The Riddle of the Sphinx, a new collection of essays, illuminates an aspect of Owen Barfield rarely before seen. He writes as directly as he ever did about the nature of humanity's spiritual need in our time. Our capacities of imagination and inspiration are shown in their true dimensions.

At the same time, scholarly and wise, Barfield enables readers to appreciate these insights. He writes about how poetry begins, about language as an archive of consciousness, and about philosophy as a path to understanding how different ways of perceiving are possible.

Barfield guides us on an episodic trip through history - from ancient Israel and Greece to early Christian times, onward to medieval England, and the eras of the Renaissance and Romanticism, right up to the present day. He does not just demonstrate that there has been an evolution of consciousness; he reveals how thrilling it is when recognized.

The Sphinx's deepest riddle, Barfield knew, was: What, after all, is the human being? The evolution of consciousness, Barfield's great subject, has given many answers to that question. In the essays collected here, Owen Barfield challenges us, beyond the ready-made responses given to us, to answer the question anew, for ourselves.

Owen Barfield is one of the twentieth century's most significant writers and philosophers. Widely renowned for his insight and literary artistry, Barfield addresses key concerns of the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and arts in our time. His fellow Inklings, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, are among the leading figures influenced by Barfield's work.

Barfield draws on sources from mythology, philosophy, history, literature, theology, and science to chronicle the evolution of human thought from Moses and Aristotle to Galileo and Keats.

Saving the Appearances is about the world as we see it and the world as it is; it is about God, human nature, and consciousness. The best known of numerous books by the British sage whom C.S. Lewis called the wisest and best of my unofficial teachers, it draws on sources from mythology, philosophy, history, literature, theology, and science to chronicle the evolution of human thought from Moses and Aristotle to Galileo and Keats. Barfield urges his readers to do away with the assumption that the relationship between people and their environment is static. He dares us to end our exploitation of the natural world and to acknowledge, even revel in, our participation in the diurnal creative process.

First published in 1928, 'Poetic Diction: A study in Meaning' presents not merely a theory of poetic diction but also a theory of poetry and a theory of knowledge. Language has preserved for us the inner, living history of man's soul. It reveals the evolution of consciousness. Owen Barfield Owen Barfield is one of the twentieth century's most significant writers and philosophers. A member of the Inklings, Barfield's ideas and literary artistry influenced fellow-Inklings C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and won praise from many of the foremost literary figures of the century. Praise for Owen Barfield: A prolific and interesting thinker - Times Literary Supplement The wisest and best of my unofficial teachers.- C.S.Lewis A masterpiece ... of prophetic value - T.S.Eliot possibly the clearest and most searching thinker of the present time - Howard Nemerov

In our language alone, not to speak of its many companions, the past history of humanity is spread out in an imperishable map, just as the history of the mineral earth lies embedded in the layers of its outer crust.... Language has preserved for us the inner, living history of our soul. It reveals the evolution of consciousness --Owen Barfield

For more than three-quarters of a century, Owen Barfield produced original and thought-provoking works that made him a legendary cult figure. History in English Words is his classic excursion into history through the English language.

This popular book provides a brief, brilliant history of the various peoples who have spoken the Indo-European tongues. It is illustrated throughout by current English words whose derivation from other languages, and whose history in use and changes of meaning, record and unlock the larger history.

'The Rediscovery of Meaning' is a collection of essays about language, imagination, the human being, society and God. In each, Barfield points to solutions to the modern-day experience of meaningless fragmentation. This book includes some of Barfield's most brilliant, most readable, and most profound pieces. Among them are 'Poetic Diction and Legal Fiction', 'The Harp and the Camera', 'Matter, Imagination and Spirit', and 'Philology and the Incarnation'.

'What Coleridge Thought' presents Coleridge's ideas in a coherent form, carefully organized to demonstrate precisely what his thoughts were and how his writings develop them. Coleridge's objective was to stimulate his readers into thinking for themselves - to excite the germinal power that craves no knowledge but what it can take up into itself (S. T. Coleridge). Barfield guides the reader towards this. Here will be found the heart of Coleridge's thinking.

