Creation, Man and the Messiah
Encyclopedia
Creation, Man and the Messiah is the title of an epic poem written by the Norwegian
poet
Henrik Wergeland
in 1829
. The scale of the poem invited criticism, especially by Wergeland's counterpart, Johan Sebastian Welhaven
. In 1845
, while on his deathbed, Wergeland revised the poem and republished it under the title Man.
s watching and arguing over the newly created earth
. One of them, Phun-Abiriel, is dismayed, because he is eager to create on his own, but unlike God
, his thoughts do not take shape. In the process, he also wishes to see God, but can't. Phun-Abiriel's friend, Ohebiel, patiently explains to him that the spirits are not able to see the eternal, and that Phun-Abiriel is considered a newborn spirit or a rash youth. Anyways, Ohebiel loves him, but can't help him from brooding. As they talk, the heavenly host approaches, led by the eldest of spirits, Akadiel.
s witness the birth of life, as recalled in Genesis, over a period of six days. At the end of this part, Akadiel holds his speech to the still-sleeping human
couple, demanding of them that they shall be rulers over themselves first, and then over the creation as such, and honour God in the creation and in themselves.
, after the advice of Akadiel, and she sacrifices herself on behalf of humanity with the words: "Man, hope!" The history of humanity, at this point, can proceed as planned.
power, over people's goods and thoughts.
, along with a culture-hero, who teaches people to build cities, till the earth, govern justly and look into themselves for the truth. The woman teaches people agriculture, and is hailed as Isis
, Ceres, Frigg
a and Athena
. The man is hailed as Osiris
, Crishna, Fu Hsi
in China
, Belus, Odin
, Tuisto, Dionysus
, Herakles, Zeus
and Saturnus.
As Man works to enlighten humanity, he is also acknowledged as Kneph
, Akhar, Zerouane-Akherene, Huang Di
, Fta
, Numbo, Kutka, Sommonadokom, Allfaudur and eventuallu Eloah. In the process, the vedam
, the Zen
, the I Ching
, and the ten commandments
are established as laws and guidelines. The last names to be given of this amalgam of earthly wisdom are: Hermes
, Mimir
, Zerdusch, Jo, La, Buddha
, Menu, Confucius
and Moses
.
In the end, Akadiel approaches and foretells how this golden age of wisdom and prosperity eventually will corrupt itself to the iron age
, with chained thralls and manipulation. He then tells that humanity, the "abiriels", eventually will rise and cast off their chains, to make a new priesthood in freedom and brotherly love
.
and greed on behalf of the few. The voices from the people answer the demands of the lordships.
, telling how individuals in love
with one another can disregard their own potential differences between casts and classes.
, Democritus
, Aristotle
and Plato
. Plato is hailed by Akadiel as the one who perceives most clearly God's overall plan for humanity and the coming of Christ
. Also, some of the Jewish sects are introduced, such as the Pharisees
and the Sadducees
. In the end, the prophet Mika foretells the coming of Christ
.
and the story afterwards. Jesus is introduced mourning the history of the human race and their toils; he is comforted by Akadiel. Under Akadiel's guidance, Jesus walks out to his task, in a sequence based closely on the gospels. During this section, Jesus delivers a speech, based loosely on the Sermon on the Mount
, where he tells the human spirit to acknowledge itself as what it is, through love
.
This last section of the poem was written for the revised version of 1845.
`s transition to Christianity in the fourth century. Wergeland states that the Roman emperor is getting troubled by this sudden onset of peaceful ideology and the denial of power. The emperor then decides to get baptized, because he will then have sway over his people once more. The peaceful approach of Christianity, says Wergeland, is toppled and abused by the powers that be.
morning and contemplating the turn of events the last 1845 years from the coming of Christ to the then-present day. Akadiel addresses Wergeland, and the poet is allowed a glimpse one thousand years into the future as a means of seeing the conditions the world and humanity are in at that time. He awakens every century to see for himself what has happened and witnesses spiritual and political progress and liberation. The conditions he sees include the end of slavery
; the liberation of women; and all Christian fractions merging into one, thus making the papacy
obsolete, as the last pope dies 600 years from 1845. Eventually, all humanity becomes "Christian, each according to the colour of his own character". The poem ends in a praise to God, and the poet awakes, reconciled.
in 1829. This made a distinction between Jesus and Messiah, which was not tolerated by the church at the time. The early version was also more dualistic
in approach than the later version.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist...
in 1829
1829 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* The American Monthly Magazine is started in Boston by Nathaniel Parker Willis as a humorous and satirical magazine with essays, fiction, criticism, poetry and humor, largely written by the editor...
