Author: Albert Mordell

Publisher:

Published: 2015-07-02

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13: 9781330559574

Excerpt from Dante and Other Waning Classics I have chosen for critical examination six of the most famous classics of Christendom. These include two highly lauded epic poems of modem times, the Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost; two works the circulation of each of which has been surpassed only by the Bible, the Imitation of Christ and Pilgrim's Progress; a noted religions autobiography, St. Augustine's Confessions and an important product in Christian apologetics, Pascal's Thoughts. These works are saturated in whole or part with theological dogmas that have been discarded by many people to-day. It is my intention to show how medieval fallacies have rained what might otherwise have been perfect literary masterpieces. The passages in these books that still live are the secular ones. These we can still read with enjoyment, but the authors regarded them as subsidiary to the theological intent. I have tried to point out that the literary value of these classics has waned in proportion to the extent and falsity of the theology pervading them. Literature should not be a vehicle for theology. The poet often must describe sensations the theologian fears; he must express ideas the latter dare not think. Theology attaches itself usually to untenable and evanescent dogmas; its spirit is that of restraint; its atmosphere is confining. Literature shuns creeds and edicts and theories; it knows few barriers; it seeks the open. The chief mission of literature is often to undo the evil work wrought by false theologies. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.