Título: Fear and Trembling: A New Translation
Autor: Søren Kierkegaard
Sinopse: This newly translated Fear and Trembling, a foundational document of modern philosophy and existentialism, could not be more apt for our perilous times.
First published in 1843 under the pseudonym Johannes de silentio (“John of Silence”), Søren Kierkegaard’s richly resonant Fear and Trembling has for generations stood as a pivotal text in the history of moral philosophy, inspiring such artistic and philosophical luminaries as Edvard Munch, W. H. Auden, Walter Benjamin, and existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre. Now, in our era of immense uncertainty, renowned Kierkegaard scholar Bruce H. Kirmmse eloquently brings this classic work to a new generation of readers.
Retelling the biblical story of the binding of Isaac, Fear and Trembling expounds on the ordeal of Abraham, who was commanded by God to sacrifice his own son in an exceptional test of faith. Disgusted at the self-certainty of his own age, Kierkegaard investigates the paradox underlying Abraham’s decision to allow his duty to God to take precedence over his duties to his family. As Kierkegaard’s narrator explains, the story presents a difficulty that is not often considered―namely, that after the ordeal is over and Isaac has been spared at the last moment, Abraham is capable of receiving him again and living normally, even joyfully, for the rest of his days. Almost inexplicably, “Abraham had faith and did not doubt.”
Deftly tracing the autobiographical threads that run throughout the work, Kirmmse initially, in his lucid and engaging introduction, demystifies Kierkegaard’s fictive narrator, Johannes de silentio, drawing parallels between Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son and the author’s personal “sacrifices.” Ultimately, however, Kirmmse reveals Fear and Trembling as a fiercely polemical volume, designed to provoke the reader into considering what is actually meant by the word “faith,” and whether those who consider themselves “true believers” actually are.
With a vibrancy almost never before seen in English, and “a matchless grasp of the intricacies of Kierkegaard’s writing process” (Gordon Marino), Kirmmse here definitively demonstrates Kierkegaard’s enduring power to illuminate the terrible wonder of faith.
Contexto da obra
Como livro em inglês, esta obra costuma ganhar também uma camada própria de interesse editorial e linguístico. “Fear and Trembling: A New Translation”, de Søren Kierkegaard, publicado pela editora Liveright, em 2023 e com 208 páginas, integra a categoria Livros em Inglês. Por isso, o interesse da obra tende a se ampliar quando o leitor considera também a relação com a língua em que ela circula.
Editora: Liveright
Páginas: 208
Ano: 2023-08-08
Edição: Reissue
Linguagem: en
ISBN: 1324093579
ISBN13: 9781324093572
Sobre a editora
Os livros da editora Liveright costumam oferecer experiências de leitura densas, que transitam entre narrativas históricas profundas e ficções com ambientações ricas e atmosféricas. O catálogo apresenta obras que exploram desde realidades sociais contemporâneas até reconstruções detalhadas de épocas passadas, com uma linguagem que pode variar entre o lírico e o direto, mas sempre com atenção à complexidade dos personagens e contextos. Há uma frequência em temas como transformações culturais, crises pessoais e coletivas, e o impacto da história na vida individual. O ritmo das obras pode oscilar entre o contemplativo e o intenso, com vozes narrativas que ora se aprofundam em reflexões, ora se lançam em tramas de tensão e conflito.
