Title
A Perverse History of the Human Heart,Used
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The seat of the soul, the center of legends, the pulsing middle of cults and cultural taboos: the heart has a history as long and complex, and often as sordid, as that of the secret life it once signified. And this is the history that Milad Doueihi tells in a book that follows the adventures of the human heart through custom, legend, religion, and literature from antiquity to early modern times.Most prominent, and macabre, in this history is the account of the eaten heart, beginning with the myth of Dionysos, who was kidnapped and devoured by the Titans. Doueihi shows us, from the Middle Ages through the seventeenth century, strange tales combining a cuisine of the macabre with the devotion of the lover, in which a jealous husband serves his unwitting wife the heart of her murdered lover. Beyond the tensions of courtly love, manifest in the Lai d'Ignaure, the Roman du Chatelain du Coucy, and works by Dante and Boccaccio, Doueihi evokes the image of the devoured heart invoked in Francis Bacon's Essay on Friendship.Not to be outdone by literature and legend, religion, particularly in the theology of the Sacred Heart, takes its place in this story, exerting its influence on the legend of the eaten heart, with stories of perverse consumption coming to be explained in terms of the mystery of the Eucharist, the magical and mystical consumption of the body of Christ. Finally, with the discovery of physiology and the emerging science of blood circulation, the heart loses its symbolic placethough Doueihi leaves us with the possible marriage of mysticism and science that Pascal's descriptions of intuitive intelligence open up for the heart.
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- Q: What is 'A Perverse History of the Human Heart' about? A: This book explores the complex and often sordid history of the human heart through various lenses, including legend, religion, and literature, from antiquity to early modern times.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: 'A Perverse History of the Human Heart' is authored by Milad Doueihi.
- Q: What is the condition of the book? A: The book is listed as a used book in good condition, specifically categorized as 'Very Good'.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: The book contains 240 pages.
- Q: What edition is this book? A: This is the First Edition of 'A Perverse History of the Human Heart'.
- Q: What is the binding type of the book? A: The book is available in paperback binding.
- Q: When was the book published? A: The book was published on February 14, 1998.
- Q: What are some key themes discussed in the book? A: Key themes include the symbolism of the heart in various cultures, the mythology surrounding the eaten heart, and the relationship between mysticism and science.
- Q: Is this book suitable for academic study? A: Yes, given its exploration of cultural, historical, and literary themes, it can be a valuable resource for academic study in criticism and theory.
- Q: Can I find this book in libraries? A: Yes, many libraries may carry this title due to its academic nature and historical context.