Mlokhim-Bukh
Encyclopedia
The Mlokhim-Bukh is a Yiddish religious verse epic
by an unknown author, which recounts the monarchy of Solomon
and the ancient history of the Hebrews up to the Babylonian Captivity
. The oldest surviving fragment is dated to 1519-1525, though the poem is probably older. Its stanzaic form resembles that of the Nibelungenlied
.
The poem fuses Biblical material, Midrashic
legends, and rabbinical folklore with European courtly poetry, and belongs to the genre of the Ashkenazic national epic, comparable to other European epic poems, such as the Nibelungenlied
and The Song of Roland
. However, in contrast to the more chivalry-themed Shmuel-Bukh
, it is more ethical and historical in nature.
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
by an unknown author, which recounts the monarchy of Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
and the ancient history of the Hebrews up to the Babylonian Captivity
Babylonian captivity
The Babylonian captivity was the period in Jewish history during which the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah were captives in Babylon—conventionally 587–538 BCE....
. The oldest surviving fragment is dated to 1519-1525, though the poem is probably older. Its stanzaic form resembles that of the Nibelungenlied
Nibelungenlied
The Nibelungenlied, translated as The Song of the Nibelungs, is an epic poem in Middle High German. The story tells of dragon-slayer Siegfried at the court of the Burgundians, how he was murdered, and of his wife Kriemhild's revenge....
.
The poem fuses Biblical material, Midrashic
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
legends, and rabbinical folklore with European courtly poetry, and belongs to the genre of the Ashkenazic national epic, comparable to other European epic poems, such as the Nibelungenlied
Nibelungenlied
The Nibelungenlied, translated as The Song of the Nibelungs, is an epic poem in Middle High German. The story tells of dragon-slayer Siegfried at the court of the Burgundians, how he was murdered, and of his wife Kriemhild's revenge....
and The Song of Roland
The Song of Roland
The Song of Roland is the oldest surviving major work of French literature. It exists in various manuscript versions which testify to its enormous and enduring popularity in the 12th to 14th centuries...
. However, in contrast to the more chivalry-themed Shmuel-Bukh
Shmuel-Bukh
The Shmuel-Bukh is a religious verse epic written in Yiddish. Composed no later than the second half of the 15th century and widely circulated in manuscript, it was first printed in Augsburg in 1544. Its stanzaic form resembles that of the Nibelungenlied, and its hero is the biblical David...
, it is more ethical and historical in nature.