Encountering the Scarlet Goddess
The Eloquent Blood December 26, 2019 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780190065027.003.0001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | The chapter proposes that interpretations of the goddess Babalon, originating in Aleister Crowley's writings, form a "Babalon discourse" of written, verbal, textual, and embodied constructions of femininity and feminine sexuality, which the book aims to analyze from the fin-de-siècle to the present within the history of religions. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter sets the scene for the study by briefly introducing some of its core contents and defining the aim of the book: to analyze constructions of femininity and feminine sexuality in interpretations of the goddess Babalon from the fin-de-siècle until today. The chapter presents Babalon and her origins in the writings of the British occultist Aleister Crowley and establishes the focus of the study. The idea of a “Babalon discourse,” comprising written, verbal, textual, and embodied interpretations of the goddess, is introduced. The source material for the present study is related to broader categories within the history of religions, such as Western esotericism, occultism, and magic, which are briefly explained and demarcated. Sources and methodology are cursorily presented, and the chapter concludes with an outline of the study.