Currents of Early Modern Near-Death Discourse

Abstract

This chapter presents how discourse on experiences near death unfolded from 1580 to 1900 in the three religious metacultures (and occasionally in Naturalist metaculture). It takes its departure with Michel de Montaigne’s experience near death. It is argued that this testimony is supposedly the first report in a modern, autobiographical setting. It moves on to early modern Christian accounts, for example, Anna Atherton’s “Miraculous Proof of the Resurrection” (1680) or Johann Schwerdtfeger’s report (1734). Outlining the impact of Emanuel Swedenborg’s visions, Occultism, and mystical drug experiences in the 19th century, it concludes with the configuration of the genre of near-death report collections (Franz Splittgerber, Albert Heim), and the discussion of such experiences by French psychologists (1890–1900). It is shown how in the 19th century the topic of the “panoramic life review” emerged and how authors saw dying—based on experiences survivors of accidents—increasingly as peaceful.