¿Es el romanticismo temprano «esoterismo occidental»? Una respuesta desde la obra de Novalis
Alejandro Martín Navarro
'Ilu. Revista de Ciencias de las Religiones October 5, 2026 DOI: 10.5209/ilur.104953 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
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| Key points | The paper examines whether early German Romanticism, particularly the texts of Novalis and the Jena Circle, can be considered part of the history of Western esotericism. It sets the Romantics against the characteristics of esotericism outlined by Faivre and other specialists, after reviewing how the movement has been placed in that field. |
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to clarify whether the movement known as ‘early German Romanticism’ can be considered part of the history of Western esotericism. To this end, the author will primarily consider the texts of Novalis, although he will also draw on other thinkers from the Jena Circle, in order to contrast the fundamental theses that Faivre and other leading specialists have considered characteristic of Western esotericism. In this sense, the work is structured in three parts: first, the major milestones in the study of Western esotericism and the inclusion of the Romantic movement in them are reviewed; second, the main characteristics outlined by Faivre are developed in comparison with the most important authors of German esotericism; finally, these characteristics are contrasted with the fundamental texts of Novalis and other Romantic authors.