Works of love deals primarily with the christian conception of agape love in contrast with erotic love or preferential love given to friends and family. Yet he claims that his vision of christianity leaves room for earthly relationships in their full richness. He studied theology at the university of copenhagen, completing a masters thesis in 1841 on the topic of irony in socrates. In fact, the fruit of love must never remain hidden. In this book, kierkegaard unfolds the meaning of neigh borly love and claims that it is the only valid form of true love. Works of love by soren kierkegaard, paperback barnes.
Feb 05, 20 soren kierkegaards works of love 4 selflove. I am not a philosopher, i am not an academic, i am simply someone who has been fascinated by this work and want to explore it and understand it more. Kierkegaard begins this book by stating that it is easy to be selfdeceived, either to believe that which is not true or not to believe that which is true. When christ asked the pharisee which of the three individuals in the parable performed the correct action, the pharisee acknowledges the correct response. Soren kierkegaards works of love 3 love as hidden and. Works of love, the midpoint in the series, is also the monumental high point, because of its penetrating, illuminating analysis of the forms. This work is marked by kierkegaards socratic awareness of the reader, both as the center of awakened. A critique of kierkegaards works of love abstract in volume i of works of love, kierkegaard condemns preferential, earthly love and extols the virtues of impartial, christian love. Works of love, the midpoint in the series, is also the monumental high point, because of its penetrating, illuminating analysis. Love as feeling and mood is distinguished from works of love, love of the lovable from love of the unlovely, preferential love from love as a result of the royal regulation, love as mutual egotism from triangular love, and erotic love from selfgiving love. Within denmark he was isolated and often despised, a man whose writings had little impact in his own day or for a long time afterward. So for these reasons, and due to my own interest in what he has to teach about the works. Works of love soren kierkegaard book summary and analysis.
The various kinds and conditions of love are a common theme for kierkegaard, beginning with his early eitheror, through the diary of the seducer and judge williams eulogy on married love, to his last work, on the changelessness of gods love. Works of lovewas published september 29, 1847 about six months after the publication ofupbuilding. Kierkegaard, soren internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Deep within every man, kierkegaard writes, there lies the dread of being alone in the world, forgotten by god, overlooked among the household of millions upon millions. Eitheror fear and trembling works of love two ages. Kierkegaard deals with selflove and its inherent problems, the categorical imperative and the you shall love command, the problem with preferential love such as erotic love and friendship, the importance in distinguishing between true others and the otherself, etc. But only when one loves his neighbour, only then is the selfishness of preferential. Works of love goes on to develop other ideas about love.
Works of love is a work by soren kierkegaard written in 1847. Works of love quotes showing 18 of 8 when one has once fully entered the realm of love, the world no matter how imperfect becomes rich and beautiful, it consists solely of opportunities for love. Fear and trembling and the sickness unto death established kierkegaard as the father of existentialism and have come to define his contribution to philosophy. Works of love is argumentdriven and therefore fits well into our modern day backandforth between secular and religious perspectives.
With respect to love we speak continually about perfection and the perfect person. Kierkegaard was born into a wealthy and respected family, the youngest of seven siblings. Soren published his trilogy on october 16, 1843, which consisted of repetition, fear and trembling, and three edifying discourses. This presents kierkegaard with a difficult task in writing works of love. I have come to believe that kierkegaard has been largely misunderstood, misrepresented, and therefore ignored by many christians, to their own detriment. Works of love by soren kierkegaard was written in 2 parts. Clark, north park university since kierkegaard scholarship has become a cottage industry, it is has become possible to exchange kierkegaards passion for a passion for kierkegaards works. Love itself is a hidden in the lives and actions of individuals, and therefore much of our rhetoric about love is superficial and selfish. It is one of the works which he published under his own name, as opposed to his more famous pseudonymous works. The authors are a remarkable collection of scholars, some. A fragment of his work, on the dedication to that single individual, has made it to the public domain. Critical appraisals was the first anthology of essays on kierkegaards classic to be published in english. Soren kierkegaard works of love free ebook download as pdf file. One of soren kierkegaards most important writings, works of love is a profound examination of the human heart, in which the great philosopher conducts the reader into the inmost secrets of love.
The various kinds and conditions of love are a common theme for kierkegaard, beginning with his early eitheror, through the diary of the seducer and judge williams eulogy on married love, to his last work, on the changelessness of gods. If it helps its readers achieve autonomy through an understanding of christian love, and the readers recognize kierkegaard to be the author, it will fail to be a work of love. The first part containing 5 chapters and 3 sub chapters. Kjerlighedens gjerninger is a work by soren kierkegaard written in 1847. Obviously, we cannot love our neighbor if we do not exist with him in this realm, and kierkegaard is suggesting that only god has the right to end our lives when he so chooses. This article discussed the use of the bible in loves hidden life and its recognizability by its fruits, which is the first reflection of soren kierkegaards book, works. In works of love, kierkegaard briefly examines the parable of the good samaritan seen in luke 10.
