Shapes of Time: History and Eschatology in the Modernist Imagination

Shapes of Time examines how early 20th-century German thinkers spatialized time and history, using spatial imagery and metaphors to separate the end of history from a narrative framework and map the liminal relation between history and eschatology. It draws on theories and practices from constructivism, non-Euclidean geometry, photography, and urban architecture to present original connections between modernism, theology, and mathematics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 354 pages
Publication date: 02 January 2024
Publisher: Cornell University Press

Shapes of Time delves into the fascinating exploration of how concepts of time and history were spatialized in the early twentieth-century German intellectual landscape. Michael McGillen, in his insightful study, uncovers the endeavors of German modernism to conceive of alternative temporal shapes that transcend the confines of historicism and nineteenth-century historical philosophies. By meticulously analyzing canonical works of German modernism, including the profound writings of Karl Barth, Franz Rosenzweig, Siegfried Kracauer, and Robert Musil, McGillen identifies the intricate ways in which spatial imagery and metaphors were employed to delineate the boundaries between secular and theological discourses.

Through this comprehensive analysis, he reveals how spatial metaphors were used to differentiate the end of history from a narrative framework, while also charting the intricate relationship between history and eschatology. By drawing upon diverse theories and practices, such as constructivism, non-Euclidean geometry, photography, and urban architecture, Shapes of Time presents original and thought-provoking connections between modernism, theology, and mathematics.

McGillen argues that these interconnections contribute to a deeper understanding not only of modernist literature but also of broader theoretical concerns within modern cultural and intellectual history. Shapes of Time is a groundbreaking work that sheds light on the spatialized dimensions of time and history, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities of German modernism and its profound impact on the world of ideas.

Weight: 544g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501772825