The occult in Rabelais: three supplementary aspects of the Rabelaisian allegory
type: CreativeWork
description: The Occult in Rabelais concerns itself with all references, explicit or implied, to the systems of contemporary occultism in Rabelais’s work. Although a division may be made between those allusions which seem merely to reflect humanist preoccupation with the occult and those which are functional in terms of the proposed allegory, it is argued that all occult references, by supposing the existence of a cosmic dualist (Above and Below), and by supposing the possibility of mutual interaction, support the theme of human perfectibility called the Itinerarium Mentis in Deum. Early references to the occult may therefore be of importance in Pantagruel and Gargantua, not only those from Le Tiers Livre onward, where the theme of perfectibility of will (treated by Rabelais, it is proposed, under the guise of the marriage question) has had time to evolve in the imagination of the author. The thesis covers all occultism which exists in Rabelais under the broad headings: 1 Alchemy, Tarot and the Mysteries 2 Divination 3 Numerology Renaissance and classical sources are listed, the nature and limitations (if any) of the occult systems are treated, examples of their use by Rabelais are noted, and their allegorical implications are discussed. The study suggests the following major conclusions: 1 Alchemy, other similar traditions, divination and numerology may be considered as supplementary aspects of Rabelaisian allegory. 2 An important allegory of the T.L., Q.L. and C.L. involves the Itinerarium mentis in Deum, of which Panurge is the central character. 3 Spiritual alchemy, tarot and the Mysteries provide an occult background to the idea of Itinerarium since they are concerned with human perfectibility. 4 Chapters 33 - 47 of Le Cinquiesme Livre, while full of occult allusions, are thematically necessary to the completion of Rabelais’s work in terms of the allegory proposed. Other conclusions are reached: 1 The weight and role of each occult tradition may change from one book to anot…
abstract: The Occult in Rabelais concerns itself with all references, explicit or implied, to the systems of contemporary occultism in Rabelais’s work. Although a division may be made between those allusions which seem merely to reflect humanist preoccupation with the occult and those which are functional in terms of the proposed allegory, it is argued that all occult references, by supposing the existence of a cosmic dualist (Above and Below), and by supposing the possibility of mutual interaction, support the theme of human perfectibility called the Itinerarium Mentis in Deum. Early references to the occult may therefore be of importance in Pantagruel and Gargantua, not only those from Le Tiers Livre onward, where the theme of perfectibility of will (treated by Rabelais, it is proposed, under the guise of the marriage question) has had time to evolve in the imagination of the author. The thesis covers all occultism which exists in Rabelais under the broad headings: 1 Alchemy, Tarot and the Mysteries 2 Divination 3 Numerology Renaissance and classical sources are listed, the nature and limitations (if any) of the occult systems are treated, examples of their use by Rabelais are noted, and their allegorical implications are discussed. The study suggests the following major conclusions: 1 Alchemy, other similar traditions, divination and numerology may be considered as supplementary aspects of Rabelaisian allegory. 2 An important allegory of the T.L., Q.L. and C.L. involves the Itinerarium mentis in Deum, of which Panurge is the central character. 3 Spiritual alchemy, tarot and the Mysteries provide an occult background to the idea of Itinerarium since they are concerned with human perfectibility. 4 Chapters 33 - 47 of Le Cinquiesme Livre, while full of occult allusions, are thematically necessary to the completion of Rabelais’s work in terms of the allegory proposed. Other conclusions are reached: 1 The weight and role of each occult tradition may change from one book to anot…
author: Horgan, James Barrie
license: https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstreams/3a837fcc-baf2-4c71-ba99-30bc838a2395/download
date published: 1979
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:57:44Z
provider: University Waikato
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Waikato