God, Gulliver, and genocide
barbarism and the European imagination, 1492-1945
Claude Julien Rawson
401 pages | ~11 hrs
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Learn MoreGod, Gulliver, and genocide
barbarism and the European imagination, 1492-1945
By Claude Julien Rawson
This profound exploration examines the troubling space between violent rhetoric and actual destruction, tracing patterns of language that have echoed from ancient scriptures to modern times. Claude Julien Rawson investigates how phrases like "ought to be shot" or "wiped from the face of the earth" function in human discourse, sometimes as mere expressions of frustration, other times as precursors to genuine catastrophe.
The work delves into the complex relationship between figurative speech and literal implementation, examining how the same destructive language has been applied to diverse groups throughout history, from biblical peoples to conquered populations, from the Irish to victims of Nazi persecution. Rawson traces this linguistic phenomenon through a rich tapestry of voices, including Montaigne, Swift, and various travel writers and ethnographers spanning from Columbus to Captain Cook.
At the heart of this investigation lie the archetypal mass destructions described in Genesis: the Great Flood and the obliteration of Sodom and Gomorrah. These ancient narratives serve as templates for understanding how societies have conceptualized and justified large-scale elimination of human groups. The author examines how these biblical precedents have influenced literary and cultural expressions of genocidal thinking, particularly during the period from the conquest of the Americas through World War II.
For readers seeking to understand the darker currents of human consciousness and spiritual development, this work offers crucial insights into how language shapes our capacity for both compassion and destruction.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Discover Zen principles and teachings
- ✓ Explore English literature
- ✓ Explore God in literature
- ✓ Explore Irish authors
- ✓ Explore English literature, irish authors, history and criticism
- ✓ Understand psychological principles
- ✓ Explore Public opinion
- ✓ Explore English Satire
Topics
Details
- Published
- 2001
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- ISBN-10
- 0198184255
- Pages
- 401
- Language
- EN
