The Cosmos and the Cage: Masculinity and Mysticism in Blackwood's ‘The Eccentricity of Simon Parnacute’ (1910)
Milly Kate Harrison
Gothic Studies November 1, 2025 DOI: 10.3366/gothic.2025.0242 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Key points | Argues that Algernon Blackwood's early story 'The Eccentricity of Simon Parnacute' uses speculative fiction to depict emotional repression and freedom, offering a critique of hegemonic masculinity in Edwardian England that reflects Blackwood's belief in the enduring importance of a connection to the natural world. |
Abstract
Algernon Blackwood's fascination with the concept of the personal ‘cage’ and the potential for liberation is central to both his worldview and literary legacy. This article explores these themes in his early, often-overlooked story, ‘The Eccentricity of Simon Parnacute ’, examining its depiction of emotional repression and freedom, particularly within the context of early twentieth-century hegemonic masculinity. Blackwood employs speculative fiction to explore supernatural phenomena but also to examine the speculative possibilities of human experience and societal transformation, offering a nuanced critique of hegemonic masculinity in Edwardian England that underscores his own personal beliefs in the enduring importance of maintaining a connection to the natural world.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |