Mircea Eliade's The Myth of the Eternal Return, translated by Willard R. Trask, is praised for its deep analysis of religious symbolism and historical recurrence, offering insightful perspectives on ancient traditions. However, some readers find the language dense and the argumentation occasionally disjointed, potentially challenging for casual readers.

Readers who enjoy exploring the philosophical aspects of history and religion will be captivated by The Myth of the Eternal Return by Mircea Eliade and translated by Willard R. Trask. This book appeals to those who appreciated The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell and Time and the Other by Johannes Fabian.

In The Myth of the Eternal Return, Mircea Eliade examines the religious beliefs of archaic societies, contrasting their cyclical understanding of time and sacred rituals, which reflect a recurring divine creation, with the linear, historical perspective of modernity. Eliade explores how these societies' ontological views shaped their rituals and coping mechanisms for suffering. Topics of suffering and despair are discussed.

Informative / Contemplative / Mysterious / Melancholic / Nostalgic

- The Myth of the Eternal Return by Mircea Eliade was originally published in French in 1949 under the title Le Mythe de l'éternel retour and was later translated into English by Willard R. Trask in 1954.
- Mircea Eliade, the author of The Myth of the Eternal Return, was a Romanian historian of religion and fiction writer who taught at the University of Chicago for over three decades.
- The book explores philosophical and religious ideas about time, focusing on the cyclical nature of history and its significance in various cultures.

Mircea Eliade

Transl. Willard R. Trask

Adult

Book

Nonfiction

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Foreword-Chapter 1, Section 3

The Myth of the Eternal Return Foreword-Chapter 1, Section 3 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 1, Sections 4-7

The Myth of the Eternal Return Chapter 1, Sections 4-7 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 2, Section 1

The Myth of the Eternal Return Chapter 2, Section 1 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 2, Sections 2-3

The Myth of the Eternal Return Chapter 2, Sections 2-3 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 3, Sections 1-2

The Myth of the Eternal Return Chapter 3, Sections 1-2 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 3, Sections 3-4

The Myth of the Eternal Return Chapter 3, Sections 3-4 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 4 The Myth of the Eternal Return Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

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