Worlds Apart: A Dialogue of the 60's is a fictional conversation among eight people: a physicist, a biologist, a theologian, a philosopher, a psychiatrist, a teacher, a rocket scientist, and a lawyer. Energetic, wide-ranging and deeply penetrating, this brilliantly witty book points toward a solution to a major problem of our time, the gap between specializations. As the sheer bulk of human knowledge demands ever increasing specialization, is man losing sight of the wholeness of life? Owen Barfield is one of the twentieth century's most significant writers and thinkers. Widely renowned for his insight and literary artistry, Barfield addresses key concerns of the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and arts in our time. His fellow Inklings, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, are among the leading figures influenced by Barfield's work. A journey into seas of thought very far from ordinary routes of intellectual shipping T.S. Eliot

'History, Guilt and Habit' is a collection of essays, based on lectures given by the author on the West Coast of North America. This brief, accessible book outlines Barfield's primary ideas: the distinction between the history of ideas and the evolution of human consciousness; the nature of morality, and the danger of mental passivity becoming habit. This new edition includes 'Evolution', Barfield's only essay on physical evolution and how it relates to the evolution of consciousness. You can dig into the earth with a spade in order to get beneath the surface. The spade is itself a product of the earth, but that does not bother you. But if, by some mysterious dispensation, the spade were part of the very path of earth you were splitting up, you would be rather nonplussed, because you would destroy the instrument by using it. And that is the sort of difficulty you are up against when it is not the earth you are digging into, but consciousness; and when it is not a spade you are digging with, but language . . . However quickly you turn around, you can never see the back of your own head. (p. 13)

A young academic is drawn towards activism when she is increasingly troubled by the growing threat of biocides. Through Virginia Brooke, Barfield charts the mental and spiritual journey of a thinking person - and, by extension, of all thinking persons - faced with the need for action and the obligation to take it. From environmental thriller to Iron Age settlement, domestic estrangement and the alienation of Man from Nature, Barfield's last work of fiction will continue to delight admirers and provoke a fresh generation of thinkers. Owen Barfield is one of the twentieth century's most significant philosophers. He is widely known for his explorations of human consciousness, the history of language, the origins of poetic effect, and cross-disciplinary thought. A member of the Inklings, an Oxford group of scholars, Barfield's thinking informed the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien, among others. Eager Spring is Barfield's 'eco-novella', written when the author was almost 90.

Barfield discusses poetry's meaning in terms of both his personal experience and objective standards of criticism.

Poetic Diction, first published in 1928, begins by asking why we call a given grouping of words poetry and why these arouse aesthetic imagination and produce pleasure in a receptive reader. Returning always to this personal experience of poetry, Owen Barfield at the same time seeks objective standards of criticism and a theory of poetic diction in broader philosophical considerations on the relation of world and thought. His profound musings explore concerns fundamental to the understanding and appreciation of poetry, including the nature of metaphor, poetic effect, the difference between verse and prose, and the essence of meaning.

CONTRIBUTOR: Howard Nemerov.

'Saving the Appearances' is about the world as we see it and the world as it is. It is about God, nature and the evolution of consciousness. Barfield takes us on an epic journey through the history of human thought - from the primordial consciousness of early man to that of our own times, evoking a wide range of sources including anthropology, physics, theology, and linguistics. Owen Barfield is a paradigm-busting Christian thinker, and this is a book that will not go out of date.

Set in a dystopian future, humanity has been driven underground by fears of terrorist attack. Dwelling in the sewers of an abandoned city, society is closed, crowded, obsessed with security and its own biological processes. In our post-9/11 world, Barfield's portrayal of the repressive, claustrophobic effects of anxiety on human communities is startlingly timely. Night Operation is a contemporary allegory on the fall and potential rise of humanity. Owen Barfield is one of the twentieth century's most significant philosophers. He is widely known for his explorations of human consciousness, the history of language, the origins of poetic effect, and cross-disciplinary thought. A member of the Inklings, an Oxford group of scholars, Barfield's thinking informed the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien, among others. Night Operation is Barfield's only work of science fiction. His vision of society at an evolutionary turning point is original, daring and prophetic.

