Golems are artificial beings and originate from Jewish folklore. They are usually overlarge "men" created from clay, and animated by placing holy words in the mouth on slips of paper or written on the creature itself. The Golem will be deactivated when the paper is removed or the words altered. Golems generally serve as protectors of communities, but may also be created as personal servants or for specific missions. They have very low intelligence and a tendency to run wild.
Perhaps the definition should have been limited to "overlarge men." Men used to commit specific acts under the guise of religious mysticism. Singer and Rosenberg based their books on the original legend of the Golem of Prague as passed down by Katz who just happened to be the Maharal's son-in-law. Obvious distortions occurred as a result but more so out of necessity than by accident. Yes, there was a banker involved, as was the mayor and several other prominent people just as the mythological tales reveal but what they don't tell you is that the Emperor did have reason to lay charges and historically, did take possession of the mayor's fortune after Meisel's death. These are all facts and the story as presented by Singer, although quaint and enchanting, does not provide the history behind the actual events. The crimes committed by the banker, the printing house and the Golem were more than legend but in actuality historical facts.
ReplyDeleteThe reality was that in the year of 1588, the city of Prague was held in the grip of terror, victim to the murderous rampage of an inhuman monster created from the seeds of hatred and sown through religious intolerance and mortal greed. Therefore the legend of the Golem must be viewed from this perspective to appreciate it fully.
I highly recommend reading Shadows of Trinity released by Eloquent Books http://www.eloquentbooks.com/ShadowsOfTrinity.html in order to compare the legend against the historical documentation. In this story, there is an exposure of those intentionally proclaimed as its heroes to be nothing more than the notorious villains who were prepared to destroy their own world.
Shadows of the Trinity, for the most part, is a non-fiction historical novel, revealing a series of strange and world-shattering events that occurred during the years 1588 and 1589 in Prague, the Bohemian capital of the Austro-Hungary Empire. It is a social commentary on why people believe that in order to achieve something good that they must commit evil to do so.
Hey there, thanks for the extensive comment. I didn't know the Prague golem story was based on actual events. Thanks for the links, I'll check them out.
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