The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve: The Story That Created Us

Stephen Greenblatt--Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning author of The Swerve and Will in the World--investigates the life of one of humankind's greatest stories. Bolder, even, than the ambitious books for which Stephen Greenblatt is already renowned, The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve explores the enduring story of humanity's first parents. Comprising only a few ancient verses, the story of Adam and Eve has served as a mirror in which we seem to glimpse the whole, long history of our fears and desires, as both a hymn to human responsibility and a dark fable about human wretchedness. Tracking the tale into the deep past, Greenblatt uncovers the tremendous theological, artistic, and cultural investment over centuries that made these fictional figures so profoundly resonant in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim worlds and, finally, so very "real" to millions of people even in the present. With the uncanny brilliance he previously brought to his depictions of William Shakespeare and Poggio Bracciolini (the humanist monk who is the protagonist of The Swerve), Greenblatt explores the intensely personal engagement of Augustine, Dürer, and Milton in this mammoth project of collective creation, while he also limns the diversity of the story's offspring: rich allegory, vicious misogyny, deep moral insight, and some of the greatest triumphs of art and literature. The biblical origin story, Greenblatt argues, is a model for what the humanities still have to offer: not the scientific nature of things, but rather a deep encounter with problems that have gripped our species for as long as we can recall and that continue to fascinate and trouble us today Stephen Greenblatt Explores The Enduring Story Of Humanity's First Parents. Tracking The Tale Into The Deep Past, Greenblatt Uncovers The Tremendous Theological, Artistic, And Cultural Investment Over Centuries That Made These Fictional Figures So Profoundly Resonant In The Jewish, Christian, And Muslim Worlds And, Finally, So Very 'real' To Millions Of People Even In The Present. Bolder, Even, Than The Ambitious Books For Which Stephen Greenblatt Is Already Renowned, The Rise And Fall Of Adam And Eve Explores The Enduring Story Of Humanity's First Parents, And Through Them, Of Western Civilization. Tracking The Tale Into The Deep Past, To The Hebrews' Exile In Babylon, Greenblatt Explores The Tremendous Theological, Artistic, And Cultural Creativity Over The Centuries That Made Adam And Eve So Profoundly Resonant, And Continues To Make Them, Finally, So Very Real To Millions Of People Even In The Present. Both A Hymn To Human Responsibility And A Dark Fable About Human Wretchedness, Their Story--told In Only A Few Verses In An Ancient Book--has Served As A Mirror In Which We Seem To Glimpse The Whole, Long History Of Human Fears And Desires. With The Uncanny Brilliance He Previously Brought To His Depictions Of William Shakespeare And Poggio Bracciolini (the Humanist Monk Who Is The Protagonist Of The Swerve), Greenblatt Explores The Intensely Personal Engagement Of Augustine, Dürer, And Milton In This Mammoth Project Of Collective Creation, While He Also Limns The Diversity Of The Story's Offspring: Rich Allegory, Vicious Misogyny, Deep Moral Insight, And Some Of The Greatest Triumphs Of Art And Literature. The Biblical Origin Story, Greenblatt Argues, Is A Model For What The Humanities Still Have To Offer: Not The Scientific Nature Of Things, But Rather A Deep Encounter With Problems That Have Gripped Our Species For As Long As We Can Recall And That Continue To Fascinate And Trouble Us Today.--jacket. Prologue: In The House Of Worship -- Bare Bones -- By The Waters Of Babylon -- Clay Tablets -- The Life Of Adam And Eve -- In The Bathhouse -- Original Freedom, Original Sin -- Eve' S Murder -- Embodiments -- Chastity And Its Discontents -- The Politics Of Paradise -- Becoming Real -- Men Before Adam -- Falling Away -- Darwin's Doubts -- Epilogue: In The Forest Of Eden. Stephen Greenblatt. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [325]-391) And Index. Stephen Greenblatt--Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning author of The Swerve and Will in the World--investigates the life of one of humankind's greatest stories. Bolder, even, than the ambitious books for which Stephen Greenblatt is already renowned, The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve explores the enduring story of humanity's first parents. Comprising only a few ancient verses, the story of Adam and Eve has served as a mirror in which we seem to glimpse the whole, long history of our fears and desires, as both a hymn to human responsibility and a dark fable about human wretchedness. Tracking the tale into the deep past, Greenblatt uncovers the tremendous theological, artistic, and cultural investment over centuries that made these fictional figures so profoundly resonant in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim worlds and, finally, so very "real" to millions of people even in the present. With the uncanny brilliance he previously brought to his depictions of William Shakespeare and Poggio Bracciolini (the humanist monk who is the protagonist of The Swerve), Greenblatt explores the intensely personal engagement of Augustine, Dürer, and Milton in this mammoth project of collective creation, while he also limns the diversity of the story's offspring: rich allegory, vicious misogyny, deep moral insight, and some of the greatest triumphs of art and literature. The biblical origin story, Greenblatt argues, is a model for what the humanities still have to offer: not the scientific nature of things, but rather a deep encounter with problems that have gripped our species for as long as we can recall and that continue to fascinate and trouble us today A beautiful and deeply felt coming-of-age novel that follows one young man's struggles with family secrets and the mysteries of his own heart in 1960s Northern Ireland. Gabriel Harkin is the eldest of four children in a working-class family in 1960s Northern Ireland, struggling through a loving, if often brutal, childhood. In the staunchly Catholic community to which Gabriel belongs, the strict rules for belief and behavior are clear. But his upbringing is marked by constant bullying by peers who prey on his gentle nature and the constant battle to earn the love and respect of his father. Even as he strives to be the perfect picture of young Irish boyhood, he is undermined at every turn by his true feelings. As political clashes and violence take place across the country, Gabriel must face his own inner turmoil. He begins to suspect that he's not like other boys, and tries desperately to lock away his feelings—and his fears—even as he explores his burgeoning sexuality. Beyond his own struggle is a family secret that remains veiled, something with the power to rock Gabriel's already fragile understanding of his identity. And as Gabriel confronts the confusion and isolation that have come to mark his adolescence, he also learns that secrets, no matter how badly some may want them buried, have a way of coming to light. Evoking a sense of time and place as compelling as Angela's Ashes and At Swim, Two Birds , Damian McNicholl's A Son Called Gabriel is a deeply felt and often funny coming-of-age novel that heralded the arrival of a striking new literary voice. “Endlessly illuminating and a sheer pleasure to read.” —Jack Miles, author of God: A Biography Daring to take the great biblical account of human origins seriously, but without credulity. The most influential story in Western cultural history, the biblical account of Adam and Eve is now treated either as the sacred possession of the faithful or as the butt of secular jokes. Here, acclaimed scholar Stephen Greenblatt explores it with profound appreciation for its cultural and psychological power as literature. From the birth of the Hebrew Bible to the awe-inspiring contributions of Augustine, Dürer, and Milton in bringing Adam and Eve to vivid life, Greenblatt unpacks the story’s many interpretations and consequences over time. Rich allegory, vicious misogyny, deep moral insight, narrow literalism, and some of the greatest triumphs of art and literature: all can be counted as children of our “first” parents. "Set in the hills of Northern Ireland in the 1960s and 70s, A Son Called Gabriel is a coming of age novel." "Gabriel Harkin, the eldest of four children in a working-class family, struggles through a loving yet often brutal childhood. It's a turbulent time in Ulster, and in the staunchly Catholic community to which Gabriel belongs, the strict code for belief and behavior is clear. As Gabriel begins to suspect that he's not like other boys, he tries desperately to lock away his feelings, and his fears. But secrets have a way of being discovered, and Gabriel learns that his might not be the only ones in the Harkin family."--BOOK JACKET. Explores the biblical story of human origins, drawing on theological, artistic, and cultural influences to discuss how the story of Adam and Eve reflects the fears, desires, and problems of humanity through the ages 419 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : 25 cm