An important and helpful guide to kierkegaards spirituality. Works of love is a searching exploration of the distinctive and demanding character of christian love. The writings listed here represent books about soren kierkegaard. The journals and notebooks of kierkegaard from the soren kierkegaard research center in copenhagen in danish journals and papers of kierkegaard in english. Kierkegaard has to disappear as author in order for the book to function as a work of love. Jan 21, 2010 if, on the other hand, she is trying to address the inadequate way in which kierkegaard treats romantic love in works of love, it should be noted that works of love is not a book about romantic love the focus is on neighbor love. Love as feeling and mood is distinguished from works of love, love of the lovable from love of the unlovely, preferential love from love as the royal law, love as mutual egotism from triangular love, and erotic love from selfgiving love. I have been reading some of his books as they were written, in danish, and i can imagine that translators must have had a hard job. Works of love, the midpoint in the series, is also the monumental high point, because of its penetrating, illuminating analysis of. Agape and other forms of love 1 works of love, second series sections i, iii, v, viii, ix. Kierkegaard uses this valuevirtue to understand the existence and relationship of the individual christian. Aug, 2015 soren published his trilogy on october 16, 1843, which consisted of repetition, fear and trembling, and three edifying discourses. The second part containing 10 chapters works of love serves as a thoughtful analysis on love and how love cultivates meaningful relationships with god, one another, and ourselves. Fear and trembling download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
Alas, but we men talk about finding the perfect person in order to love him. Works of love pdf,, download ebookee alternative effective tips for a much healthier ebook reading. In works of love, soren kierkegaard professes that christian love is the bridge betweenthe temporal and the eternal. He writes of the journey of love over time in this short essay. A beginners guide to kierkegaard relevant magazine. His thoroughness is reminiscent of the writings of the puritans, who would examine their theme from many angles in an attempt to exhaustively treat their subject. Thus one speaks of a mortal sickness as synonymous with a sickness unto death. Kierkegaards writings seem to get more contemporary every year. Literally it means a sickness the end and outcome of which is death.
Deep within every man, kierkegaard writes, there lies the dread of being alone in the world, forgotten by god, overlooked among the household of. Top 10 books by soren kierkegaard best book recommendations. In answering these questions, i point to the two quotes above. The simple scheme of the three stages becomes more complex in concluding unscientific postscript. Objectivity is the name for occupying oneself with what is out there in such a way as to exempt oneself from. Works of love deals primarily with the christian conception of agape love in contrast with erotic love eros. The problem of preferential love in kierkegaards works of love. In 1847 the danish philosopher soren kierkegaard published his christian reflections on the works of love. Lowries translation, first published in 1941 and later revised, was the first in english, and it has introduced hundreds of thousands of readers to kierkegaard s thought. If it were not a duty to love, then there would be no concept of neighbour at all. But in relation to god, there are no secret instruction for a human being any more than there are any. One of soren kierkegaard s most important writings, works of love is a profound examination of the human heart, in which the great philosopher conducts the reader into the inmost secrets of love.
John lippitt, kierkegaard and the problem of selflove, selections on agapic selflove and forgiveness author. Remember that kierkegaard was writing in the mid19th century before the invention of deep water exploration equipment. While the source of love remains hidden, the fruit of love does not. If you feel like digging in, i have here a fine collection of some of his major works in english. The fundamental distinction is now between objectivity and subjectivity, with two examples of each. After 1846, kierkegaard continued to write, publishing most works under his own name. The numerous types and circumstances of love are a regular theme for kierkegaard, beginning collectively together with his early eachor, by means of the diary of the seducer and determine williams eulogy on married love, to his remaining work, on the changelessness of gods love. This work is marked by kierkegaards socratic awareness of the reader, both as the center of awakened understanding and as the initiator of action. Publication date 1964 topics spiritual life publisher harper. Kierkegaards father, on the other hand, was melancholic, anxious, deeply pious, and fiercely intelligent. It is true that the tree is also known by its leaves, but the fruit is still the essential mark. This work is marked by kierkegaards socratic consciousness of the reader, every as a result of the center of awakened understanding and since the initiator of movement. It is not a feel good book but one that might leave you wondering whether you really have loved at all, or loved well. Publication date 1964 topics spiritual life publisher.
Kierkegaard begins with the paradox of love s character as both hidden and yet bearing fruit in works of love. Soren kierkegaard princeton university press, princeton, new jersey, 1941 preface despair is the sickness, not the cure. Born in copenhagen, denmark, soren kierkegaard was the son of a wealthy middleclass merchant. The goal of this dissertation is to incorporate kierkegaards works of love into current theorization of love as a political concept by showing how it models political sensibilities that can be responsive to contemporary problems of political and social injustice. They were translated into german early in the twentieth. It is true that kierkegaard does not elaborate a model of romantic love in the way he elaborates a model of. Works of love kjerlighedens gjerninger external links full texts. With respect to love christianity also speaks continually about perfection and the perfect person. In works of love kierkegaard methodically treats several biblical aspects of spiritual love in relation to erotic love and friendship. The concept of the sickness unto death must be understood, however, in a peculiar sense. Krisheks general aims in this bold book are to show that kierkegaards normative revisioning of the concept of religious faith entails a normative revisioning of the concept of love, and that kierkegaards project in works of love fails to do justice to his best insights about love.
Introduction only the christian knows what is meant by the sickness unto death. Apr 26, 2016 philosophy philosophy, soren kierkegaard, works of love part 1 ch1 loves hidden life and its recognisability by its fruits april 11, 2016 april 11, 2016 brendan quinn leave a comment. He lived all his life on his inheritance, using it to finance his literary career. Thee discourses training in christianity and the edifying discourse works of love edifying discourse a selection. Section i the commandment you shall love contains an apparent contradiction. The various kinds and conditions of love are a common theme for kierkegaard, beginning with his earlyeitheror, through the diary of the seducer and judge williams eulogy on married love, to his last work, on the changelessness of gods love. Soren kierkegaard said, god is not like a king in a predicament, who says to the highly trusted minister of the interior, you must do everything, you must create the atmosphere for our proposal and win public opinion to our side. Jan 09, 2020 many books have been written about his life, i suggest you start with the wikipedia article about kierkegaard. This work is marked by kierkegaard s socratic awareness of the reader, both as the center of awakened. A collection of books and writings by soren kierkegaard.