Golem (Concept)

Golem

CONCEPT

A humanoid construct given life through magic. The materials used to create a golem vary greatly.

Overview

Golems are a recurring fixture of the fantasy genre. While depictions vary, they are usually animated humanoid entities made of rock, clay, mud, or even metal. Some depictions can blur the line between a golem and a robot, with some even effectively using "golem" as a synonym or another name for robots.

In video games especially, most golems are simple, heavy-hitting enemies or bosses. Few play particularly notable narrative roles.

Origins

The concept of an animated entity of earth-materials has existed across various mythologies for much of history. For example, how many depictions of Adam (the supposed first human) say that he was made from dust or dirt. Similarly, a Hellenistic period Greek poem describes "Talos", a metallic creation of Hephaestus made to guard the island of Crete.

However, the modern concept of the golem originates primarily from Jewish folklore. There, the golem is usually made of clay or mud, and its animation specifically originates from Kabbalah, a mystical interpretation of Jewish scriptures. The exact method varies, but the animation typically revolves around a ritual, the most famous involving writing the Hebrew word "emét" (truth) either onto the golem or onto a paper placed into its mouth. The ritual could then be reversed, and the golem deactivated/killed, by changing the emét to "mét" (death.)

While a number of golem stories exist, the most famous is that of Rabbi Loew of 16th-century Prague, popularized in the early-1900s. In the story, facing increasing antisemitic violence, Loew constructs a golem to protect the city's Jewish population. Over time, however, the golem's protection grew more violent, leading the rest of Prague to begin to fear it. As a result, depending on the version of the story, either the emperor of Prague asked Loew to stop the golem or Loew stopped it of his own volition. After this, the golem was deactivated and stored away in the attic of Loew's Synagogue, to keep it away from misuse while leaving it in-tact should it ever prove necessary again.

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