The Philosopher and the Storyteller: Eric Voegelin and Twentieth-century Literature (Eric Voegelin Institute Series in Political Philosophy)

209 Pages·2008·0.98 MB·English

by  Charles R. Embry

The
Philosopher
and the
i
Storyteller
The Eric Voegelin Series in Political Philosophy
The Constitutionalism of American States, edited by George E. Connor
and Christopher W.Hammons
Voegelin Recollected: Conversations on a Life,edited by Barry Cooper and
Jodi Bruhn
The American Way ofPeace: An Interpretation,by Jan Prybyla
Faith and Political Philosophy: The Correspondence between Leo Strauss
and Eric Voegelin,1934–1964,edited by Peter Emberley and Barry
Cooper
New Political Religions, or an Analysis of Modern Terrorism, by Barry
Cooper
Art and Intellect in the Philosophy of Étienne Gilson, by Francesca Aran
Murphy
Robert B.Heilman and Eric Voegelin: A Friendship in Letters,1944–1984,
edited by Charles R.Embry
Voegelin, Schelling, and the Philosophy of Historical Existence, by Jerry
Day
Transcendence and History: The Search for Ultimacy from Ancient
Societies to Postmodernity,by Glenn Hughes
Eros,Wisdom,and Silence: Plato’s Erotic Dialogues,by James M.Rhodes
The Narrow Path ofFreedom and Other Essays,by Eugene Davidson
Hans Jonas: The Integrity ofThinking,by David J.Levy
A Government of Laws: Political Theory, Religion, and the American
Founding,by Ellis Sandoz
Augustine and Politics as Longing in the World,by John von Heyking
Lonergan and the Philosophy of Historical Existence, by Thomas J.
McPartland
Books in the Eric Voegelin Institute Series in Political Philosophy:
Studies in Religion and Politics
Etty Hillesum and the Flow ofPresence: A Voegelinian Analysis,by Meins
G.S.Coetsier
Christian Metaphysics and Neoplatonism, by Albert Camus; translated
with an introduction by Ronald D.Srigley
Voegelin and the Problem of Christian Political Order, by Jeffrey C.
Herndon
Republicanism,Religion,and the Soul ofAmerica,by Ellis Sandoz
Michael Oakeshott on Religion, Aesthetics, and Politics, by Elizabeth
Campbell Corey
Jesus and the Gospel Movement: Not Afraid to Be Partners, by William
Thompson-Uberuaga
The Religious Foundations of Francis Bacon’s Thought, by Stephen A.
McKnight

Charles R. Embry
The
Philosopher
and the
i
Storyteller
Eric Voegelin and
Twentieth-Century
Literature
UNIVERSITY OF
MISSOURI PRESS
COLUMBIA AND
LONDON
Copyright © 2008 by
The Curators ofthe University ofMissouri
University ofMissouri Press,Columbia,Missouri 65201
Printed and bound in the United States ofAmerica
All rights reserved
5 4 3 2 1 12 11 10 09 08
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Embry,Charles R.,1942–
The philosopher and the storyteller :Eric Voegelin and twentieth-
century literature / Charles R.Embry.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8262-1790-5 (alk.paper)
1. Literature—Philosophy.2. Literature—History and criticism—
Theory,etc.3. Voegelin,Eric,1901-1985—Criticism and interpretation.
4. Literature—20th century—History and criticism. I.Title.
PN49.E516 2008
809'.04—dc22
2007051053
This paper meets the requirements ofthe American National Standard
for Permanence ofPaper for Printed Library Materials,Z39.48,1984.
Text design: Stephanie Foley
Typesetter: Foley Design
Jacket design: Susan Ferber
Printer and binder: Integrated Book Technologies,Inc.
Typeface: Minion
Publication ofthis book has been assisted by a contribution from the Eric
Voegelin Institute, which gratefully acknowledges the generous support
provided for the series by the Earhart Foundation and the Sidney Richards
Moore Memorial Fund.
For credits,see p.191.
to my children:
Matthew,Meredith,and Patrick
The story was saved and not lost and it
would save us,if we would be guided by it.
~ Plato
i
contents
Acknowledgments xi
Abbreviations ofWorks Cited in the Text xiii
Prologue “Composed ofWonders”:
Literature ofthe Spirit 1
Part I
The Philosopher
1 “One ofMy Permanent Occupations”:
Eric Voegelin as Literary Critic 13
2 “The Attunement ofthe Soul”:
Eric Voegelin’s Search ofOrder 34
3 Writer,Reader,and the Adventure of
Participatory Consciousness 50
Part II
The Storyteller
4 The Barren Quest:
Graham Swift’s Waterland 63
5 “A Secret between Man and God”:
Second Reality in Heimito von Doderer’s
The Demons 80
ix