Secrets of the Oracle: A History of Wisdom from Zeno to Yeats

W. David Shaw

Published by University of Toronto Press 2009

Secrets of the Oracle

A History of Wisdom from Zeno to Yeats

W. David Shaw

https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442685307

Overview
Contents

About this book

What is wisdom? Where does it come from? Where can we find it? And what does it mean in our lives?Shaw explores these questions by turning to the works of wisdom writers, whose words retain their meaning and transformative power even centuries after they were written.

Author / Editor information

Shaw W. David :

W. David Shaw is a professor emeritus in the Department of English at Victoria College, University of Toronto.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	ix
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Part One. An Owl For Apollo: Wisdom And The Poets
1. Descent Of The Owl: Philosophy Among The Poets Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	13
2. Tennyson And Zeno: Three Infinities Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	39
3. How Poets Die To Time: The Sublime Oracle Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	62
4. Making Peace With Time: The Beautiful Oracle Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	84
5. The Ruins Of Time: The Grotesque Oracle Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	97
Part Two. Homage To Wisdom: From Delphi To Zen
6. Wisdom And The Logos: John’s Gospel To Four Quartets Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	119
7. Gnostic Wisdom: Parable And Koan Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	127
8. Paradox And Oracle: Crucible Versus Mirror Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	140
9. Copy-Speech And Counter-Love: Wordsworth And Frost Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	155
10. ‘A River Runs Through It’ And Joyce’S ‘The Dead’ Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	167
Part Three. Owls, Bulls, And Serpents: Wisdom Or Guile?
11. The Wise Owl: George Eliot’s Arrested Wit Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	185
12. The Serpent Of Irony: Wisdom Or Guile? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	206
13. Groucho Marx To Bernard Shaw: The Irish Bull Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	228
14. Oracles Of Wit: Oscar Wilde And Northrop Frye Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	246
Part Four. Wisdom At Gettysburg: Rewriting The Oracles
15. From Delphi To Gettysburg: Changing The Covenant Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	273
16. Coleridge And Huxley: Experiment Or Decree? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	298
17. Evolving Oracles: Newman, Browning, And Shakespeare Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	315
18. An Underground Oracle: ‘Look In Your Heart And Write’ Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	336
Works Cited Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	361
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	375
Backmatter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	389

Language: English
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
Audience: College/higher education;Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 352

eBook

Published: December 31, 2009
ISBN: 9781442685307