
moloch in literature and popular culture

the canaanite god moloch was the recipient of child sacrifice according to the account of the hebrew bible, as well as greco-roman historiography on the god of carthage. moloch is depicted in john milton's epic poem "paradise lost" as one of the greatest warriors of the rebel angels, vengeful and militant.
in the 19th century, "moloch" came to be used allegorically for any idol or cause requiring excessive sacrifice.
bertrand russell in 1903 used "moloch" to describe oppressive religion, and winston churchill in his 1948 history "the gathering storm" used "moloch" as a metaphor for adolf hitler's cult of personality.
allegorical.
part ii of allen ginsberg's 1955 poem "howl", "moloch", is about the state of industrial civilization, moloch is also the name of an industrial, demonic figure in fritz lang's "metropolis," a film that ginsberg credits with influencing "howl, part ii".
"moloch" (молох) is a 1999 russian biographical drama film directed by alexander sokurov. it portrays adolf hitler living life in an unassuming manner during an abrupt journey to the bavarian alps.
"moloch", an opera by max von schillings, (premiered december 8, 1906 in dresden) is about a priest, seeking to teach those oppressed by the romanas, who becomes frustrated and commits suicide.
eponymy and other references.
eponym: one who gives, or is supposed to give, his name to a people, place, or institution ("oed")

