Jewish Mythology - Torah Allusions in Fiction

Torah Allusions in Fiction

Classic and modern literature continue revisting Torah and Haftarah narratives. Saul's character from the Books of Samuel later emerges as Shakespeare's Macbeth. David and Goliath, emerge as Beowulf and Grendel. Some books do a much better job of concealing the Haftorah sources from which they borrowed, one such example is Harry Potter where the main character is orphaned and later enters a seminary type school out of which he emerges a wizard. Clearly there exist parallels between Harry and the prophet Samuel who was also schooled in a seminary type school headed by Eli "The Kohen Gadol" whose sons Phinehas and Hophni bring a curse on their father's house, but the adopted Samuel grows up to become one of the greatest prophets and judges appointed by God to anoint Saul, and subsequently the legendary David—kings of Israel. Another example of a Jewish theme in the Harry Potter book "Chamber of Secrets", Professor Dumbledore says "It's our choices that define who we are, not our abilities." This statement was adapted from its derivative form as it originally appears in Deuteronomy 30:19 "...I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your heirs." In the book of Samuel, Eli's sons Hophni and Phinhas are described as using a "three pronged fork" which later emerges as Poseidon's Trident.