Cultural references to Samson

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[edit] Other cultural references

[edit] Israeli culture

"The figure of "Samson the hero" played a role in the construction of Zionist collective memory, and in building the identity of the 'new Jew' who leaves behind exilic helplessness for Israeli self-determination," Benjamin Balint, a writer in Jerusalem, has written. Vladimir Jabotinsky (1880–1940), the founder of Revisionist Zionism wrote a 1926 novel in Russian (English translation in 1930), Samson in which the author makes Samson an assimilated Jew attracted by the surrounding, more sophisticated (and un-philistine) Philistine culture. Some important Twentieth century Hebrew poems have also been written about the Bible hero. More recently, elite Israeli combat units have been named "Samson", and the Israeli nuclear program was called the "Samson Option".[1]

Noam Chomsky and others have said Israel suffers from a "Samson complex" which could lead to the destruction of itself as well as its Arab enemies.[1]

[edit] Basque mythology

There is an elaboration of the biblical character in Basque mythology which differs in its features from the original. Quite paradoxically, the Basque Samson does not stand for Christian values, but it is represented as a giant living in the mountains far from other inhabitants of the villages and the valley, he is a jentil or Basque pagan of the forest. As told in many folk accounts, endowed with might as he is, he launches rocks that lie at the origin of different prominences and hills all over the Basque Country, especially on the west, while on the east the preferred character to account for similar phenomena is the Medieval hero Roland, Errolan in Basque.

[edit] Literature

  • In 2006, David Grossman's novel, Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson was published.
  • In 2006, David Maine published his novel The Book of Samson, the third of his Biblical series of novels which also include Fallen and The Preservationist.
  • In The Canterbury Tales, in the Monk's tale, Samson is described.

[edit] Classical Music

Handel wrote his oratorio Samson in 1743. Camille Saint-Saëns wrote an opera, Samson et Dalila between 1868 and 1877.

In 1977, Joseph Horovitz wrote Samson for baritone, mixed choir and brass band

[edit] Samson parades

Samson parade Mauterndorf/Austria
Samson parade Mauterndorf/Austria

Quirky annual parades of a Samson figure in 10 different villages in the Lungau, Salzburg (state) and two villages in the north-west Steiermark (Austria). For more information see Wikipedia in German de:Samson (Riese)

Samson is one of the giant figures at the "Ducasse" festivities, which takes place at Ath, Belgium.

[edit] Art

Samson has been a popular subject for paintings:[2]

Anonymous:

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Balint, Benjamin, "Eyeless in Israel: Biblical metaphor and the Jewish state," review of Lion's Honey: The Myth of Samson, by David Grossman, The Weekly Standard, October 30, 2006, pages 35–36
  2. ^ [1] "The Text This Week Lectionary, Scripture Study and Worship Links and Resources" Web site, Web page titled "Links to Images of Samson",, accessed November 2, 2006

[edit] See also