Abstract

My research explores the Jewish mythical figure of the golem and the symbolism behind it from contradictory angles that juxtapose the figure as a subservient defender of the oppressed Jews and as a monster over whom his creator has lost control and who then runs amok slaughtering those it is created to protect. My research attempts to make sense of these clashing propensities to understand how this figure can become such a bewildering yet ominous figure to Christians and Jews alike. Additionally, in the ultimate destruction of the golem, I would like to explore societal anxieties, fears, and securities about the loss of power as reflected in the version of the tale in which the Rabbi loses control of the golem and is forced to immobilize it. In addition to the dichotomies mentioned above, what makes the golem unique is the story of its creation and its career, which encompasses a wide variety of themes, including the human desire to create, control, and wield power. Given that the rabbi’s creation of the golem closely mimics God’s creation of Adam, the golem functions as a creation that blurs the line between divine and human acts of creation. It also symbolizes hope for redemption and can be seen as an embodiment of resistance in the face of oppression. Thus, between the dichotomies and symbols that it comprises, the true nature of the golem remains ambiguous and mysterious—a compelling impetus for research.

Disciplines

Children's and Young Adult Literature | English Language and Literature | European History | History | History of Religion | Holocaust and Genocide Studies | Jewish Studies | Medieval History | Medieval Studies | Other English Language and Literature | Religion

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