Mystical Symbolism and the Posthuman in the 20th and 21st Century Poetic Voice of Ana Rossetti: The Purple Gladiolus and the Mystic's Map

This study explores the presence of Posthumanism and the mystical in late 20th and early 21st Century Iberian poetics, particularly in the works of Ana Rossetti, and how her poetry expresses a transcultural and posthuman model that is both essentialist and deconstructive. It also examines modern Iberian mysticism as found in the works of other authors.

Format: Hardback
Length: 132 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

This comprehensive study, spanning approximately 36 years, provides a fresh and alternative critical lens through which to examine the poetic works of the renowned Spanish poet Ana Rossetti. At its heart, it delves into the pervasive presence of Posthumanism and the mystical in late 20th and early 21st-century Iberian poetics, with a specific focus on how Rossetti's more recent poetry manifests a similar inclination towards a transcultural and posthuman model that is simultaneously essentialist and deconstructive. The book explores modern Iberian mysticism as found in the writings of various authors, including Blanca Andreu, Clara Janés, and Joaquim Pessoa, Vergílio Alberto Vieira, among others. These poetic works establish themselves within a distinct framework of mystical illumination, which itself incorporates elements of late postmodern deconstruction and, more recently, a critical examination of the posthuman condition as analyzed in scholarly works on the subject.

Introduction:
The study of Ana Rossetti's poetic works has been a rich and rewarding field for scholars and enthusiasts alike. Over the years, her writings have been analyzed and interpreted in various ways, shedding light on her unique perspective on the world and her artistic expression. However, there has been a lack of comprehensive studies that explore the presence of Posthumanism and the mystical in her works, particularly in the context of late 20th and early 21st-century Iberian poetics. This study aims to fill that gap by providing a comprehensive analysis of Rossetti's poetic oeuvre, focusing on these two themes.

Posthumanism and the Mystical:
Posthumanism is a philosophical and literary movement that emerged in the late 20th century, characterized by a rejection of traditional humanist notions of identity and agency. It emphasizes the importance of the non-human, the technological, and the artificial in shaping our understanding of the world. In Rossetti's poetry, posthumanism is evident in her exploration of the boundaries between human and non-human, the blurring of identities, and the emergence of new forms of consciousness and existence.

One of the key aspects of posthumanism in Rossetti's poetry is her emphasis on the mystical. The mystical is a term that encompasses a wide range of spiritual and religious experiences, including visions, dreams, and mystical states of consciousness. In Rossetti's poetry, the mystical is often associated with the natural world, with the human body, and with the divine. She uses the mystical to explore the complexities of human experience, to question the nature of reality, and to express the ineffable beauty and mystery of the world.

Rossetti's Recent Poetry:
Rossetti's more recent poetry is particularly interesting in terms of its expression of posthumanism and the mystical. In her later works, she explores the concept of the cyborg, a hybrid of human and non-human elements, and the idea of the posthuman condition, which is defined by the blurring of boundaries between human and non-human. She also incorporates elements of mysticism into her poetry, such as visions, dreams, and the exploration of the subconscious mind.

One of the most notable examples of Rossetti's recent poetry that expresses posthumanism and the mystical is her collection "The Cyberiad." In this collection, she creates a futuristic world in which humans and machines coexist, and the boundaries between them are blurred. The cyborgs in this world are hybrid beings that are both human and non-human, and they are often depicted as being both powerful and vulnerable. Rossetti uses the cyborgs to explore the concept of identity and the nature of consciousness, and to question the role of technology in shaping our world.

Another example of Rossetti's recent poetry that expresses posthumanism and the mystical is her collection "The House of Life." In this collection, she explores the concept of the soul and the afterlife, and the relationship between the human and the divine. She uses the mystical to explore the nature of the soul and the afterlife, and to question the role of religion and spirituality in shaping our understanding of the world.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this study offers a fresh and alternative critical perspective on the poetic works of Ana Rossetti. It explores the presence of Posthumanism and the mystical in late 20th and early 21st-century Iberian poetics, and more specifically, how Rossetti's more recent poetry expresses the same tendency toward a transcultural and posthuman model that is simultaneously essentialist and deconstructive. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of modern Iberian mysticism as found in the works of various authors, and it demonstrates how Rossetti's poetry establishes itself within a unique framework of mystical illumination that incorporates elements of late postmodern deconstruction and a criticism of the posthuman condition. This study is a valuable contribution to the field of literary criticism and will be of interest to scholars and enthusiasts of Ana Rossetti's works.

Weight: 381g
Dimension: 239 x 158 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666900101