Bøger af Ada Langworthy Collier

This edition of Lilith: The Legend of the First Woman contains illustrated depictions of the mythic Lilith, in her role within the garden of Eden.Collier uses poetry to detail an account of Lilith as an alternative narrative of the Book of Genesis. Originating from Rabbinic circles, the notion of Lilith was as Adam's first wife, with her expulsion taking place before God created Eve as her replacement. Drawing upon aspects of Jewish, Christian and Islamic law, Collier ably details Lilith's characteristics - she appears not as a malevolent demon or temptress, but as an intelligent being with a great capacity for affection. Owing to the interpretation being in verse form, we may observe an aesthetic description of the Garden of Eden and the circumstances of Lilith's arrival there.A fascinating interpretation of ancient myths, Lilith: The Legend of the First Woman is a worthwhile and intriguing read for those interested in Old Testament lore and Lilith as legend.

From these few and meagre details of a fabled existence, which are all that the author has been able to collect from any source whatever, has sprung the following poem. The poet feels quite justified in dissenting from the statements made in the preceding extracts, and has not drawn Lilith as [6]there represented-the bloodthirsty sovereign who ruled Damascus, the betrayer of men, the murderer of children. The Lilith of the poem is transferred to the more beautiful shadow-world. To that country which is the abode of poets themselves. And about her is wrapt the humanizing element still, and everywhere embodied in the sweetest word the human tongue can utter-lullaby. Some critics declare that true literary art inculcates a lofty lesson-has a high moral purpose. If poets and their work must fall under this rigorous rule, then alas "Lilith" will knock at the door of public opinion with a trembling hand indeed. If the poem have either moral aim or lesson of any kind (which observe, gentle critic, it is by no means asserted that it has), it is simply to show that the strongest intellectual powers contain no elements adverse to the highest and purest exercise of the affectional nature. That, in its true condition, the noblest, the most cultured intellect, and the loveliest, sublimest moral and emotional qualities, together weave the web that clothes the world's great soul with imperishable beauty. The possessor of highest intellectual capacity will be also capable of highest developments in the latter qualities. The woman of true intellect is the woman of truest affection. For the rest let Lilith speak, whose life dropped unrecorded from the earliest world. It is the poet's hope that the chords of the mother-heart universal will respond to the song of the childless one. That in the survival of that one word lullaby, may be revivified the pathetic figure of one whose home, whose hope, whose Eden passed to another. Whose name living in the terrors of superstitious peoples, now lingers in Earth's sweetest utterance. That Pagan Lilith, re-baptized in the pure waters of maternal love, shall breathe to heathen and Christian motherhood alike, that most sacred love of Earth still throbbing through its tender lullaby.

Pure as an angel's dream shone Paradise. Blue mountains hemmed it round; and airy sighs Of rippling waters haunted it. Dim glades, And wayward paths o'erflecked with shimmering shades, And tangled dells, and wilding pleasances, Hung moist with odors strange from scented trees. Sweet sounds o'erbrimmed the place; and rare perfumes, Faint as far sunshine, fell 'mong verdant glooms. In that fair land, all hues, all leafage green Wrapt flawless days in endless summer-sheen.

Old rabbinic tradition teaches that Eve was not Adam's first wife, rather a mysterious woman named Lilith who was thrown out of Eden before Adam and Eve were. This is a lyrical telling of that legend and what happens to Lilith as she encounters various demons outside the garden and what she says and does to Adam and Eve once they too are thrown out of the Garden of Eden.

Lilith, The Legend of the First Woman is a rendition of the old rabbinical legend of Lilith, the first woman, whose life story was dropped unrecorded from the early world, and whose home, hope, and Eden were passed to another woman. The author warns us in her preface that she has not followed the legend closely. In her hands, Lilith becomes an embodiment of mother-love that has existed forever, and it is her name that lends its itself to the lullabies repeated to young children. The author not only freely changes the legend of Lilith, but is free with the unities of her own story. It is full of internal inconsistencies in narrative, and anachronisms. The legend is to the effect that God first created Adam and Lilith, equal in authority; that the clashing this led to was so great, that Lilith was cast out from Eden, and the marital experiment tried again, on a different principle, by the creation of Eve.

Old rabbanic tradition teaches that Eve was not Adam's first wife, rather a mysterious woman named Lilith who was thrown out of Eden before Adam and Eve were. This is a lyrical telling of that legend and what happens to Lilith as she encounters various demons outside the garden and what she says and does to Adam and Eve once they too are thrown out of the Garden of Eden. Now in larger print!

This edition of Lilith: The Legend of the First Woman contains illustrated depictions of the mythic Lilith, in her role within the garden of Eden.Collier uses poetry to detail an account of Lilith as an alternative narrative of the Book of Genesis. Originating from Rabbinic circles, the notion of Lilith was as Adam's first wife, with her expulsion taking place before God created Eve as her replacement. Drawing upon aspects of Jewish, Christian and Islamic law, Collier ably details Lilith's characteristics - she appears not as a malevolent demon or temptress, but as an intelligent being with a great capacity for affection. Owing to the interpretation being in verse form, we may observe an aesthetic description of the Garden of Eden and the circumstances of Lilith's arrival there.A fascinating interpretation of ancient myths, Lilith: The Legend of the First Woman is a worthwhile and intriguing read for those interested in Old Testament lore and Lilith as legend.