On the Shore of Nothingness: A Study in Cognitive Poetics - Softcover

Tsur, Reuven

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1845401360 ISBN 13: 9781845401368

Publisher: Imprint Academic, 2008

Synopsis

This book studies how poetic structure transforms verbal imitations of religious experience into concepts. The book investigates how such a conceptual language can convey such non-conceptual experiences as meditation, ecstasy or mystic insights. Briefly, it explores how the poet, by using words, can express the 'ineffable'. It submits to close reading English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Armenian and Hebrew texts, from the Bible, through medieval, renaissance, metaphysical, and baroque poetry, to romantic and symbolistic poetry.

About this title

Review

"For anyone interested in cognitive psychology and/or poetics, a new book by Reuven Tsur is an event."

Author: Norman Holland Source: Psyart

"A valuable contribution to a clearer and more formal understanding of the nature of poetic texts."

Author: Margaret H. Freeman Source: Poetics Today

Synopsis

This book does not study religious ideas for their own sake, but how religious ideas are turned into verbal imitations of religious experience by poetic structure. Even such words as "ecstasy" or "mysticism" denote clear-cut concepts. It investigates how such a conceptual language can convey such non-conceptual experiences as meditation, ecstasy or mystic insights. Briefly, it explores how the poet, by using words, can express the ineffable. It submits to close reading English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Armenian and Hebrew texts, from the Bible, through medieval, renaissance, metaphysical and baroque poetry to (secular) romantic and symbolistic poetry.

Edition details

• Publisher: Imprint Academic
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1845401360
• ISBN 13: 9781845401368
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 380