Gold is the most malleable and ductile metals — and one of the most sought-after. It is also a very rich and diverse symbol in literature, playing a pivotal role in many written works over the centuries.
In literature, gold is seen to represent both good and evil influences and aspirations. In the Bible, the Golden Calf is seen as symbol of idolatry, wickedness and rebellion. In the story of Jason and the Argonauts, The Golden Fleece is a symbol of power. In "The Pardoner’s Tale," a segment of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, two men come to a bad end over gold coins. In more recent times, gold bullion has factored into the plots of a number of books and films, including Ian Flemming’s Goldfinger, many of Clive Cussler’s adventure novels, Lethal Weapon 2, Die Hard 3. One of my favorite contemporary writers, Neal Stephenson, had plots involving bullion in recent novels. A cursed gold coin was even the springboard for the popular Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
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