Editing Absalom (section)

==Art and literature==

===Poetry===
*  ''[[David and Bethsabe|The Love of King David and Fair Bethsabe, with the Tragedie of Absalon]]'', a play by [[George Peele]], written before 1594 and published in 1599.
* ''[[Absalom and Achitophel]]'' (1681), a satirical poem by [[John Dryden]], uses the biblical story as an allegory for contemporary politics.{{sfn|Thomas|2006|p=}}
* "Absalom" by [[Nathaniel Parker Willis]] (1806–1867).{{sfn|Willis|1845|p=}}
* "Absaloms Abfall" by [[Rainer Maria Rilke]] ("The Fall of Absalom", trans. Stephen Cohn).{{sfn|Rilke|1998|p=161}}{{sfn|Freedman|1998|p=283}}
* "Absalom" is a section in [[Muriel Rukeyser]]'s long poem ''[[The Book of the Dead (poem)|The Book of the Dead]]'' (1938), inspired by the biblical text, spoken by a mother who lost three sons to silicosis.{{sfn|Dayton|2003|p=48}}
* "Avshalom" by [[Yona Wallach]], published in her first poetry collection ''Devarim'' (1966), alludes to the biblical character.{{sfn|Giora|2003|p=36}}
* "Prayer for Sunset" by [[Leonard Cohen]], published in his first poetry collection ''Let Us Compare Mythologies'' (1956), Absalom appears in a simile.{{sfn|Cohen|1956|p=30}}

===Fiction===
* In the 1946 short story "Absalom" by [[C.L. Moore]] and [[Henry Kuttner]], the character Absalom is a [[child prodigy]], who does non-consensual brain surgery on his father (a former child prodigy, though not as intelligent as his son) to make the father totally focused on Absalom's success. This relates to the Biblical story of the son usurping his father.{{sfn|Webster|n.d.|p=}}{{sfn|Moore|Kuttner|2012|p=10}}
* [[Georg Christian Lehms]], ''Des israelitischen Printzens Absolons und seiner Prinzcessin Schwester Thamar Staats- Lebens- und Helden-Geschichte'' (''The Heroic Life and History of the Israelite Prince Absolom and his Princess Sister Tamar''), novel in [[German language|German]] published in [[Nuremberg]], 1710.{{sfn|Goosen |1999|p=26}}
* ''[[Absalom, Absalom!]]'' is a novel by [[William Faulkner]], and refers to the return of the main character [[Thomas Sutpen]]'s son.{{sfn|Urgo|Polk|2010|p=xi}}
* ''Oh Absalom!'' was the original title of [[Howard Spring]]'s novel ''My Son, My Son!'', later adapted for [[My Son, My Son!|the film]] of the latter name.{{sfn|Lennox|2010|p=62}}
* ''[[Cry, the Beloved Country]]'' by [[Alan Paton]]. Absalom was the name of Stephen Kumalo's son in the novel. Like the Biblical Absalom, Absalom Kumalo was at odds with his father, the two fighting a moral and ethical battle of sorts over the course of some of the novel's most important events. Absalom kills and murders a man, and also meets an untimely death.{{sfn|Jeffrey|1992|p=14}}
* Throughout [[Robertson Davies]]'s ''[[The Manticore]]'' a comparison is repeatedly made between the protagonist's problematic relations with his father and those of the Biblical Absalom and King David. Paradoxically, in the modern version, it is the rebellious son who has the first name "David". The book also introduces the term "Absalonism", as a generic term for a son's rebellion against his father.{{sfn|Lennox|2010|p=62}}
* Absalom appears as a prominent character in [[Peter Shaffer]]'s play ''Yonadab'', which portrays Amnon's rape of Tamar and his murder at Absalom's hands.{{sfn|MacMurraugh-Kavanagh|1998|p=74}}
* A scene in the Swedish writer [[Frans G. Bengtsson]]'s historical novel "[[The Long Ships]]" depicts a 10th Century Christian missionary recounting the story of Absalom's rebellion to the assembled Danish court, including the aging King [[Harald Bluetooth]] and his son [[Sweyn I of Denmark|Sweyn Forkbeard]]; thereupon, King Harald exclaims "Some people can learn a lesson from this story!", casting a meaningful glance at his son Sweyn—whom the King (rightly) suspects of plotting a rebellion.{{sfn|Anon|1988|p=30}}
* In the novel ''The Book of Tamar'' by Nel Havas, the story of Absalom is presented from the viewpoint of his sister. While closely following the main events as related in the Bible, Havas concentrates on the motives behind Absalom's actions, which Havas presents as more complex than depicted in the scriptures.
* In the novel ''Ender's Shadow'' by Orson Scott Card, the main character Bean invokes the quote to give solace to the kamikaze pilots Ender had unknowingly sent to their deaths to defeat the Formics.
*The role played by luxuriant hair in the death of Absalom is referenced to telling effect in the ghost story [[The Diary of Mr Poynter]] by master of the genre [[M.R. James]]. The ghost in question is that of dissolute young nobleman Sir Everard Charlett, known to his [[University of Oxford|Oxford University]] cronies by the nickname Absalom, on account of his beautiful, long hair and [[Libertine|debauched]] lifestyle. Sir Everard has commemorated his flowing locks by the unusual expedient of having them portrayed in a [[wallpaper]] pattern, which later proves to have the power to summon his malign, hair-covered ghost - much to the horror of James's unfortunate [[protagonist]], Mr. James Denton.<ref name="ge">M. R. James, "The Diary of Mr. Poynter," in ''Collected Ghost Stories'', ed. Darryl Jones (Oxford UP, 2011).</ref>

===Music===
* [[Josquin des Prez]] composed the [[motet]] "Absalon, fili mi" on the occasion of the death of [[Giovanni Borgia (1474)|Juan Borgia]] (Absalon being a further alternative spelling).
* [[Nicolas Gombert|Nicholas Gombert]] composed the two-part, eight-voice motet "Lugebat David Absalon".
* [[Heinrich Schütz]] (1585–1672) composed "Fili mi, Absalon" as part of his Sinfoniae Sacrae, op. 6.
* The single verse, 2 Samuel 18:33, regarding David's grief at the loss of his son ("And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"), is the inspiration for the text of several pieces of choral music, usually entitled ''When David Heard'' (such as those by Renaissance composers [[Thomas Tomkins]] and [[Thomas Weelkes]], or modern composers [[Eric Whitacre]], Joshua Shank, and Norman Dinerstein). This verse is also used in "David's Lamentation" by [[William Billings]], first published in 1778.
* [[Leonard Cohen]]'s poem "Prayer for Sunset" compares the setting sun to the raving Absalom, and asks whether another Joab will arrive tomorrow night to kill Absalom again.
* "Absalom, Absalom" is a song on the 1996 Compass CD ''Making Light of It'' by singer/songwriter [[Pierce Pettis]], incorporating several elements of the biblical narrative.
* The Australian composer [[Nigel Butterley]] set the verse in his 2008 choral work "Beni Avshalom", commissioned by the [[Sydney Chamber Choir]].
* During the finale of the song "[[Distant Early Warning (song)|Distant Early Warning]]" by Canadian band [[Rush (band)|Rush]], [[Geddy Lee]] sings, "Absalom, Absalom, Absalom"; lyrics written by drummer [[Neil Peart]].
* [[David Olney]]'s 2000 CD ''Omar's Blues'' includes the song "Absalom". The song depicts David grieving over the death of his son.
* The story of Absalom is referred to several places in folk singer [[Adam Arcuragi]]'s song "Always Almost Crying".
* The San Francisco–based band [[Om (band)|Om]] mentions Absalom in their song "Kapila's Theme" from their debut album ''[[Variations on a Theme (Om album)|Variations on a Theme]]''.
* The garage folk band David's Doldrums references Absalom in their song, "My Name Is Absalom". The song alludes to Absalom's feelings of solemnity and abandonment of love and hope.
* In "Every Kind Word" by [[Lackthereof]], Danny Seim's project parallel to [[Menomena]], Seim sings "...&nbsp;and your hair is long like Absalom."
* "Barach Hamelech", an Israeli song by Amos Etinger and Yosef Hadar.
* The [[grindcore]] band [[Discordance Axis]] references Absalom at the end of the track entitled "Castration Rite".<!--
 Don't seem to be notable, no article: * The [[progressive metal]] band from [[Barranquilla]], [[Colombia]], Absalom has his name.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://karmametalcolombian.blogspot.com/2008/04/absalom-absalom-colombian-2003.html |title=Un Alma Oculto |author=Infernal North |date=8 April 2008 |publisher=blogspot.com |access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref> -->
* In 2007 [[Ryland Angel]] released "Absalom" on Ryland Angel-Manhattan Records.
* "Hanging By His Hair" from the 1998 ''[[Wormwood: Curious Stories from the Bible|Wormwood]]'' album by [[The Residents]] recounts Absalom's defiance and death. Also performed on Roadworms (The Berlin Sessions) and Wormwood Live.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://residents.com/historical/page0/page20/page20.html |title=Residents |access-date=2009-07-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519121348/http://residents.com/historical/page0/page20/page20.html |archive-date=2009-05-19 }}</ref>
* "Absalom" is a song on Brand New Shadows's debut album, ''[[White Flags]]''. It is a mournful lament from King David's perspective.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://brandnewshadows.com/_downloads/lyrics.pdf |title=Brand New Shadows |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708090903/http://brandnewshadows.com/_downloads/lyrics.pdf |archive-date=8 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* "Absalom" is an album by the experimental/progressive band [[Stick Men (prog band)|Stick Men]] featuring Tony Levin, Markus Reuter and Pat Mastelotto.
* The American Rock band [[Little Feat]] reference Absalom in their song "Gimme a Stone" on the album entitled ''[[Chinese Work Songs]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.littlefeat.net/index.php?page=lyrics&dc_id=261 |title=Gimme a Stone |author=Kenny Gradney |publisher=BubbleUp |access-date=13 November 2016 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035626/http://www.littlefeat.net/index.php?page=lyrics&dc_id=261 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This song is written from the perspective of King David—mainly focusing on the task of fighting Goliath—but contains a lament to Absalom. This was a cover of the song, the original being on the 1998 Americana concept album Largo, by David Forman and Levon Helm.