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 The Red Tent is a figment of Anita Diamont's imaginatiion, but Dinah is not. Diamont weaves a beautiful tale with just enough biblical truth to be believable.
According to the Red Tent, Jacob of early biblical times, loves and wants Rachel more than his other three wives, Leah, Zilpah or Bilhah. Rachel, the second daughter of Laban can not marry until her older sister finds a husband. To solve this problem, patient Jacob works for Laban seven years to earn Leah's hand and then works another seven years to earn his beloved Rachel.
The Red Tent is the place of female passages. All the tribe and clan of Laban are conceived, born and die in the tent. The rites of passage to womanhood and the monthly issue are celebrated in the tent. When a couple is married, their honeymoon means a week in the tent without interruption.
Diamont's characters are not larger than life. Rather, the four wives together are the consummate 'perfect wife' of the Bible described in Proverbs 31. Their qualities allow Jacob to be a person of historical significance. In The Red Tent we see changes in biblical custom through the eyes of Dinah. We understand how she would reclaim the importance of women and procreation if she could rewrite the Bible.
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