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» SALVATION IN GNOSIS”?
CRITICISM OF SPIRITISM IN THE HUNGARIAN PERIODICAL
Nrucar [West]
Keyworps
Dezsö Kosztolänyi, Frigyes Karinthy, neo-gnostic movement, modern Hungarian
literature, spiritism
ABSTRACT
In my study I analyze the criticism of spiritualism by the authors of the Nyugat
[West], mainly the writings of Frigyes Karinthy. Like others, Karinthy was
sceptical not only of spiritualism, but also of the neo-gnostic movement, yet his
attitude remained ambivalent: on the one hand, he seems to want to expose
mystical superstitions, on the other hand, he is keenly interested in epistemological
and psychological problems.
In addition to the above-mentioned aspects, Iam talking about Gabor Halasz’s
1937 summary entitled Magyar szdzadvég [Hungarian End of the Century] and
Zsolt Harsdnyi’'s text about Jack London. Finally, I examine the articles in the
criticism coloumn of the Nyugat, indicating the references made to life reform
movements,
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