McLaughlin, C. (2015) Dark side of the sun: the Great Beast, monstrosity and solar narratives. Paper presented to: 4th Global Conference on Monstrous Geographies: Places and Spaces of Monstrosity, Lisbon, Portugal, 22-24 March 2015. (Unpublished)
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Abstract:
To Mega Therion, The Great Beast 666 and even Little Sunshine, Aleister Crowley, the renowned occultist from the turn of the twentieth century went by many names (indeed a great deal many more than those mentioned). Still to this day often hailed by some as ‘The Wickedest Man in the World’ he was among many things, a self-styled solar myth. All manner of deities have been accused of being 'moral monsters' and perhaps it is no surprise that making one's personal goal the embodiment of solar mythos, Crowley's life story itself is analogous of the problem of evil. The will to power has often been a philosophy courted by those attracted to the dark and chthonic aspects of the divine. However, as diametrically opposed to the chthonic as the sun appears to be, the sun is in truth dual, with its own dark side. It is the giver of life and light, but equally, can bring suffering, pain and even death. The sun is, by its very nature, amoral, so if every man and every woman truly is a star, perhaps the search for transcendence could make monsters of us all.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Aleister Crowley, solar myth, Great Beast, 666, Thelema, Satan
Subjects:
Creators:
McLaughlin, C.
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Centre > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing
Faculties > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing
Research Centres > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing
Faculties > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing
Research Centres > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
Date:
23 March 2015
Date Type:
Presentation
Event Title:
4th Global Conference on Monstrous Geographies: Places and Spaces of Monstrosity
Event Dates:
22-24 March 2015
Event Location:
Lisbon, Portugal
Event Type:
Conference
Language:
English
Status:
Unpublished
Refereed:
Yes
Related URLs:
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