Alchemy and Finnegans WakeIn the first full-length study of Joyce's direct and indirect use of alchemical allusions, DiBernard shows how an awareness of the alchemical metaphor guides a reader through the richness of Finnegans Wake. For example, the alchemical transmutation of lead into gold parallels the transmutation of the dross and commotion of ordinary life into a work of art. This study shows how the themes of Joyce's novel--death and rebirth, the conflict between physical and spiritual, incest, colors, forgery, and the reconciliation of opposites--relate to the alchemical process. The author then presents a theory, based on alchemical metaphor, on the much debated subject of Joyce's view of the artist. |
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A. E. Waite alchemical allusions alchemical process alchemical references alchemical texts alchemists alum Archdruid artist aspects base metals Basilius Basilius Valentinus Bollingen Series XX C. G. Jung Chemical Light color cycle death and rebirth Dublin dyeing earth eggs elixir Encyclopedia Britannica excrement Faber Finnegans Wake forgery four elements Golden Hart HCE and ALP HCE's Hermes Hermetic Art Holmyard important incest interpretations James Joyce Joyce's lapis letter literary London MacArthur macrocosm mercury metals into gold metaphor mystical nature Ordinall Paracelsus passage Patrick Philosopher's Stone philosophical Philosophorum physical Pitchcap Princeton University Press Psychology and Alchemy R. F. C. Hull rainbow represents resurrection Rosa Alchemica Rosarium Philosophorum salt sexual Shaun Shem Shem's spiritual Splendor Solis sublimation substance sulphur symbol theme theory things Thoth tincture tion trans transformation transmutation treatise Trismosin Tristan and Iseult unconscious union of opposites unity Wake Newslitter word writing