Fear and Trembling: Dialectical Lyric by Johannes De Silentio

Soren Kierkegaard

Language: English

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: Aug 29, 1985

Description:

Kierkegaard's infamous and hugely influential philosophical work on faith, choice and sacrifice

In Fear and Trembling Kierkegaard, writing under the pseudonym Johannes de silentio, expounds his personal view of religion through the scene in Genesis in which Abraham prepares to kill his son at God's command. Kierkegaard believed Abraham's unreserved obedience to be the essential leap of faith needed to make a full commitment to his religion. The conviction shown in this polemic - that an individual can have an exceptional mission in life - informed all his later writings, and was also hugely influential for both Protestant theology and the existentialist movement.

Translated with an Introduction by Alastair Hannay

About the Author

S¢ren Kierkegaard (1813-55) was born in Denmark and wrote on a wide variety of themes, including religion, psychology, and literature. He is remembered for his philosophy, which was influential in the development of 20th century existentialism.

Alastair Hannay is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oslo. He is co-editor of the Cambridge Companion to Kierkegaard and has translated Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling , The Sickness unto Death , Either/Or , and Papers and Journals for Penguin Classics --This text refers to the paperback edition.