Beyond Reciprocal Violence—René Girard and Siegfried Sassoon

The theme of imminent apocalypse in Girard's new book Achever Clausewitz is used to locate the origin of the threats to contemporary society in the 1914-18 War. A study of Sassoon is offered as a model of "the intelligence of the victim." Girard's thesis of the mimetic origins of...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Harrison, Charles Hampton 1932- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group 2008
In: Practical theology
Year: 2008, Volume: 1, Issue: 1, Pages: 65–83
Further subjects:B Apocalypse
B Reciprocity
B Violence
B mimetic desire
B interdividual
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:The theme of imminent apocalypse in Girard's new book Achever Clausewitz is used to locate the origin of the threats to contemporary society in the 1914-18 War. A study of Sassoon is offered as a model of "the intelligence of the victim." Girard's thesis of the mimetic origins of violence is explained and applied to the decades before 1914. Girard's concept of interdividual psychology is explored and illustrated by Sassoon's early development, focusing in particular on his malleability, narcissism and homosexuality. The nature of reciprocal violence in trench warfare is described. Sassoon's diaries and memoirs are used to illustrate the evolution of his Girardian awareness, culminating in his statement of May 1917, criticizing the British war aims. The conclusion notes the connection between Sassoon and Dom Sebastian Moore, whose thought has since converged with Girard's.
ISSN:1756-0748
Contains:Enthalten in: Practical theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1558/prth.v1i1.65