Eros and magic were two intertwined and influential themes in the Renaissance period. The concept of Eros, or love, took on a new significance during this time, as the period saw the revival of classical Greek and Roman literature and philosophy. In classical mythology, Eros was the Greek god of love and desire. The Renaissance thinkers, inspired by these ancient ideas, explored the various aspects of romantic love, desire, and the pursuit of pleasure. Love became a central theme in literature, painting, and sculpture, with artists and writers portraying the beauty and intensity of human emotions. However, love was not just seen as an emotional experience but also as a powerful force that could transform individuals and society.
However, love was not just seen as an emotional experience but also as a powerful force that could transform individuals and society. Renaissance thinkers believed in the transformative power of love as a means of personal and spiritual growth. They saw love as a way to connect with the divine and seek higher truths.
Book Review: Eros and Magic in the Renaissance by Ioan P. Couliano
Today, we think of the imagination and desire as purely “subjective” things that have no bearing on reality. But as Eros and Magic in the Renaissance shows, this wasn’t always the case. In fact, in this regard, as in so many others, our modern view is a very new aberration, and a relatively ill-considered one at that.
Eros and Magic in the Renaissance is both a first-rate historical sketch of the transition from the flourishing of magic, animism, and nuanced views of the human psyche of the Renaissance to the flat, mechanistic view of the post-Renaissance world, and one of the best books on the philosophy of magic that I’ve ever read.
Couliano was both a magician and a scholar who worked extensively with the famed historian of religions Mircea Eliade, and his work is both academically rigorous and informed by perspectives that aren’t usually considered by academics, which brings a great freshness and vitality to his work.
The book traces Renaissance views of magic, chiefly as they relate to the powers of the imagination (vis phantastica) and desire (eros). The lives and works of Giordano Bruno, Pico della Mirandola, and Marsilio Ficino receive especially extensive treatment, with Bruno’s magnificent On Bonding in a General Sense being in many ways the cornerstone of Couliano’s analysis.
He then shows how the Protestant Reformation, far from being a liberalizing movement within Christianity, was actually an ultraconservative movement. Its fundamentalist desire to strip Christianity of the last vestiges of animism that had surreptitiously survived under the comparatively lax auspices of the medieval church cast considerable suspicion on any enchanted view of the world. The sciences of the period had been divided between the “natural magicians” like Paracelsus on the one hand, and, on the other, the proto-mechanists, those who held the view that the world was essentially a giant machine, devoid of will and spirit, with those latter qualities residing solely in the human brain and the dualistic, remote Christian spirit world.
The latter view, in a slightly modified form, is the underlying worldview and mythology of the dominant strains of modern science. But, counter to the triumphalist idea that the mechanistic worldview won out over the magical, animistic one because it was inherently better or more rational, Couliano shows how it won the debate by being more congruous with the puritanical sentiments of the period. The debate was not between reason and unreason, as the partisans of mechanism typically frame it; rather, it was between two different and incompatible ways of perceiving and experiencing the world, two different mythologies, two different sets of premises.
When the mechanists won the favor of the public, magic had to go underground, and survives today under different names, such as “psychology,” “marketing,” “advertising,” and “personal development.”
After reading Eros and Magic in the Renaissance, you’ll never see magic or science in the same way again.
He then shows how the Protestant Reformation, far from being a liberalizing movement within Christianity, was actually an ultraconservative movement. Its fundamentalist desire to strip Christianity of the last vestiges of animism that had surreptitiously survived under the comparatively lax auspices of the medieval church cast considerable suspicion on any enchanted view of the world. The sciences of the period had been divided between the “natural magicians” like Paracelsus on the one hand, and, on the other, the proto-mechanists, those who held the view that the world was essentially a giant machine, devoid of will and spirit, with those latter qualities residing solely in the human brain and the dualistic, remote Christian spirit world.
The concept of magic was also prominent during the Renaissance. It referred to the belief in supernatural forces and the ability to harness them for various purposes. Renaissance thinkers were fascinated by the occult, alchemy, astrology, and other forms of esoteric knowledge. They saw magic as a means to gain power, knowledge, and control over the natural and spiritual worlds. Magic was often associated with Eros in the Renaissance. Love spells, potions, and rituals were believed to have the ability to influence romantic relationships and enhance desire. The idea of love as a kind of magic transformed how people approached love and relationships in the Renaissance period. This intersection of Eros and magic can be seen in various works of art and literature from the time. Famous Renaissance works, such as William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus," explore the themes of love, desire, and the supernatural. Overall, the Renaissance was a period of great exploration and experimentation with the concepts of love and magic. It was a time when people sought to understand and harness the power of love and its transformative potential. These ideas continue to influence our understanding of love and desire to this day..
Reviews for "The Dark Side of Love: Witchcraft, Seduction, and Magic in Renaissance Art."
1. John - 2/5
I found "Eros and Magic in the Renaissance" to be a difficult and dense read. The author's writing style was convoluted and full of jargon, making it hard to understand the central arguments being made. Additionally, I felt that the book lacked a clear structure, jumping from topic to topic without providing a cohesive framework. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. Sarah - 1/5
"Eros and Magic in the Renaissance" was one of the most tedious books I have ever attempted to read. The author's writing was overly academic and inaccessible, making it nearly impossible for a layperson to understand. The book was filled with countless references to obscure texts and philosophers, which only served to alienate the reader further. I can appreciate the depth of research that went into this book, but it completely failed to engage me as a reader.
3. Mike - 2/5
While "Eros and Magic in the Renaissance" promised to explore interesting themes and concepts, I found the execution to be lacking. The author spent an excessive amount of time delving into tangents and providing unnecessary background information, which only served to distract from the main ideas. Furthermore, the writing style was excessively verbose and overly complex, making it difficult to follow the main arguments. Overall, I was left feeling frustrated and unfulfilled after reading this book.