Synopses & Reviews
In this illustrated historical survey of the image of death in art and literature Karl S. Guthke assesses the significance of the various personifications of death in different ages and cultures, as male or female, enemy or lover, friend or avenger, angel or devil. Guthke shows that such images are reflections of the life and cultures that produced them, and through them he offers astonishing new insights into the nature and perception of the Western self in its cultural, intellectual, and literary context.
Review
"Any scholar who specializes in gender studies can in fact use this text as a springboard from which to launch her/himself into more detailed and nuanced explorations of specific areas of critical investigation. The reader has been well served by an erudite scholar surveying the great expanses of art historical and literary representations of our most terrifying foe-death." Yearbook of Comparative and General Literature
Review
'[Guthke] entices the reader from chapter to chapter by means of his superior technique and brilliant style.' Frankfurter Rundschau
Review
'A rich array of examples of the personification of death in (mainly) European cultures. ... An eclectic and erudite survey of images of death as a hunter, horseman, lover, bridegroom, or chess-player.' Times Literary Supplement
Synopsis
Originally published in German by Beck and now substantially rewritten for an English-speaking audience, this illustrated historical survey assesses the significance of gendered personifications of death in different ages and cultures. Guthke shows that such images are reflections of the cultures that produced them, and through them he offers new insights into the nature and perception of the Western self.
Table of Contents
Introduction: why this book? 1. Imagining the unimaginable: death personified; 2. The Middle Ages: the unfortunate Fall; 3. Renaissance and Baroque: the devil incarnate; 4. The Romantic age: 'How wonderful is death'; 5. From decadence to postmodernity: the stranger at the masked ball; Epilogue: death immortalising life.