Fear and Trembling (Penguin Great Ideas)
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Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher, theologian and religious author interested in human psychology. He is regarded as a leading pioneer of existentialism and one of the greatest philosophers of the 19th Century.
In FEAR AND TREMBLING, Kierkegaard wanted to understand the anxiety that must have been present in Abraham when God commanded him to offer his son as a human sacrifice. Abraham had a choice to complete the task or to forget it. He resigned himself to the loss of his son, acting according to his faith. In other words, one must be willing to give up all his or her earthly possessions in infinite resignation and must also be willing to give up whatever it is that he or she loves more than God. Abraham had passed the test -- his love for God proved greater than anything else in him. And because a good and just Creator would not want a father to kill his son, God intervened at the last moment to prevent the sacrifice. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
About the Author
Soren Kierkegaard's childhood was clouded by the religious fervour of his father. Studying both theology and the liberal arts, he began to criticize the Christianity upheld by his father and look for a new set of values. He wrote no fewer than twelve major philosophical essays and his work inspires both modern Protestant theology and existentialism. In his own time, he died an object of public ridicule and scorn.
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First Sentence
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him ... Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.' Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him ... Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.' Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Somewhat ironically, given that it is ostensibly a work of philosophy and not literature, Fear and Trembling is truly a book to instil awe in the power of language. The reader is swept along in a sea of powerful words, with phrases repeating and overlapping, washing through the mind with waves of energy. Kierkegaard, unlike the majority of major philosophers, can really write.
Or maybe it is the subject matter that allows the flowing style. For this is surely one of THE books of the individual, an examination of the inexplicability of certain actions and the failure of systematic thinking in dealing with real faith. It was brand new in European philosophy at the time, and remains relevant and challenging today. If you want to reassess what God might be, and if you want to understand (without fully understanding) what true belief might mean, open these pages.
Or maybe it is the subject matter that allows the flowing style. For this is surely one of THE books of the individual, an examination of the inexplicability of certain actions and the failure of systematic thinking in dealing with real faith. It was brand new in European philosophy at the time, and remains relevant and challenging today. If you want to reassess what God might be, and if you want to understand (without fully understanding) what true belief might mean, open these pages.
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Search for "Fear and Trembling (Classics S.)". It's the same translation (by Alistair Hannay) but actually has notes + an introduction (although the introduction is a little long and over interpretive).
The Great Ideas version will probably look better on your shelf and is more portable, but it's worth spending the extra pound or so on the full version. This is especially true if you aren't familiar with Kierkegaard.
It's probably also worth mentioning that the Cambridge Companion to Kierkegaard has a nice (intoductory) essay on F&T
The Great Ideas version will probably look better on your shelf and is more portable, but it's worth spending the extra pound or so on the full version. This is especially true if you aren't familiar with Kierkegaard.
It's probably also worth mentioning that the Cambridge Companion to Kierkegaard has a nice (intoductory) essay on F&T
38 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Soren Kierkegaard is regarded by many as the founder of the existentialist movement that rose to prominence in twentieth century literature in the form of the novels of Franz Kafaka, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, and the philosophical works of Martin Heidigger, to name but a few figures.
Written after the seminal 'Either/Or', this psychological exposition is nevertheless central to the Kierkegaard cannon. In Kierkegaard's 'dialetical' style, the book explores the biblical account of Abraham, passionately exploring the tremulous psychology of the moments leading up to, and, most importantly, at the point of, Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. Alertly conscious of the futility of his age, almost prophetic in his anticipation of much of the soul-searching of the twentieth century, the book never becomes a boring theological treatise; rather, Kierkegaard seeks to involve the reader in an understanding of Abraham, who he terms a "knight of faith". In stressing the importance of the individual himself acting with the honesty that his freedom demands, Kierkegaard challenges the reader to place himself on a parallel with Abrham who "transcends the finite to the infinite, before assuming incidentally the finite".
The book is well written, unlike many philosophical works; one does not has to pause and dwell upon each paragraph, searching for comprehension, for Kierkegaard employs a technique known as "repetition", re-phrasing his argument from a slightly different angle at several points, often repeating an exact phrase several times, on each occasion arguing logically to a further point. Paradox is pivotal to Kierkegaard's psychological examinations, and is brilliantly reflected by the pulsating tempo of his writing; the depth of the text is greatly increased by regular darting references to other works, Shakespeare's tragedies, and the work of classical dramatists particularly strongly emphasised.
The strength of the book lies principally, as in much of Kierkegaard's work, in the fact that it is heavily autobiographical, even if that element is metaphorically disguised - there is always a marked sincerity to his observations.
Kierkegaard can digress slightly, and this is the main critiscism of the novel - nevertheless, this flaw often becomes a strength, as the aphorisms that express the profundity of his philosophical refelctions, are merely heightened in emphasis amongst the psychological reasoning that surrounds them. Any understanding of existentialism must include Kierkegaard, and this book is certainly a core text for such an undertaking.
Written after the seminal 'Either/Or', this psychological exposition is nevertheless central to the Kierkegaard cannon. In Kierkegaard's 'dialetical' style, the book explores the biblical account of Abraham, passionately exploring the tremulous psychology of the moments leading up to, and, most importantly, at the point of, Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. Alertly conscious of the futility of his age, almost prophetic in his anticipation of much of the soul-searching of the twentieth century, the book never becomes a boring theological treatise; rather, Kierkegaard seeks to involve the reader in an understanding of Abraham, who he terms a "knight of faith". In stressing the importance of the individual himself acting with the honesty that his freedom demands, Kierkegaard challenges the reader to place himself on a parallel with Abrham who "transcends the finite to the infinite, before assuming incidentally the finite".
The book is well written, unlike many philosophical works; one does not has to pause and dwell upon each paragraph, searching for comprehension, for Kierkegaard employs a technique known as "repetition", re-phrasing his argument from a slightly different angle at several points, often repeating an exact phrase several times, on each occasion arguing logically to a further point. Paradox is pivotal to Kierkegaard's psychological examinations, and is brilliantly reflected by the pulsating tempo of his writing; the depth of the text is greatly increased by regular darting references to other works, Shakespeare's tragedies, and the work of classical dramatists particularly strongly emphasised.
The strength of the book lies principally, as in much of Kierkegaard's work, in the fact that it is heavily autobiographical, even if that element is metaphorically disguised - there is always a marked sincerity to his observations.
Kierkegaard can digress slightly, and this is the main critiscism of the novel - nevertheless, this flaw often becomes a strength, as the aphorisms that express the profundity of his philosophical refelctions, are merely heightened in emphasis amongst the psychological reasoning that surrounds them. Any understanding of existentialism must include Kierkegaard, and this book is certainly a core text for such an undertaking.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Laughably rediculous..
Well the whole premise of the books centers on justifying the story of Abraham's sacrifice to God and it's ethicalness, however there are some deep seated problems:
1. Read more
1. Read more
Published on 31 Aug 2009 by Simon Kwong
Good value if you don't need the Princeton critical edition
There are always two aspects to the review of a translation of a classic. First one can pass an opinion on what the author says. Second one can comment on the translation. Read more
Published on 7 May 2009 by Gareth Greenwood
Do you find Abraham Guilty or Not Guilty?
Kierkegaard tries to defend Abraham against the charge that he was contemplating murdering his son because he thought God told him to. Read more
Published on 13 April 2001 by Richard Saunders
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