Walter Benjamin

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the history of Walter Benjamin. The paper describes Benjamin as one of the most creative of modern Marxist theorists who is also renowned for his philosophical and sociological insights. It describes his work as being influential in various disciplines and more recently being the subject of debate in the postmodern and post - structuralist theoretical arena. Specifically, the paper discusses Benjamin's references to the Messiah in his works.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Historical Significance Of Messianic Thought
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In his work On the Concept of History, he states that "The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the "emergency situation in which we live is the rule." (Benjamin, 1940) This statement clearly articulates a view which sees history, the "emergency situation", as the norm of all historic struggles against oppression. It is the rule or the norm and this implies that, from the point of view of material progress, there is no utopia at the end of the struggle but rather more of the same."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Benjamin W. ( 1940) On the Concept of History. Retrieved 13 march, 2006, from http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/benjamin/1940/history.htm
• Caygill, H. (1998). Walter Benjamin: The Colour of Experience. London: Routledge. Retrieved March 19, 2006, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108885595
• Cooke J. Brushing Thinking Against the Grain: Walter Benjamin and the Potentialities of Art and History http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:Gl0T6nCLnUAJ:www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/SPT/journal/archive/pdf/issue8-2.pdf+Walter+Benjamin+messiah&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=28&lr=lang_en&client=firefox-a
• Gur-Ze'ev I. Walter Benjamin and Max Horkheimer: From utopia to redemption. Retrieved 14 march, 2006, from http://construct.haifa.ac.il/~ilangz/Utopia4.html
• Lowy, M. (1995, February). Walter Benjamin and Marxism. Monthly Review, 46, 11+. Retrieved March 19, 2006, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002221317

More papers on Walter Benjamin:

• Analytical Essay # 4587 : "Art, Aura, and the Work of Walter Benjamin"
• Article Review # 95790 : "Walter Benjamin"
• Analytical Essay # 41523 : "Walter Benjamin and Tragedy"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: