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Presented here in a new translation, with a historical introduction by the translators, Fear and Trembling and Repetition are the most poetic and personal of Søren Kierkegaard's pseudonymous writings. Published in 1843 and written under the names Johannes de Silentio and Constantine Constantius, respectively, the books demonstrate Kierkegaard's transmutation of the personal into the lyrically religious. Each work uses as a point of departure Kierkegaard's breaking of his engagement to Regine Olsen--his sacrifice of "that single individual." From this beginning Fear and Trembling becomes an exploration of the faith that transcends the ethical, as in Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's command. This faith, which persists in the face of the absurd, is rewarded finally by the return of all that the faithful one is willing to sacrifice. Repetition discusses the most profound implications of unity of personhood and of identity within change, beginning with the ironic story of a young poet who cannot fulfill the ethical claims of his engagement because of the possible consequences of his marriage. The poet finally despairs of repetition (renewal) in the ethical sphere, as does his advisor and friend Constantius in the aesthetic sphere. The book ends with Constantius' intimation of a third kind of repetition--in the religious sphere.… (more)
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Kierkegaard published Fear and Trembling in 1843 under the pen name of Johannes de Silentio, or John the Silent. He attempts to gain an understanding of the anxiety of faith through the biblical story of Abraham,
Kierkegaard explores three problems concerned with this circumstance:
1. The choice to kill Isaac is an ethical decision. Kierkegaard asks, "Is there a teleological suspension of the ethical?" Does Abraham's obedience to God's command transcend ethics? Does a command from God that involves murder override one's ethical principles, which may derive from God's will? Kierkegaard concludes, against Hegel's ethical philosophy which he considers through this exploration, that the ethical must be suspended in favor of the universal. Only in this way can one become a true knight of faith.
2. The murder in this case is a religious sacrifice. In this way, Kierkegaard views the choice as a matter of spirituality. He asks, "Is there an absolute duty to God?" Must one obey God's will no matter what the circumstance or cost? Does the universal always transcend the individual? Can the individual ever become the universal? Kierkegaard explores the paradox inherent in this conflict: The act of resignation is not a true matter of faith itself, but one of acquiring 'eternal consciousness', which is love for God, love for the universal. This act of resignation does not require faith, but to transcend the eternal consciousness one must have faith. If one does not experience the fear and trembling that is necessarily involved in a true leap of faith, one can never become a true knight of faith.
3. Abraham concealed his intentions from everyone, including his wife, who is the mother of Isaac, and his son, who is to be sacrificed. Can this be ethically justified? Kierkegaard concludes that Abraham was both wrong and right; wrong according to ethics, which is a finite system of conduct, but right according to the Absolute, which is a matter of infinity, of transcendence of possibility and spiritual development. God stops Abraham from going through with the sacrifice just as he raises the knife, because at that point intention carried more weight than result. God knew that Abraham had faith, and that was the meaning behind the command. God wanted to see if Abraham had the faith to go through with such a horrible action commanded of him by the universal. When Abraham raises the knife in the intention of performing the sacrifice, he has proven his faith. There is no need to go through with it at that point, because Abraham's faith had already been confirmed.