In Fear and Trembling, Søren Kierkegaard's infamous and controversial
work made a lasting impression on both modern Protestant theology and
existentialist philosophers such as Sartre and Camus. This Penguin
Classics edition is translated from the Danish with an introduction by
Alistair Hannay.
Writing under the pseudonym of 'Johannes de silentio', Kierkegaard
expounds his personal view of religion through a discussion of the scene
in Genesis in which Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's
command. Believing Abraham's unreserved obedience to be the essential
leap of faith needed to make a full commitment to his religion,
Kierkegaard himself made great sacrifices in order to dedicate his life
entirely to his philosophy and to God. The conviction shown in this
religious polemic - that a man can have an exceptional mission in life -
informed all Kierkegaard's later writings. His 'teleological suspension
of the ethical' challenged the contemporary views of Hegel's universal
moral system, and was also hugely influential for both protestant
theology and the existentialist movement.
Alastair Hannay's introduction evaluates Kierkegaard's philosophy and
the ways in which it conflicted with more accepted contemporary views.
This edition also includes detailed notes to complement this
groundbreaking analysis of religion, and a new chronology.
Danish-born S[ren Kierkegaard (1813-55) wrote on a wide variety of
themes, including religion, psychology, and literature. He is remembered
for his philosophy, which pioneered the idea of the Absurd, and was
influential and in the development of 20th century existentialism. His
other works include The Sickness unto Death, Either/Or, and Papers
and Journals, all of which are available in Penguin Classics.
If you enjoyed Fear and Trembling, you might like Kierkegaard's The
Sickness unto Death, also available in Penguin Classics.
