The Baphomet
Encyclopedia
The Baphomet is a transgressive
piece of experimental
fiction authored by Pierre Klossowski
. Klossowski wrote his original French novel in 1965, but it was not translated into English until 1992, when a translation was published by Marsilio Press.
Baphomet
itself was a fabled idol
that the medieval Knights Templar
supposedly worshipped, until the violent suppression of their order, for heresy
and sodomy
in 1307. In this narrative, the ghosts of Templar monks reassemble each year to commemorate their immolation, and engage in demonic possession
of unwary animals and small children. In this case, the body of a recently dead page
gives cause for interest, although the Templar Grand Master, Friedrich Nietszche, and Klossowski himself also assume animal forms during the dialogue and vignettes that follow, and provide commentary on eros
, death
, transgression
and rejection of conventional morality
. It is never certain whether Baphomet
is an actual entity, or whether this is an hallucinogenic spectacle produced by the dying consciousness
of the monks themselves shortly before onset of death.
Transgressive
Transgressive may mean:*Transgressive art, a name given art forms that violate perceived boundaries.*Transgressive fiction, a modern style in literature.*Transgressive Records, a United Kingdom-based independent record label....
piece of experimental
Experimental literature
Experimental literature refers to written works - often novels or magazines - that place great emphasis on innovations regarding technique and style.-Early history:...
fiction authored by Pierre Klossowski
Pierre Klossowski
Pierre Klossowski was a French writer, translator and artist. He was the eldest son of the artists Erich Klossowski and Baladine Klossowska, and his younger brother was the painter Balthus.-Life:...
. Klossowski wrote his original French novel in 1965, but it was not translated into English until 1992, when a translation was published by Marsilio Press.
Narrative
Given that its structure is nonlinear, the following attempts to provide some coherence to the narrative of this book.Baphomet
Baphomet
Baphomet is an imagined pagan deity , revived in the 19th century as a figure of occultism and Satanism. It appeared as a term for a pagan idol in trial transcripts of the Inquisition of the Knights Templar in the early 14th century...
itself was a fabled idol
Cult image
In the practice of religion, a cult image is a human-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents...
that the medieval Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
supposedly worshipped, until the violent suppression of their order, for heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
and sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
in 1307. In this narrative, the ghosts of Templar monks reassemble each year to commemorate their immolation, and engage in demonic possession
Demonic possession
Demonic possession is held by many belief systems to be the control of an individual by a malevolent supernatural being. Descriptions of demonic possessions often include erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting as if one were dying...
of unwary animals and small children. In this case, the body of a recently dead page
Page (servant)
A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant, a messenger at the service of a nobleman or royal.-The medieval page:In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight; an apprentice squire...
gives cause for interest, although the Templar Grand Master, Friedrich Nietszche, and Klossowski himself also assume animal forms during the dialogue and vignettes that follow, and provide commentary on eros
Eros (love)
Eros is one of the four words in Ancient Greek which can be rendered into English as “love”. The other three are storge, philia and agape...
, death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, transgression
Transgression
Transgression may be:*a Biblical transgression, violation of God's ten commandments; sin *a legal transgression, a crime usually created by a social or economic boundary*a social transgression, violating a norm...
and rejection of conventional morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
. It is never certain whether Baphomet
Baphomet
Baphomet is an imagined pagan deity , revived in the 19th century as a figure of occultism and Satanism. It appeared as a term for a pagan idol in trial transcripts of the Inquisition of the Knights Templar in the early 14th century...
is an actual entity, or whether this is an hallucinogenic spectacle produced by the dying consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
of the monks themselves shortly before onset of death.