Epiphanies, Metaphors, and Liminality: Religion and Mountains in the Seventeenth Century English Mind

This thesis studies the relationship between religion and mountains as represented in seventeenth century English thought. In particular, it seeks to discover trends of continuity in connections between divinity and mountains. It demonstrates that at least two distinct trends of continuity exist. First, between mountains and divinity as represented by metaphor and allegory, both represented in a variety of mediums, from poetry to letters and books. And secondly, it demonstrates continuity with regards to mountain experiences, which often evoke religion, either as a religious experience, experiences that use religious language, or experiences to religious places. In charting these continuities, it then seeks to argue that mountains can be seen as liminal spaces that mediate between various features of culture, such as civilization and barbarity, humans and nature, and the divine and the human. This feature of liminality has implications for the relationship between humans and mountains more broadly