The New Spirit / Third Edition

Name: The New Spirit / Third Edition
Author: Havelock Ellis

By Havelock Ellis

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Essays, Letters & Speeches Philosophy & Ethics

About This Book

The author traces a recurrent new spirit in modern culture by examining several major creative figures in individual essays, treating their personal genius, aesthetic methods, and moral implications. He reads each as an embodiment of renewed individuality and sensory synthesis, linking literature, drama, and visual arts, and considers how their temperaments mediate religion and social life. Separate chapters set out close readings of Diderot, Heine, Whitman, Ibsen, and Tolstoi that mix biographical detail, critical interpretation, and comparative observation. The conclusion reflects on continuities with earlier traditions and argues that vigorous individuality continually renews perennial modes of feeling and belief.

About the Author

Havelock Ellis

Havelock Ellis (1859-1939) was a British physician, psychologist, and social reformer, best known for his pioneering work in the field of human sexuality. His extensive writings, particularly the multi-volume "Studies in the Psychology of Sex," explored various aspects of sexual behavior, identity, and societal norms, contributing significantly to the understanding of sexuality in the early 20th century. Ellis was also an advocate for social hygiene and sexual education, emphasizing the importance of understanding sexual health in relation to society. His essays, such as "Essays in War-Time: Further Studies in the Task of Social Hygiene," reflect his progressive views on love, virtue, and the complexities of human relationships.