Abstract

This article approaches postsecularity from a historical angle by considering three recent German-language novels which reflect present-day ambivalences regarding religion and secularity through a genealogy of the present. Daniel Kehlmann’s Measuring the World, Ilija Trojanow’s Collector of Worlds, and Sibylle Lewitscharoff’s Blumenberg explore the gaps, fissures, and contradictions in the dichotomy of faith and reason which so haunts the present engagement with religion. They depict nineteenth- and twentieth-century protagonists who embrace a disenchanted outlook on the world, yet struggle with the specters of an older, enchanted cosmos. Through variants of the literary fantastic, and unreliable and polyperspectival narration, these books develop a view of the world that goes beyond facile dichotomies of faith and reason.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.