The Image of Lilith

Paper Summary:

In this article the writer notes that there are many women who might be admired in history, but there is one independent woman who seems to have accomplished a lot and who has been in existence since the beginning of recorded time. The writer explains that Lilith, supposedly of Hebrew mythology, but also found in other ancient myths predating Hebraic literature, is a woman of distinctive and admirable characteristics. The writer maintains that today, women praise her and write books about independent women, as Lilith becomes the patroness of strong and influential women who are becoming leaders and figureheads. The writer concludes that women's fight against the wage gap, discrimination against women in political parties and the recent endorsement by NOW of Hillary Clinton to become President may be the result of this image of the independent woman becoming more accepted, more real and legitimate.

From the Paper:

"The body that God created was divided into two, the male and the female, becoming separate beings. Later on, Eve was created. The first female, however, according to the Midrash, was Lilith, who refused to submit to Adam, as she was his equal. When Adam demanded that she submit, she fled from him, leaving Adam alone. When Adam complained to God that he was lonely, God created Eve. Thus begins a history of Lilith fleeing the dominant male."
"In the Midrash, after the "Fall," and expulsion from Eden, Adam reunited with Lilith and she bore him several children before he returned to Eve. In the Midrash, the children Lilith bore Adam became demons and she became the Queen of the Demons. In other stories she remained childless and unpartnered, either with a husband or remained with Adam."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Cashford, Jules, Anne Baring. The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of an Image. New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc.
• Costanza, Kari. "Afghanistan: Battle-Scarred Courage." World Vision. Vol. 10, No. 3. Spring 2007.
• Graves, Robert, Patai, Raphael. The Hebrew Myths: The Book of Genesis. New York: Carcanet Press Ltd. 2004.
• Scerba, Amy. "Gilgamesh and the Hulupp-Tree (2000 BC)" Changing Literary Representations of Lilith and the Evolution of a Mythical Heroine. 1999. Feminism and Women's Studies Eserver. <http://feminism.eserver.org/theory/papers/lilith/gilgamesh.html>.
• Patai, Raphael. The Hebrew Goddess. Third Enlarged Edition. New York: KTAV Publishing House. 1978.

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