Author Description

"Why is mythology of vital importance for the romantics? What role does mythology play in their philosophical and literary work? And what common sources of influence inspired these writers across Britain and Germany at the turn of the nineteenth century? In this wide-ranging study, Owen Ware argues that the romantics turn to mythology for its potential to transform how we see ourselves, others, and the world. Engaging with authors such as Schiller, Blake, Schlegel, Coleridge, Novalis, and Shelley, Ware shows why they believe that neither perception nor reason alone can sustain a vision of the unity of all things. A new mode of cognition is necessary, they claim, one that revives the poetic origin of mythology and reveals our own mythmaking powers. The first study devoted to the rise of mythology in the British and German traditions, Ware's book investigates the romantics' practices of reinterpreting old myths and inventing new ones. Their shared aim is nothing less than to elevate the human imagination to higher stages of self-development in which philosophy and poetry, as well as intellect and imagination, form an integrated whole. Far from calling us to return to the past, the romantics' work on mythology points us to a future where we can live in harmony with the personal, social, and natural worlds we inhabit. Combining intellectual history with philosophical analysis and literary criticism, Return of the Gods offers a bold reflection on why mythology mattered for the romantics-and why it still matters today"--