The Golem In Modern Culture

The golem creature is often used as an umbrella term for various automaton beings; sentient creatures brought to life by humanity whether through scientific or supernatural means. Sometimes authors or screenwriters will name the golem specifically, and other times merely the influence is there. Many attribute Frankenstein’s monster with golem like qualities, although whether or not Mary Shelley had that particular mythos in mind for her novel is up for debate. There were three films made from 1915 to 1920 about the Golem of Prague, a character first introduced into literature with Gustav Meyrink’s 1915 novel Der Golem, which was inspired by  Judah Low ben Bezalel’s stories.

Only the last of the three movies survived; “The Golem: How He Began,” though there are stills lurking around somewhere. A sequel was made to the movies as well, in 1936, by a different director. Julien Duvivier’s “Le Golem”, obviously French, was just as notable as the last surviving Paul Wegener film featuring the golem. The golem also appears in a few different novels in a more protagonist position, such as The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, in which the golem assists the hero of the story in saving people from a Nazi invasion. Other notable book are A Calculus of Angels, Foucault’s Pendulum, He, She and It, as well as Pete Hamill’s Snow in August.

The Golem, as a creature created by the holier members of the Jewish religious system, is often alluded to in fiction and film as being a protector of the Jewish. Despite their violent tendencies, golems were usually especially effective in preserving and defending against Nazis. In the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, the author examines the moral implications of mindless slave laboring while creating a world in which freed and owned golems exist. Golems, specifically the Golem of Prague, have even been featured in cartoons. In an episode of the hit childrens’ tv show Gargoyles, some of the heroes must find the stolen Golem of Prague.