In this brilliant, multi-layered conclusion to the Unbound trilogy, Emma Townsend journeys to Paris and discovers her own choices echoed within the labyrinthine love story The Phantom of the Opera. . .
This volume addresses dealings with the wondrous, magical, holy, sacred, sainted, numinous, uncanny, auratic, and sacral in the plays of Shakespeare and contemporaries, produced in an era often associated with the irresistible rise of a thinned-out secular rationalism. By starting from the literary text and looking outwards to social, cultural, and historical aspects, it comes to grips with the instabilities of ‘enchanted’ and ‘disenchanted’ practices of thinking and knowledge-making in the early modern period. If what marvelously stands apart from conceptions of the world’s ordinary functioning might be said to be ‘enchanted’, is the enchantedness weakened, empowered, or modally altered by its translation to theatre? We have a received historical narrative of disenchantment as a large-scale early modern cultural process, inexorable in character, consisting of the substitution of a rationally understood and controllable world for one containing substantial areas of mystery. Early modern cultural change, however, involves transpositions, recreations, or fresh inventions of the enchanted, and not only its replacement in diminished or denatured form. This collection is centrally concerned with what happens in theatre, as a medium which can give power to experiences of wonder as well as circumscribe and curtail them, addressing plays written for the popular stage that contribute to and reflect significant contemporary reorientations of vision, awareness, and cognitive practice. The volume uses the idea of dis-enchantment/re-enchantment as a central hub to bring multiple perspectives to bear on early modern conceptualizations and theatricalizations of wonder, the sacred, and the supernatural from different vantage points, marking a significant contribution to studies of magic, witchcraft, enchantment, and natural philosophy in Shakespeare and early modern drama.
The legendary Pluto had mysteriously fallen. The direct son of Pluto, Yan Ming, possessed the orthodox bloodline of Pluto, but was trapped in the Nine Hells Abyss by his younger brother. What they didn't know was that Xiao Zhu, who had the innate Netherworld Ghost Body, had the good fortune to obtain the Obsidian Stone, and Yan Ming, who was hiding in the Obsidian Stone, was her chosen one ...
“A history of “secular,” or non-supernatural, or entertainment magic as an important but neglected constituent of modern culture” (Nicholas Daly). Magic, Simon During suggests, has helped shape modern culture. Devoted to this deceptively simple proposition, During’s superlative work, written over the course of a decade, gets at the aesthetic questions at the very heart of the study of culture. How can the most ordinary arts—and by “magic,” During means not the supernatural, but the special effects and conjurings of magic shows—affect people? Modern Enchantments takes us deeply into the history and workings of modern secular magic, from the legerdemain of Isaac Fawkes in 1720, to the return of real magic in nineteenth-century spiritualism, to the role of magic in the emergence of the cinema. Through the course of this history, During shows how magic performances have drawn together heterogeneous audiences, contributed to the molding of cultural hierarchies, and extended cultural technologies and media at key moments, sometimes introducing spectators into rationality and helping to disseminate skepticism and publicize scientific innovation. In a more revealing argument still, Modern Enchantments shows that magic entertainments have increased the sway of fictions in our culture and helped define modern society’s image of itself. Praise for ModernEnchantment “During documents the extent to which magic and magical thinking have pervaded, and continue to pervade, secular life . . . the author examines 19th- and 20th-century theatrical magic and “commercial conjuring” with great sensitivity to the social and cultural context in the Western world. Equally fascinating is the analysis of magic and early film.” —R. Sugarman, Choice “A richly informed, warmly argued addition to the growing number of books in which writers worry at the pervasive blurring of distinctions between act and appearance, organic consciousness and artificial intelligence, imagination and empirical experience, illusion and thought, reality TV and real life, dreams and money.” —Marina Warner, Financial Times “During moves confidently across three centuries of magic (and covers aspects of a few more besides). The sheer wealth of historical detail he provides is impressive, but no less impressive is the subtlety of his argumentation, and the suggestiveness of his claims . . . This extremely significant piece of work will appeal to literary critics, historians, and not least, devotees of magic.” —Nicholas Daly, author of Modernism, Romance, and the Fin de Siècle: Popular Fiction and British Culture, 1880–1914
American Enchantment presents a new understanding of the social order after the American Revolution, one that enacts the concept of "enchantment" as a unique way of describing and coalescing popular power and social affiliation.
