Either/Or, Part II

By Søren Kierkegaard and Walter (Translator) Kierkegaard, Soren; Lowrie

Book Overview

S ren Kierkegaard, the nineteenth-century Danish philosopher rediscovered in the twentieth century, is a major influence in contemporary philosophy, religion, and literature. He regarded Either/Or as the beginning of his authorship, although he had published two earlier works on Hans Christian Andersen and irony. The pseudonymous volumes of Either/Or are the writings of a young man (I) and of Judge William (II). The ironical young man's papers include a collection of sardonic aphorisms; essays on Mozart, modern drama, and boredom; and "The Seducer's Diary." The seeming miscellany is a reflective presentation of aspects of the "either," the esthetic view of life.

Part II is an older friend's "or," the ethical life of integrated, authentic personhood, elaborated in discussions of personal becoming and of marriage. The resolution of the "either/or" is left to the reader, for there is no Part III until the appearance of Stages on Life's Way. The poetic-reflective creations of a master stylist and imaginative impersonator, the two men write in distinctive ways appropriate to their respective positions.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691020426
• ISBN13: 9780691020426
• Release Date: January 1987
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 536 Pages
• Weight: 1.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Great translation, in-depth supplement

This translation of one of Soren Kierkegaard's most famous work is impressive in its ability to communicate not only the denotative arguments, but many of the literary and connotative thoughts behind them. I've only other read one other translation, but this one, when compared to it, is much more adept at transforming the work into an English-language masterpiece. As well, the supplementary material is quite thorough and useful for further understanding of the work. My only complaint is that there is occasionally a bit of overcomplication in the notation-- sometimes, one uses a footnote only to see a page reference to the supplementary material. Upon finding the page with the supplementary material, one reads that they must find another page with a more thorough explanation. These instances, however, are very rare, and by no means take away from the excellent quality of the work.

I love Kierkegaard!

I love Either/Or. I really relate to a lot of the philosophy. I've heard the first one is often considered more interesing, but I related more to the second. Probably too long and dense for people who either aren't serious about philosophy, or can't handle reading really long books.

What is the effect of the operationism?

The most famous part of this book is "The Diary of a Seducer", which has rarely been discussed. It is, however, the beginning and motif of his thinkings. If the relationship between people, that is, the love is the target of the operation, what has happened? His answer is the despair and anxiety. The rest important papers are the consideration of these results.