As it’s the start of a new year, and the start of a new column, it made sense to go back to the beginning of cultural history, or more appropriately, the beginning of “her-story”, to commemorate womankind. In the Book of Genesis, Eve is the sole cause for the Fall of man; Eve cannot resist temptation from the “subtle serpent” and condemns all of humankind to misery. The punishment is detailed in verse 16: female childbirth will be full of “sorrow”, and sexual desire ensures man shall “rule over” women. This is commonly cited as the beginning of misogyny, a direct consequence of the Fall. The battle of the sexes begins. For many of us, Eve is there from our educational beginnings, learnt along with our times tables and alphabet; the perils of being a disobedient woman becomes etched into our minds through the Biblical story. But there is another female lurking in the Garden of Eden; who, can I ask, has heard of Lilith?
Lilith is a figure from Jewish folklore; a Rabbinic tale describes how Adam had a first wife before Eve, created not out of Adam’s rib but from the same earth as her male counterpart. Her creation is, crucially, independent from man. Lilith refuses to make herself subservient to her husband; a specific version of the myth from The Alphabet of Ben Sira shows her fighting against male dominance. The conflict between Adam and Lilith climaxes, unsurprisingly, during sex; she refuses to lie beneath him, complaining that they are both equal. As they are created from the same earth, why should she obey? The quarrel escalates and Lilith flies from the Garden of Eden; God attempts to lure her back but will not bring her against her will. She is resolute; she refuses to return, preferring to become a demon of children rather than submit to God, and man.
While I believe Lilith should be celebrated as a female who is defined by her independent thought and bravery, the cultural history of the figure reveals a great deal about patriarchal culture which is more disheartening. From ancient times to the present day, Lilith has been portrayed as a harmful spirit; it is this aspect of her which has been seized upon in popular culture, notably in recent literature. In C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, Mr. Beaver suggests the White Witch is the offspring of Adam and Lilith, an evil spirit which Christian ‘good’ must fight against. Her demonization and marginalisation in cultural life is a sign not only of some men’s desire to dominate, but also a refusal to celebrate women’s ability to exercise free will.
However, all is not all as dark as it may seem; there have been positive cultural celebrations of this feisty female. Lilith was glorified by the Pre-Raphaelites in a painting by Rossetti. She is a figure of undeniable beauty. Her overt sexual nature is celebrated; her body is barely contained in her gown and her flowing locks of hair indicate her sexual power. She dominates the frame. Crucially, her gaze is directed not to the viewer, but to the mirror she holds; she refuses to engage with the external pressure of the male gaze, engrossed in her own reflection in an act of self-glorification. And glory be to Lilith, an iconic female who refused to give up her independence for the sake of man.