Elijah - Elijah in Arts and Literature

Elijah in Arts and Literature

• Perhaps the best-known representation of the story of Elijah is Felix Mendelssohn's oratorio "Elijah". The oratorio chronicles many episodes of Elijah's life, including his challenge to Ahab and the contest of the gods, the miracle of raising the dead, and his ascension into heaven. Composed and premiered in 1846, the oratorio was criticized by members of the New German School but nonetheless remains one of the most popular Romantic choral-orchestral works in the repertoire.
• In Orlando Furioso, the English knight Astolfo flies up to the moon in Elijah's flaming chariot.
• In Melville's Moby-Dick, Elijah appears as a vagrant to admonish Ishmael and Queequeg about sailing with Ahab; in the 1956 film (but not the novel), he prophesizes that all but one shall perish (on the Pequod), and the prophecy comes true at the end.
• Elijah Rock is a traditional Christian spiritual about Elijah, also sometimes used by Jewish youth groups.
• "Go Like Elijah" is a song by the American rock-pop-jazz songwriter Chi Coltrane.
• Lorenzetto created a statue of Elijah with assistance of the young sculptor Raffaello da Montelupo, using designs by Raphael.
• The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho is based on the story of Elijah
• Christian metal band Disciple released the song "God of Elijah" on their 2001 album By God. The theme of the song is the challenge Elijah placed against Ahab between Baal and the God of Israel.
• The roots-fusion band Seatrain records, on the albums of the same name (1970), bandmember Peter Rowans song Waiting for Elijah, alluding to Elijahs second coming, see Old Testament references above.
• From 1974 to 1976 Philip K. Dick believed himself to be possessed by the spirit of Elijah. He later included Elijah (as Elias Tate) in his novel The Divine Invasion.
• On Ryan Adams' 2005 album 29 (album) the song "Voices" speaks of Elijah, alluding to Elijah being the prophet of destruction.
• In 1996, Robin Mark created a praise song entitled Days of Elijah.
• Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic novel The Road (2006) features an old man who ambiguously refers to himself as Ely.
• Elijah ("Lije") is the name of the protagonist in three novels of Isaac Asimov's Robot series. He is familiar with Biblical stories and sometimes relates them in the narrative or in discussion with his robot partner who was built on a world devoid of religion. His wife is ironically named Jezebel.
• The popular movie Chariots of Fire alludes to the William Blake poem And did those feet in ancient time, which in turn alludes to the Elijah story.
• Elijah was played by John Hoyt in the 1953 film Sins of Jezebel.