Madmen and prophets have been, for quite long, the source of contention in literary circles. The relationship between madness and prophecy in literature is somewhat difficult to tackle. Both concepts are connected to a more mystical world that can give shape and meaning to our own existence and truth about life. During the twentieth century immediately after the Holocaust, people started to question God’s own existence and His lack of divine intervention at the war. As a result, we see that madness and prophecy intertwined in many stories. Such complexities make one wonder how to differentiate between the two concepts, a question that is still perplexing to even specialists.
Elie Wiesel (1928-2016) is perhaps the greatest Holocaust writer…show more content… His life had an influence on most of his stories. As a Hasidic, he constantly brings Jewish tradition in his work to give meaning and shape to what he says. He devoted much of his life studying Torah, Talmud, and the Kabbalah. As a Holocaust survivor, he sees writing an important tool against madness. He uses his experience to write about the real madness in our world.
Then I will discuss how madness and prophecy are important in Wiesel’s work. I will discuss some of the works that Wiesel had written about madmen and or prophets such as his trilogy: Night, Dawn, and Day. I will briefly comment on the aspects of madness and prophecy in these works and later try to establish a conection with Twilight. This recurring theme of madness in several of his works was a result of the chaotic disorder in our life especially during the Holocaust where the whole world had gone mad. The madness of the Holocaust in the story is presented in flashbacks and sometimes in…show more content… But how do we define madness and is it a disease or a psychological trait that helps us explore some of the mysteries in this vast realm of life. Perhaps it is important to explore the relation between “word” and “silence” in Twilight and how they give shape to one’s own character. When exploring the madmen cases, we notice differences between one another. They differ in telling each one’s story. Their differences vary from pathological, social, and cultural factors.
Prophecy – Is It Divine and Mystical?
I will explore the meaning of prophecy and madness from Hasidic tradition and what propels people to call themselves a prophet or a madman. The four biblical characters in the story where once prophets who were respected and revered by their people. They are Abraham, Adam, Cain, and the Messiah. What makes it more interestingly, is the madman who calls himself God. This case makes one wonders if it is a higher level of madness that makes someone to be called God.