. The scale of the poem invited criticism, especially by Wergeland's counterpart, Johan Sebastian Welhaven
Johan Sebastian Welhaven
Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven was a Norwegian author, poet, critic and art theorist.-Background:...
. In 1845
1845 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* January 10—Robert Browning, 32, and Elizabeth Barrett, 38, begin their correspondence when she receives a note declaring "I love you" from Browning, a little-known poet whose verses she had...
, while on his deathbed, Wergeland revised the poem and republished it under the title Man.
The two spirits
The poem starts out at the beginning of history, with two spiritSpirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
s watching and arguing over the newly created earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. One of them, Phun-Abiriel, is dismayed, because he is eager to create on his own, but unlike God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, his thoughts do not take shape. In the process, he also wishes to see God, but can't. Phun-Abiriel's friend, Ohebiel, patiently explains to him that the spirits are not able to see the eternal, and that Phun-Abiriel is considered a newborn spirit or a rash youth. Anyways, Ohebiel loves him, but can't help him from brooding. As they talk, the heavenly host approaches, led by the eldest of spirits, Akadiel.
Life on earth
Then, Akadiel and EonEon
-Science:* Aeon, a very long time* Eon , a collective problem solving project* Eon Mountain, in Canada* A measure of time in the geologic time scale- Fiction :* Eon , by Greg Bear...
s witness the birth of life, as recalled in Genesis, over a period of six days. At the end of this part, Akadiel holds his speech to the still-sleeping human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
couple, demanding of them that they shall be rulers over themselves first, and then over the creation as such, and honour God in the creation and in themselves.
The soul-giving
Phun-Abiriel (his names formed of the names Phuniel and Abiriel, telling of the two sides of his character), still broods over the sleeping humans below him. He makes up his mind that he would rather rule the earth as a man than be the most lowly of heavenly spirits. He decides he will become the soul of the sleeping man, and the little "geist" that were in man before him, shall become "dream", as he himself will be called "thought". Phun-Abiriel then descends and merges with the sleeping Adam, and as this happens, he ultimately forgets his spiritual self and his background. Ohebiel, watching this, despairs, and wonders what will happen if the woman awakes without soul, and what kind of monster would come from the union of the two. To hinder this, she merges with EveEve (Bible)
Eve was, according to the creation of Abrahamic religions, the first woman created by God...
, after the advice of Akadiel, and she sacrifices herself on behalf of humanity with the words: "Man, hope!" The history of humanity, at this point, can proceed as planned.
The bewildering
This second part is the longest section of the epic poem. It follows the life of Adam and Eve, and their recognition as kindred spirits; this section also details Adam's fall in pride and Wergeland's version of the fall of man, here solely on the male account. Then, there are parts of Biblical history detailed, such as Cain and Abel, the great flood, and so on.Origin of lordships
This part consists of two monologues, one considering secular power, and one considering clericalClergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
power, over people's goods and thoughts.
Glimpses of light: the Golden Age
This part tells of the archetypical man, who is both a king and a sageWise old man
The wise old man is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character...
, along with a culture-hero, who teaches people to build cities, till the earth, govern justly and look into themselves for the truth. The woman teaches people agriculture, and is hailed as Isis
Isis
Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
, Ceres, Frigg
Frigg
Frigg is a major goddess in Norse paganism, a subset of Germanic paganism. She is said to be the wife of Odin, and is the "foremost among the goddesses" and the queen of Asgard. Frigg appears primarily in Norse mythological stories as a wife and a mother. She is also described as having the power...
a and Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
. The man is hailed as Osiris
Osiris
Osiris is an Egyptian god, usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He is classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and...
, Crishna, Fu Hsi
Fu Hsi
In Chinese mythology, Fu Xi or Fu Hsi , mid 29th century BCE, was the first of the Three Sovereigns of ancient China. He is a culture hero reputed to be the inventor of writing, fishing, and trapping...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Belus, Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
, Tuisto, Dionysus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
, Herakles, Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
and Saturnus.
As Man works to enlighten humanity, he is also acknowledged as Kneph
Kneph
In Ancient Egyptian religious art, Kneph refers of a motif, variously a winged egg, a globe surrounded by one or more serpents, or Amun in the form of a serpent called Kematef. Some Theosophical sources tried to syncretize this motif with the deity Khnum, along with Serapis and Pluto....
, Akhar, Zerouane-Akherene, Huang Di
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
, Fta
FTA
FTA may stand for:* The Faery Tale Adventure, a computer game* Freight Transport Association* Failure to appear, a legal term* Fault tree analysis, a systems engineering term* Federación de Trabajadores Arubanos, the Aruban Workers' Federation...
