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Either/Or

A Fragment of Life

Introduction by Alastair Hannay
Edited by Victor Eremita
Translated by Alastair Hannay
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Paperback
$22.00 US
5.09"W x 7.77"H x 1.09"D   | 16 oz | 32 per carton
On sale Dec 01, 1992 | 640 Pages | 978-0-14-044577-0
In Either/Or, using the voices of two characters—the aesthetic young man of part one, called simply "A," and the ethical Judge Vilhelm of the second section—Kierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence, contemplating subjects as diverse as Mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous Seducer's Diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a young, beautiful woman. A masterpiece of duality, Either/Or is a brilliant exploration of the conflict between the aesthetic and the ethical - both meditating ironically and seductively upon Epicurean pleasures, and eloquently expounding the noble virtues of a morally upstanding life.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) was a Danish philosopher and theologian.

A professor emeritus at Connecticut College, Bruce H. Kirmmse has published several books and numerous articles on Kierkegaard and was general editor of Kierkegaard’s Journals and Notebooks. His translation of Fear and Trembling appeared in 2021. He lives in Randolph, New Hampshire, and Copenhagen, Denmark.

A professor emeritus at Connecticut College, Bruce H. Kirmmse has published several books and numerous articles on Kierkegaard and was general editor of Kierkegaard’s Journals and Notebooks. His translation of Fear and Trembling appeared in 2021. He lives in Randolph, New Hampshire, and Copenhagen, Denmark. View titles by Soren Kierkegaard
Either/Or Translator's Note
Introduction
Part One: Containing the Papers of A
Preface
1. Diapsalmata
2. The Immediate Erotic Stages or the Musical Erotic
3. Ancient Tragedy's Reflection in the Modern
4. Shadowgraphs
5. The Unhappiest One
6. Crop Rotation
7. The Seducer's Diary
Part Two: Containing the Papers of B: Letters to A
1. The Aesthetic Validity of Marriage
2. Equilibrium between the Aesthetic and the Ethical in the Development of Personality
3. Last Word
4. The Edifying in the Thought that Against God We Are Always in the Wrong
Notes

About

In Either/Or, using the voices of two characters—the aesthetic young man of part one, called simply "A," and the ethical Judge Vilhelm of the second section—Kierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence, contemplating subjects as diverse as Mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous Seducer's Diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a young, beautiful woman. A masterpiece of duality, Either/Or is a brilliant exploration of the conflict between the aesthetic and the ethical - both meditating ironically and seductively upon Epicurean pleasures, and eloquently expounding the noble virtues of a morally upstanding life.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Author

Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) was a Danish philosopher and theologian.

A professor emeritus at Connecticut College, Bruce H. Kirmmse has published several books and numerous articles on Kierkegaard and was general editor of Kierkegaard’s Journals and Notebooks. His translation of Fear and Trembling appeared in 2021. He lives in Randolph, New Hampshire, and Copenhagen, Denmark.

A professor emeritus at Connecticut College, Bruce H. Kirmmse has published several books and numerous articles on Kierkegaard and was general editor of Kierkegaard’s Journals and Notebooks. His translation of Fear and Trembling appeared in 2021. He lives in Randolph, New Hampshire, and Copenhagen, Denmark. View titles by Soren Kierkegaard

Table of Contents

Either/Or Translator's Note
Introduction
Part One: Containing the Papers of A
Preface
1. Diapsalmata
2. The Immediate Erotic Stages or the Musical Erotic
3. Ancient Tragedy's Reflection in the Modern
4. Shadowgraphs
5. The Unhappiest One
6. Crop Rotation
7. The Seducer's Diary
Part Two: Containing the Papers of B: Letters to A
1. The Aesthetic Validity of Marriage
2. Equilibrium between the Aesthetic and the Ethical in the Development of Personality
3. Last Word
4. The Edifying in the Thought that Against God We Are Always in the Wrong
Notes