Lilith in Myth,Melodrama, and Criminology

Abstract

This article illustrates how the social construction of both knowledge and popular culture has been influenced by mythic images of “fair and virginal” good women and “dark and sensual” evil women-what is commonly called the madonna/whore duality. The article examines the myth of Lilith, first wife of Adam, and the images of good and evil women that we can distill from creation myths. We then demonstrate how these images of good and evil women are illustrated in early twentieth century criminology and the 1920s melodrama Lilith.