Rene Girard and Myth: An Introduction (Theorists of Myth) [Paperback]

Richard Golsan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0415937779 | ISBN-13: 978-0415937771 | Edition: 1

In this comprehensive introduction to the work of contemporary French critic Rene Girard, Richard Golsan focuses on Girard's theory of myth and its connections to his broader exploration of the origins of suffering and violence in Western culture. Golsan highlights two of Girard's primary concepts - mimetic desire and the scapegoat - and employs the concepts to illustrate the ways Girardian analysis of violence in biblical, classical, and folk myths has influenced recent work in theology, psychology, literary studies, and anthropology. The book concludes with an interview between Golsan and Girard, who offers his own analysis of the appropriation (and criticism) of his work by a politically and intellectually diverse company of scholars.

Editorial Reviews

Review

For the student of myth the book marks a promising prospect for the future direction of myth studies; for the Girardian, it signals the move from marginal to mainstream of a theory that not only rocks the closed hierarchy of academic disciplines but may open the way to an eventual, even wider, interinstitutional dialogue. -- The Bulletin of the Colloquium on Violence & Religion
...an excellent and much needed introduction not only to Girard's concept of myth but to Girard's thought in general. -- Cesareo Bandera, Zygon
A clear, well-balanced treatment of Girard's writings and thought. [Contains] the most complete bibliography pertaining to Girard's research that has yet appeared in print. -- James G. Williams, Religion
Golsan makes the foundations of Girardian theory as accessible as possible. -- Gary M. Ciuba, Kent State University Christianity and Literature
Golsan's lucid account makes it clear that his subject's main contribution to myth has been the insightthat myth is a narrative that suppresses the violence from which it originates

It is, indeed, an ambitious work that seeks to encompass various modern approaches to both myth and literature, most traditional types of myth, and most of the important developments in mythification in twentieth=century literature. -- Religious Studies Review
The crowning virtue of Richard J. Golsan's book Rene Girard and Myth is its consistent clarity; Golsan proceeds with remarkable economy through a complex body of thought. -- The Journal of Religion

About the Author

Richard Golsan is Professor of French at Texas A & M University. He is editor of The Papon Affair (Routledge 2000).

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (January 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415937779
• ISBN-13: 978-0415937771
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,122,759 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a marvelous and accesible presentation of Rene Girard's work, January 11, 2002

By 

gabriel andrade (Maracaibo, ZULIA Venezuela) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rene Girard and Myth: An Introduction (Theorists of Myth) (Paperback)

The most amazing thing about this book is not Rene Girard's powerfull discoveries, but Richard Golsan's extraordinary ability to present them in such a fashion. Whether or not you agree with Girard's basic ideas, you will be impressed by Golsan's synthesizing techniques. Very few stuff from mimetic theory is left out in this book. I read this book after reading Girard's major works, and still found it helpful. It begins with a revision of mimetic theory's basic concepts, and then it turns to Girard's theory on myth and the Bible. I must say, however, that the book does not do much justice to its title. Myth is almost given the same attention as desire, ritual and revelation. The final interview with Girard himself is helpful, but deals very little with myth. This book is not for myth students, altough it will offer an important perspective to consider. This book is for Girard's readers. If you have never read any of Girard's work, this is a good place to start. If you have read all of Girard's work, the book will still be useful because it might offer links between Girardian ideas that perhaps you never thought of before.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A man of one idea, and that idea enlightening., August 22, 2003

By 

David Marshall (Seattle area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rene Girard and Myth: An Introduction (Theorists of Myth) (Paperback)

Having read Scapegoat, and leafed through a couple other of Girard's works, I found this book a readable and concise introduction to Girard's ideas. (Or idea, or complex of insights.) Readability helps, because frankly, I don't find Girard always that easy to follow, though worth the attempt. Golsan offers a somewhat chronological overview of mimetic theory, leading from Girard's observations of the nature of desire in literature, (chapter 1) following the bouncing ball into myth (chapter 3) and the history of sacrifice and scapegoating that supposedly undergirds it. (chapter 2) Chapter four is entitled "The Bible: Antidote to Violence," and clearly lays out perhaps the most controversial aspect of Girardian theory. Appropriately, given the questions these sections are bound to raise, the following chapter discusses "Girard's Critics and the Girardians." (In a pretty even-handed way.) Having outlined his topic, Golsan is clever at this point to break up the flow of exposition and end the main body of his book with a long, eloquent interview of his subject. A 28 page appendix then offers Girard's analysis of a South African snake myth, no doubt as a sample of goods on offer.

I found each of the main chapters illuminating, though I did not read much of the appendix. Girard's theory of human violence does, I think, shed valuable light on human history, literature, mythology, and the Gospels. I have found myself reading events -- such as the attempt to scapegoat the Jewish state after 9-11 -- in its light. I don't think Girard's theory should be spread too thin -- the Gospels help us "demystify sacrificial violence," it is true, but they also help us to many other things, and both share and diverge from myth in other ways as well. But this book helped me get an overview of a fascinating and most important theory. I also discovered, in the interview, that Girard is capable of both humility and a sly wit that I found delightful. His way of dealing with feminist critics is a hoot -- he must have been quite a ladies' man.

author, Jesus and the Religions of Man

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Introduction, December 7, 2002

By 

Ra (Topeka, KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rene Girard and Myth: An Introduction (Theorists of Myth) (Paperback)

This is a good introduction to Girard but the Girard Reader may be better because it is Girard's own words and is organised to be an introduction. I agree with the other reviewer that this is not for myth students.