René Girard
René Girard: A Pioneer of Mimetic Theory and Literary Analysis
Full Name and Common Aliases
René Girard's full name is René Nicolas François Thomas Girard. He is often referred to by his initials, R.N.F.T. Girard.
Birth and Death Dates
René Girard was born on December 25, 1923, in Avignon, France. He passed away on November 4, 2015, at the age of 91.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Girard held French nationality. His professional affiliations include anthropologist, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian.
Early Life and Background
René Girard was born into a family of modest means in Avignon, France. His early life was marked by the influences of his parents and grandparents, who instilled in him a love for literature and philosophy. During World War II, Girard's family fled to the south of France, where they survived under Nazi occupation. This experience would later shape his perspectives on human nature and violence.
Major Accomplishments
Girard is widely recognized as one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. His work has been instrumental in shaping various fields, including anthropology, literary theory, philosophy, and theology. Some of his notable achievements include:
Developing the concept of mimetic desire, which posits that human beings acquire desires through imitation and rivalry with others.
Introducing the idea of the scapegoat mechanism, where a community identifies an individual as responsible for their problems, leading to violence and exclusion.
Applying these concepts to literary analysis, revolutionizing the way scholars understand the relationship between literature, culture, and society.Notable Works or Actions
Girard's most influential works include:
Deceit, Desire, and the Novel (1961), which introduced his theory of mimetic desire and its application to literary analysis.
Violence and the Sacred (1972), where he explored the origins of violence in human societies and developed the concept of the scapegoat mechanism.
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World (1978), a collection of essays that examined the relationship between Christianity, anthropology, and literary theory.
Girard's work has been translated into numerous languages, making him an international figure in academia. He taught at several prestigious institutions, including Stanford University and the University of Maryland.
Impact and Legacy
René Girard's ideas have had a profound impact on various fields, from literature to theology. His concepts of mimetic desire and the scapegoat mechanism have influenced scholars such as Jean Baudrillard, Jacques Derrida, and Julia Kristeva. The Church has also engaged with his work, recognizing its relevance to understanding human nature and the consequences of violence.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
René Girard's quotes are frequently cited due to their depth and insight into human behavior. His ideas have become integral to discussions on topics such as:
The origins of violence and conflict
The role of imitation in shaping desire and culture
* The relationship between literature, society, and the individual
Girard's legacy extends beyond academia; his work has inspired artists, writers, and thinkers across disciplines. His commitment to exploring the complexities of human nature continues to inspire new generations of scholars and readers alike.
Quotes by René Girard
René Girard's insights on:
The sources of Islamism's strength include the fact that it is a response to the oppression of the Third World as a whole.
I think the most influential aspect of my work is to show that Judaism and Christianity exist in a continuity with archaic religions.
It doesn't take much insight to realize that wars have been getting worse every time - worse from the point of view of the civilian, more and more destructive, more and more total.
Salvation lies in imitating Christ, in other words, in imitating the 'withdrawal relationship' that links him with his Father... To listen to the Father's silence is to abandon oneself to his withdrawal, to conform to it.
When the Bible and the Gospels say that the victims should have been spared, they do not merely 'take pity' on them. They puncture the illusion of the unanimous victimization that foundational myths use as a crisis-solving and reordering device of human communities.
When we describe human relations, we usually make them better than they are: gentle, peaceful, and so forth, whereas in reality, they are often competitive.
All of my work has been an effort to show that Christianity is superior and not just another mythology.
I am fundamentally an anthropologist and a rationalist. What I say is that human societies are very different from what specialists call 'animal society' because the former have religion.
I believe that in intense conflict, far from becoming sharper, differences melt away.