To be Enchanted, at one time, meant to be ‘carried away,’ from one’s hum-drum existence, to something or somewhere magical, perhaps even spiritual, at least, always more than merely physically pleasant! Of course, this depended on one’s beliefs in human souls. Take that away, and enchantment would be as mundane as everything else in modern daily life. No Soul means no possibility of Enchantment. Ken Evans.
Step into a world where magic is not just a whisper on the wind but a tangible force that weaves through every stall, every cobblestone, and every heart. Welcome to "The Enchanted Market," a place where the extraordinary meets the everyday, and where destinies are forged in the heat of adventure. "The Enchanted Market" follows the journey of Clara Thompson, a young woman who inherits a mysterious shop in a magical market that exists between worlds. Clara’s life is turned upside down when she discovers that her grandmother, Esme Everhart, was not just a beloved shopkeeper but a revered guardian of this mystical bazaar. With her grandmother's journal in hand, Clara steps into a realm filled with enchanted artifacts, peculiar creatures, and age-old secrets. The market itself is a living entity, vibrant and bustling with magic. Each stall offers unique and dangerous items, each vendor has a story to tell, and every corner holds a new mystery to unravel. From potions that can heal the gravest of wounds to trinkets that unlock forgotten realms, the market is a place of endless possibilities and constant wonder. However, shadows lurk at the edges of the market, and dark forces threaten its very existence. Malak, a powerful sorcerer with a thirst for dominion, seeks to exploit the market's magic for his own gain. Clara, along with her newfound allies—Elandra, an elven healer; Thrain, a dwarf blacksmith with enchanted weapons; and Finnian, a talented mage—must navigate these dangers and protect the market from Malak’s sinister plans. As Clara delves deeper into the market's secrets, she discovers her own latent magical abilities. Guided by her grandmother's wisdom and the strength of her friends, she learns to harness her power and embraces her destiny as a guardian of the market. Each challenge she faces and every battle she fights brings her closer to understanding the legacy she has inherited. "The Enchanted Market" is a tale of self-discovery and growth, where friendships are forged in the heat of battle and alliances are formed in times of need. The Guardians of the Enchanted Forest, the Skyward Mages, and the Mountain Dwarves all play pivotal roles in the defense of the market. Their diverse skills and unique perspectives highlight the importance of unity and cooperation in the face of adversity. This enchanting story also explores the themes of redemption and forgiveness. Malak’s journey from darkness to light serves as a powerful reminder that even the most misguided souls can find their way back to the path of righteousness. Clara’s willingness to offer him a second chance embodies the spirit of forgiveness and the belief in the power of change. "The Enchanted Market" is more than just a tale of magic and adventure; it is a celebration of the human spirit's resilience, the bonds that connect us, and the legacies that shape our destinies. It is about finding one's place in a vast and wondrous world, standing up against the forces of darkness, and believing in the magic that exists within us all. Dive into "The Enchanted Market" and let yourself be captivated by its vibrant streets, feel the pulse of its magic, and experience the thrill of its adventures. This book is perfect for anyone who loves epic tales of fantasy, strong heroines, and the timeless battle between light and darkness. Join Clara on her journey and discover a world where every moment holds the promise of magic and adventure.
The notion of modernity hinges on a break with the past, such as superstitions, medieval worlds, and hierarchical traditions. It follows that modernity suggests the disenchantment of the world, yet the processes of modernity also create their own enchantments in the mapping and making of the modern world. Straddling a range of disciplines and perspectives, the essays in this edited volume eschew programmatic solutions, focusing instead in new ways on subjects of slavery and memory, global transformations and vernacular and vernacular modernity, imperial imperatives and nationalist knowledge, cosmopolitan politics and liberal democracy, and governmental effects and everyday affects. It is in these ways that the volume attempts to unravel the enchantments of modernity, in order to approach anew modernity's constitutive terms, formative limits, and particular possibilities.
This book concerns the experience of enchantment in art. Considering the essential characteristics, dynamics and conditions of the experience of enchantment in relation to art, including liminality, it offers studies of different kinds of artistic experience and activity, including painting, music, fiction and poetry, before exploring the possibility of a life oriented to enchantment as the activity of art itself. With attention to the complex relationship between wonder in art and the programmatic disenchantment to which it is often subject, the author draws on the thought of a diverse range of philosophers, sociological theorists and artists, to offer an understanding of art through the idea of enchantment, and enchantment through art. An accessible study, richly illustrated with experience – both that of the author and others – Art and Enchantment will appeal to scholars and students of sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and anyone with interests in the nature of aesthetic experience.