The Glance Of The Medusa: The Physiognomy Of Mysticism

Description

In The Glance of the Medusa, LÃ¡szÃ³ F. FÃ¶ldÃ©nyi offers a mesmerizing examination of the rich history of European culture through the lens of mythology and philosophy. Embracing the best traditions of essay writing, this volume invites readers on a spiritual and intellectual adventure. The seven essays bear testimony to FÃ¶ldÃ©nyiâ€™s encyclopedic knowledge and ask whether it is possible to overcome our fear of passing away. In doing so, they illuminate moments of mystical experience viewed in a historical perspective while inviting readers to engage with such moments in the present by immersing themselves into the process of reading and thinking. Rather than providing firm answers to burning questions, The Glance of the Medusa highlights the limits of definition, conjuring up situations in which Man partakes of unutterable experiencesâ€”such as passion, pleasure, fear, poetry, or disgustâ€”suggesting that moments of ecstasy cannot be pinned down or captured, only drawn a little closer.

About the Author

LÃ¡szlÃ³ F. FÃ¶ldÃ©nyi is an author, translator, critic, and art theorist. He is professor and chair of the theory of art at University of Theatre, Film, and Television, Budapest. He is the author of some twenty books, and his works have been translated into fifteen languages. He lives in Budapest, Hungary. Jozefina Komporaly is a London-based translator and academic. She is the editor and co-translator of the critical anthologies MatÃ©i Visniec and AndrÃ¡s Viskyâ€™s Barrack Dramaturgy.