ENGLISH

The ascetic imperative in culture and criticism

By Geoffrey Galt , Harpham

Book information

Publisher
Univ of Chicago Pr (Tx)
Year
1987
ISBN
0-226-31691-2, 9780226316918, 0-226-31692-0
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
30 MB (30948666 bytes)
Pages
325\344
Time added
2015-12-23 22:00:00
Asceticism. Criticism. Arts -- Philosophy. Ascese.

Description

In this bold interdisciplinary work, Geoffrey Galt Harpham argues that asceticism has played a major role in shaping Western ideas of the body, writing, ethics, and aesthetics. He suggests that we consider the ascetic as "the 'cultural' element in culture," and presents a close analysis of works by Athanasius, Augustine, Matthias, Grünewald, Nietzsche, Foucault, and other thinkers as proof of the extent of asceticism's resources. Harpham demonstrates the usefulness of his findings by deriving from asceticism a "discourse of resistance," a code of interpretation ultimately more generous and humane than those currently available to us.

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