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The Marriage of Heaven and Earth: Alchemical Regeneration in the Works of Taylor, Poe, Hawthorne, and Fuller (Contributions to the Study of American Literature)
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Product Description
From the Middle Ages to the close of the 17th century, alchemy was fundamental to Western culture. Though its significance declined with the rise of chemistry, the lore of alchemy still colors imaginative works in the modern world. This study examines the literary representation of alchemical theory and the metaphor of alchemical regeneration in the works of Edward Taylor, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Margaret Fuller. While Taylor used alchemical metaphors to illustrate the redeeming power of God's grace, Poe used them to represent the transforming power of imagination. Hawthorne, in turn, used alchemical imagery to show the restorative power of love, while Fuller employed alchemical figures to suggest the reconciliation of gender opposites.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #2544671 in Books
- Published on: 2000-08-30
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 168 pages
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About the Author
RANDALL A. CLACK is Visiting Assistant Professor of English at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and has previously taught at the University of Connecticut, Elizabeth City State University, and Southern Polytechnic State University.
Customer Reviews
The Marriage of Heaven and Earth
The continuing significance of these authors' texts suggest their power to stimulate our own desire for renewal. Taylor's vision of alchemical regeneration recalls the sense of self as soul, illustrated in Thomas Moore's best-seller, The Care of the Soul. Poe's use of alchemical tropes underscores the value of imagination as a means of transformation. Hawthorne's alchemy reminds us of the magical quality of love - capable of transforming the coldest, hardest heart into warm flesh and blood. And Fuller's alchemy offers an affirmation of individual dignity and responsibility. Coincidentally, C.G. Jung's work with psychology and alchemy during the mid-twentieth century ushered in a "new age" of spiritual quests for enlightenment recalling the alchemical themes of Taylor, Poe, Hawthorne, and Fuller.
