Written by Maddie Everett-Heath
From Scooby-Doo, to the Chronicles of Narnia, to Marvel, to appearances in multiple video games, the figure of Lilith pops up in obscure places. The pervading view of her is that of a bloodthirsty she-demon who terrorises the living with her evil nature. However, more recently, this misogynistic view has been called into question, and her character has begun to be re-evaluated. Whilst her first appearance can be traced back as far as the description of a Babylonian demon called Lilitu, Lilith’s devilish character transcends time in the sense that she appears frequently in folklore, legend and literature from medieval times up until present day.
She was commonly depicted as the first wife of Adam. Some versions of her creation suggest that she was brought to life in a similar manner to her husband. However, whilst God used good and natural earth to create the first man, the use of impure and filthy dirt for Lilith acts as an indicator for her future corrupt nature. This prompts an interesting comparison between Lilith and Adam’s second wife, Eve. Whilst Eve is created from Adam’s rib, thus becoming subordinate to him, Lilith is created alongside him as his equal. It is this idea of equality which leads to the couple’s separation. Literature tells of how Lilith and Adam quarrelled over sexual positions. Specifically, both wanted to be on top. For Lilith this was an important matter, she did not want to be below her husband, in both the physical and metaphorical sense. This disagreement led to Lilith running away. After Adam complained to God that his wife had left him, three angels were sent after her. Eventually she was found lurking in the Red Sea, spawning demons at a frankly alarming rate. These three angels, Senoy, Sansenoy and Semangelof, initially threaten to drown her but they eventually come to an agreement. Lilith refuses to return to Adam, and God punishes her by causing a hundred of her children to die each day. Annoyed that she must watch her demons perish, she devotes herself to killing the new-born babies of others. Thus, her wicked and demonic character evolved and led to further wild tales of her cruelty.
The mythology surrounding Lilith appears to have a poignant place in Jewish legend. The punishment of Lilith was portrayed as a cautionary tale for Jewish women; they must obey their husbands and not attempt to be their equals. The fear of this powerful, bloodthirsty, and transgressive demoness is also seen in the charms, incantations, bowls, amulets and spells used to ward her away. Specifically, amulets were laid near new-borns or mothers’ rooms, often depicting the words Hutz Lilit (Out Lilith) as well as the names of the three angels sent to capture her, to prevent her from killing babies. In a gruesome description, Lilith is described as smiling at the babies before she murders them. Some sources suggest that she kills children as a means of punishing the fathers which sire them for their sins. Interestingly, this almost makes her a figure of divine retribution.
Not only is she cruel and bloodthirsty, but Lilith is also described as wickedly beautiful. She is a tantalising seductress, a representation of the ‘plagues of mankind’, who dwells in uninhabited places and is strongly associated with the dark moon. Her name, ‘Lilith’, is reminiscent of the Hebrew word Lailah which is connected to the night. Medieval folklore and literature paint her as the mother of demons, her male offspring (Lilin) causing humans physical harm whilst her daughters (Lilith) corrupt mortal men by making them lustful. The fathers of these demonic offspring are the mortal men which are harmed by them. Sages would warn men against sleeping alone lest they be ‘seized’ by Lilith. Legend describes her as coming to men in dreams, assuming the shape of either a mature young woman or a young virgin: “Her hair is long and red like the rose, her cheeks are white and red.” She invades men’s unconsciousness and couples with them, the outcome being demonic spirits.
Whilst the fundamental understanding of her is that of a villainous, depraved, bloodthirsty demoness, since the 1970s views of Lilith have begun to change due to feminist spiritual discourse. Secular feminists were inspired by her want for equality and the way she stood up to the angels who were sent by God, and theologians saw her as a potential archetype for the divine female form. This is exemplified in 1976 with the foundation of a Jewish-Feminist magazine called Lilith. Neo-Pagans also devoted rituals and prayers to her, going as far to build temples dedicated to her worship. Alongside this, a new spin was put on her attack on children as she became the Patron Saint of abortion, as well as her multiple sexual relationships no longer being condemned but rather being viewed as exemplary in polyamorous discourse. Specifically, the episode in which she refuses to submit to Adam was re-examined and her want for equality praised rather than seen as taboo. No longer simply an object of fear, she evolved to become an archetype for wild sexuality, feminine power, and self-confidence.
Bibliography
“Lilith.” In UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology, 646-649. Vol. 3. Detroit, MI: UXL, 2009.
Lilith Magazine. “Lilith Magazine,” n.d. https://lilith.org/.
Patai, R., and Dever, w. G. Hebrew Goddess. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1990.
Ruah–Midbar Shapiro, M. (2019). Lilith’s Comeback from a Jungian-Feminist Outlook: Contemporary Feminist Spirituality Gets into Bed with Lilith. Feminist Theology, 27(2), 149-163.
Featured image credit: “Lady Lilith” by Dante Gabriel Rossetti is in the public domain.
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