Research Catalog

The death of Ahasuerus

Title

The death of Ahasuerus / Pär Lagerkvist ; translated from the Swedish by Naomi Walford ; drawings by Emil Antonucci.

Author

Lagerkvist, Pär, 1891-1974

Publication

New York : Random House, [1962]
©1962

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Item details
Status	Format	Access	Call Number	Item Location
Request for On-site Use Request Scan How do I pick up this item and when will it be ready?	Text	Use in library	PT9875.L2 A33713 1962	Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Description

118 pages : illustrations; 22 cm

Summary

The third novel in a series that began with Barabbas and The Sibyl. Ahasuerus is mentioned in certain Old Testament books such as Esther and numerous scholars have proposed theories as to who Ahasuerus represents – most identify him with Xerxes I. However the Ahasuerus of the title of this book is meant to represent the Wandering Jew, a mythical immortal man who in the original legend taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion. Ahasuerus was then cursed to walk the Earth until the Second Coming. In this novel the pilgrim Tobias, bound for Jerusalem/The Holy Land meets the mysterious title character in a pilgrim’s hostel where there’s also a former lover of Tobias’s called Diana. After some painful reminscing between Diana and Tobias and a night’s rest, the three set off on the remainder of their journey. Diana saves Tobias’s life but is herself killed by an arrow. Ahasuerus and Tobias arrive at a port where the last ship of the year has just sailed for The Holy Land. Tobias uses the last of his money to pay his way on a yawl crewed by a bunch of villains which is sailing to The Holy Land. Ahasuerus remains behind and finds shelter in a monastery.

Uniform Title

Ahasverus död. English

Alternative Title

Ahasverus död.

Subject

Genre/Form

Fictional Work
Fiction
Translations
Fiction.
Swedish fiction.
Romans.

LCCN

61012177

OCLC

ocm00296371
296371
SCSB-184368

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library