Existential suffering and hopeful theodicy in Esaias Tegnér’s Spleen
Poetry can contribute to theological and philosophical reflection. In this paper, we concentrate our attention on Esaias Tegnér’s poignant depiction of melancholy, or what we call “existential suffering” in his poem Spleen. We argue the poem can be interpreted as showing that the distinction between...
| Authors: | ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2023
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| In: |
Studia theologica
Year: 2023, Volume: 77, Issue: 1, Pages: 62-76 |
| IxTheo Classification: | CB Christian life; spirituality CD Christianity and Culture KAH Church history 1648-1913; modern history KBE Northern Europe; Scandinavia NBC Doctrine of God |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Poetry can contribute to theological and philosophical reflection. In this paper, we concentrate our attention on Esaias Tegnér’s poignant depiction of melancholy, or what we call “existential suffering” in his poem Spleen. We argue the poem can be interpreted as showing that the distinction between theoretical and existential problems of suffering is less clear-cut than often presupposed and that theorizing about the meaning of suffering can have a role to play even when people are experiencing great existential suffering and despair. Based on the speaker’s existential struggles in Spleen, we also formulate the novel concept of a hopeful theodicy, a concept we think can be of use more broadly in future research on problems of suffering and theodicy. |
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| ISSN: | 1502-7791 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Studia theologica
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/0039338X.2022.2155243 |