against corrupt systems. Readers who enjoy classical drama and character-driven explorations of faith will find much to admire here. The language is elevated and occasionally archaic, reflecting the period of its writing, which provides a distinct, stately reading experience. However, a modern reader should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes regarding gender roles and the occasionally melodramatic dialogue that characterizes early 20th-century verse drama.

Despite these conventions, the emotional arc of Naaman’s transformation remains remarkably clear and moving. The depiction of the "House of Rimmon" as a metaphor for any institution that prioritizes its own survival over the well-being of the people it claims to serve feels strikingly relevant. You will likely walk away from this book reflecting on the distinction between true, selfless love and the transactional relationships that dominate so much of public life. It is a work for those who enjoy literature that asks hard questions about what we owe to our leaders, our gods, and, most importantly, each other.