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Aleister Crowley, "Hymn to Lucifer" (undated) and The Book of Thoth (1944)

Nilsson, Johan LU (2023) p.153-173
Abstract
This chapter studies Aleister Crowley’s undated poem “Hymn to Lucifer” and an extract from The Book of Thoth (1944), which deals with the tarot card The Devil. “Hymn to Lucifer” alludes to the state of humankind in the Garden of Eden before the fall, a condition that is described in negative terms and portrayed as restrictive and stagnant. Even if it happens at the price of death, the Devil represents the possibility for humankind to leave the stagnation of Eden. The view of the Devil, especially in the guise of Lucifer, as the revealer of knowledge has been regarded as one of the classical elements of Romantic Satanism. Meanwhile, The Book of Thoth is a manual designed to give an account of Crowley’s interpretation of the significance of... (More)
This chapter studies Aleister Crowley’s undated poem “Hymn to Lucifer” and an extract from The Book of Thoth (1944), which deals with the tarot card The Devil. “Hymn to Lucifer” alludes to the state of humankind in the Garden of Eden before the fall, a condition that is described in negative terms and portrayed as restrictive and stagnant. Even if it happens at the price of death, the Devil represents the possibility for humankind to leave the stagnation of Eden. The view of the Devil, especially in the guise of Lucifer, as the revealer of knowledge has been regarded as one of the classical elements of Romantic Satanism. Meanwhile, The Book of Thoth is a manual designed to give an account of Crowley’s interpretation of the significance of the tarot deck as well as to instruct its readers in a divinatory use of the cards. In The Book of Thoth, the Devil card is said to represent “creative energy in its most material form” and the connection that exists between the card, the Devil as a spiritual entity or principle and the creative force is possibly the main theme of the text. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Aleister Crowley, Hymn to Lucifer, The Book of Thoth, tarot card, Devil, Lucifer, Romantic Satanism, tarot deck
host publication
Satanism : A Reader - A Reader
editor
Faxneld, Per and Nilsson, Johan
pages
21 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
ISBN
9780199913558
9780199913534
9780197650394
9780197650400
DOI
10.1093/oso/9780199913534.003.0010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7e566a6e-bd3f-40ee-9a90-cc7b45e2bd3b
date added to LUP
2023-11-22 12:42:47
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:44:15
@inbook{7e566a6e-bd3f-40ee-9a90-cc7b45e2bd3b,
  abstract     = {{This chapter studies Aleister Crowley’s undated poem “Hymn to Lucifer” and an extract from The Book of Thoth (1944), which deals with the tarot card The Devil. “Hymn to Lucifer” alludes to the state of humankind in the Garden of Eden before the fall, a condition that is described in negative terms and portrayed as restrictive and stagnant. Even if it happens at the price of death, the Devil represents the possibility for humankind to leave the stagnation of Eden. The view of the Devil, especially in the guise of Lucifer, as the revealer of knowledge has been regarded as one of the classical elements of Romantic Satanism. Meanwhile, The Book of Thoth is a manual designed to give an account of Crowley’s interpretation of the significance of the tarot deck as well as to instruct its readers in a divinatory use of the cards. In The Book of Thoth, the Devil card is said to represent “creative energy in its most material form” and the connection that exists between the card, the Devil as a spiritual entity or principle and the creative force is possibly the main theme of the text.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Johan}},
  booktitle    = {{Satanism : A Reader}},
  editor       = {{Faxneld, Per and Nilsson, Johan}},
  isbn         = {{9780199913558}},
  keywords     = {{Aleister Crowley; Hymn to Lucifer; The Book of Thoth; tarot card; Devil; Lucifer; Romantic Satanism; tarot deck}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{153--173}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  title        = {{Aleister Crowley, "Hymn to Lucifer" (undated) and <i>The Book of Thoth</i> (1944)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199913534.003.0010}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/oso/9780199913534.003.0010}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}