The Legend of the Wandering Jew in Europe and in Romania
The Legend of the Wandering Jew in Europe and in Romania

Summary/Abstract: The author presents the manner in which emerged and evolved the Legend of the Wandering Jew ("one of the fundamental myths of European culture" as Soren Kierkegaard put it). The biblical story of Cain seemed to contain all the necessary ingredients for the emergence of such a legend. Still, it was born much later, in 16th century Europe, most probably in the Lutheran circles of North Germany. This study highlights the different manner in which the legend penetrated the culture of Transylvania and of Moldova and Wallachia respectively. The author pursues the path whereby the Legend of the Wandering Jew penetrated the Romanian traditional culture and the modern one, influencing a number of important writers and artists (Mihai Eminescu, George Enescu, Avram Goldfaden, Octavian Goga, Mihail Sadoveanu, Emil Cioran, Benjamin Fondane, Ilarie Voronca, etc.)

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