Question: Mordechai gives advice to Achashveirosh. I've seen the Maharsha and I've seen the Chavrusa on this strange Gemara. What is Mordechai doing? First, he tells Esther to keep her roots a secret, then he gives Achashveirosh advice on how to get Esther to reveal her roots. If Mordechai felt that her position was in jeapordy if she did not reveal her roots, why didn't he simply tell her to inform the king or simply tell the king himself? Why was it necessary for Mordechai Hazzadik to give such bizzare advice? The whole subject of the Geulah coming from the union between Esther and Achashveirosh is perplexing enough (See Meg. 13b Tosfos, Zohar etc.) even with the explanation of Karka Olom and Brisker Torah.
The objective of Mordechai's advice to Achashverosh was not simply how to persuade her to reveal her roots. Rather, his advice was given during the interim queen-selection period, during which Esther was required to live with Achasverosh. Mordechai was hoping that Esther would not be the winning candidate and be forced to marry Achashverosh (this was before the the threat of Haman came about, and thus Mordechai did not know that it was Hash-m's will that Esther become the queen in order to be in a position to save the Jews).
Therefore, Mordechai suggested to Achashverosh that he gather together another group of young women and repeat the queen-selection process. Mordechai told him that this would arouse Esther's jealousy and she would reveal her roots to him, but the real motive of Mordechai was that Achashverosh find a more beautiful women and take her, instead of Esther, as his queen!
M. Kornfeld