, Numbo, Kutka, Sommonadokom, Allfaudur and eventuallu Eloah. In the process, the vedam
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
, the Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
, the I Ching
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
, and the ten commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
are established as laws and guidelines. The last names to be given of this amalgam of earthly wisdom are: Hermes
Hermes
Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
, Mimir
Mímir
Mímir or Mim is a figure in Norse mythology renowned for his knowledge and wisdom who is beheaded during the Æsir-Vanir War...
, Zerdusch, Jo, La, Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, Menu, Confucius
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
and Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
.
In the end, Akadiel approaches and foretells how this golden age of wisdom and prosperity eventually will corrupt itself to the iron age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, with chained thralls and manipulation. He then tells that humanity, the "abiriels", eventually will rise and cast off their chains, to make a new priesthood in freedom and brotherly love
Philia
Philia is one of the four ancient Greek words for love.Philia in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is usually translated as 'friendship', though in fact his use of the term is much broader.- Aristotle's view :...
.
Ruling classes
This part is a return to the theme of the lords and the priests, telling of exploitationExploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
and greed on behalf of the few. The voices from the people answer the demands of the lordships.
Interlude of hearts
This part contains scenes of romanceRomantic love
Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person....
, telling how individuals in love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
with one another can disregard their own potential differences between casts and classes.
Power and deceit
This section tells how the rulers and priests continue their treatment of ordinary people by means of practices such as human sacrifice and dictatorship. This part contains 28 different scenes.Breakthrough for the human spirit
Philosophers, mostly Greeks, are introduced into the epic poem here; among them are EpicurusEpicurus
Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism.Only a few fragments and letters remain of Epicurus's 300 written works...
, Democritus
Democritus
Democritus was an Ancient Greek philosopher born in Abdera, Thrace, Greece. He was an influential pre-Socratic philosopher and pupil of Leucippus, who formulated an atomic theory for the cosmos....
, Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
and Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
. Plato is hailed by Akadiel as the one who perceives most clearly God's overall plan for humanity and the coming of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. Also, some of the Jewish sects are introduced, such as the Pharisees
Pharisees
The Pharisees were at various times a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews during the Second Temple period beginning under the Hasmonean dynasty in the wake of...
and the Sadducees
Sadducees
The Sadducees were a sect or group of Jews that were active in Ancient Israel during the Second Temple period, starting from the second century BC through the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. The sect was identified by Josephus with the upper social and economic echelon of Judean society...
. In the end, the prophet Mika foretells the coming of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
.
Heaven and Hell
This part tells how Wergeland envisioned the difference between the blessed and the unblessed. Characters from the "power and deceit" section are introduced again; as the tortured ones rejoice, the former rulers recognize themselves as condemned, although they are all in the same place. In Wergeland's spirit-world, hell is a personal state of circumstances.Salvation
This third main part concentrates mostly on JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and the story afterwards. Jesus is introduced mourning the history of the human race and their toils; he is comforted by Akadiel. Under Akadiel's guidance, Jesus walks out to his task, in a sequence based closely on the gospels. During this section, Jesus delivers a speech, based loosely on the Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew...
, where he tells the human spirit to acknowledge itself as what it is, through love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
.
This last section of the poem was written for the revised version of 1845.
First great victory of Christianity
The ironic title of this section refers to the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
`s transition to Christianity in the fourth century. Wergeland states that the Roman emperor is getting troubled by this sudden onset of peaceful ideology and the denial of power. The emperor then decides to get baptized, because he will then have sway over his people once more. The peaceful approach of Christianity, says Wergeland, is toppled and abused by the powers that be.
Spiritual resurrection of Christ
Here, the poet himself appears, sitting on a hilltop easterEaster
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
morning and contemplating the turn of events the last 1845 years from the coming of Christ to the then-present day. Akadiel addresses Wergeland, and the poet is allowed a glimpse one thousand years into the future as a means of seeing the conditions the world and humanity are in at that time. He awakens every century to see for himself what has happened and witnesses spiritual and political progress and liberation. The conditions he sees include the end of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
; the liberation of women; and all Christian fractions merging into one, thus making the papacy
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
obsolete, as the last pope dies 600 years from 1845. Eventually, all humanity becomes "Christian, each according to the colour of his own character". The poem ends in a praise to God, and the poet awakes, reconciled.
Differences between the 1829 and 1845 versions
Akadiel of the 1845 rendition of this poem was named MessiahMessiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
in 1829. This made a distinction between Jesus and Messiah, which was not tolerated by the church at the time. The early version was also more dualistic
Dualism
Dualism denotes a state of two parts. The term 'dualism' was originally coined to denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical duality discourse but has been diluted in general or common usages. Dualism can refer to moral dualism, Dualism (from...
in approach than the later version.