University of Pittsburgh Press
After Innocence
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After Innocence

Visions of the Fall in Modern Literature

By Terry Otten
This excellent work treats the literary expression of the 'most elemental of myths,' the Fall, beginning with the secular, humanist romantics, especially Blake, who reendowed the myth with meaning after the literal, orthodox religious interpretations had been seriously challenged.
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The fear of falling, the awareness of lost innocence, lost illusions, lost hopes and intentions, of civilization in decline—these are the themes which link literature to theology, both concerned with the shape of human destiny. Otten discusses the continuing viability of the myth of the Fall in literature. He relates a wide variety of romantic and modern works to fundamental issues in modern Christianity.

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"After Innocence has something new to teach everyone."

Donald H. Reiman

In full-length discussions of Blake's Bible of Hell, Byron's Cain, Coleridge's "Christabel," and Shelley's The Cenci, he establishes the Romantic tradition. . . . Otten's subsequent analysis of eleven works of modern literature [including The Turn of the Screw, Lord of the Flies, Heart of Darkness, La Chute, After the Fall, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Deliverance]. . . . is an example of consistent, cohesive application of archetypal criticism. . . . He generates his own analysis and his discussions are thorough.

College Literature

248 Pages, 6 x 9 in.

June, 1982

isbn : 9780822984870

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Terry Otten

Terry Otten is professor emeritus of English at Wittenberg University.

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Terry Otten