'Owen Barfield on C.S. Lewis' is a collection of essays and lectures about the author, theologian, and literary scholar, C. S. Lewis. Barfield and Lewis were close friends for 44 years, from their Oxford days after WWI to Lewis's death in 1963. Barfield's reflections on their relationship ended only with his own passing, in his hundredth year. Barfield was instrumental in converting Lewis to theism. However, the two disagreed on many points, and it is that creative dialectic which defines and irradiates their friendship: In an argument we always, both of us, were arguing for the truth, not for victory (Owen Barfield). C.S. Lewis on Owen Barfield: The wisest and best of my unofficial teachers. Barfield towers above us all. To Walter Field: You notice when Owen and I are talking metaphysics which you don't follow: you don't notice the times when you and Owen are talking economics which I can't follow. Owen is the only one who is never out of his depth.

History in English Words by Owen Barfield is a groundbreaking work of linguistic and literary criticism that delves into the intricate evolution of the English language. Owen Barfield, renowned for his profound insights into language and culture, explores the fascinating journey of English words, tracing their origins and semantic evolution through time. As a pioneering work in philology and historical linguistics, Barfield's book transcends mere lexicography, offering readers a deeper understanding of language development and cultural evolution. Through meticulous analysis, Barfield uncovers the interconnectedness of language and society, revealing how shifts in cultural dynamics shape the meanings and usage of words over centuries. Within the realm of English literature, History in English Words serves as a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike, providing invaluable insights into the linguistic underpinnings of literary works. Barfield's exploration of word origins and semantic evolution offers a nuanced perspective on the richness and complexity of the English language, enriching our appreciation of English literature and enhancing our understanding of linguistic phenomena. With its blend of linguistic inquiry and literary criticism, History in English Words stands as a seminal contribution to the study of language and culture, inviting readers to embark on a captivating journey through the annals of linguistic history.

'Romanticism Comes of Age' centers on the question; What is the creative imagination and in what way is it true? Owen Barfield insightfully explores the role of imagination in Romantic philosophy and literature, particularly in the work of Coleridge and of Goethe. Barfield also traces the evolving nature of the creative imagination from primordial times to the present, drawing on a wide array of examples including the language of ancient Greece, Dante's 'Commedia', and Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. The book brilliantly demonstrates that the Romantic Movement's core elements and aspirations have come of age in anthroposophy, the spiritual science inaugurated by Rudolf Steiner.

Unancestral Voice is the story of a modern-day spiritual quest. Step by step, Barfield explores the power of the creative imagination to meet the great challenges of our time. This book has a remarkable unity; it is a well-sustained defence of a very consistent theme - that of the 'evolution of consciousness' - Frontier The voice of each one's mind speaking from the depths within himself - Owen Barfield A clear, powerful thinker, and a subtle one. Saul Bellow Owen Barfield is one of the twentieth century's most significant writers and philosophers. Widely renowned for his insight and literary artistry, Barfield addresses key concerns of the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and arts in our time. His fellow Inklings, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, are among the leading figures influenced by Barfield's work.

The Rose on the Ash-Heap is the epilogue from 'English People' - Barfield's ambitious unpublished novel of English life between the First and Second World Wars. At once fairy tale, societal critique, romance and apocalyptic vision, it discloses the redemptive powers of love and imagination. Sultan, Lord of all the Asias, falls passionately in love with a beautiful and elusive temple dancer. He pursues her across continents, all the way to Albion, where the Lord of Albion - guardian of all that is good in the English spirit - confronts the overwhelming threat of Abdol and the forces of materialism. Written in the late 1920s, a time of widespread societal and economic instability, The Rose on the Ash-Heap also addresses the deepest concerns and hopes of the twenty-first century. Owen Barfield is one of the twentieth century's most significant writers and philosophers. A member of the Inklings, the Oxford literary group which included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, Barfield's ideas and literary artistry influenced both Lewis and Tolkien, and won praise from many of the foremost literary figures of the century. Praise for Owen Barfield: A prolific and interesting thinker - Times Literary Supplement The wisest and best of my unofficial teachers.- C.S.Lewis A masterpiece ... of prophetic value - T.S.Eliot ..possibly the clearest and most searching thinker of the present time - Howard Nemerov

The Riddle of the Sphinx, a new collection of essays, illuminates an aspect of Owen Barfield rarely before seen. He writes as directly as he ever did about the nature of humanity's spiritual need in our time. Our capacities of imagination and inspiration are shown in their true dimensions.

At the same time, scholarly and wise, Barfield enables readers to appreciate these insights. He writes about how poetry begins, about language as an archive of consciousness, and about philosophy as a path to understanding how different ways of perceiving are possible.

Barfield guides us on an episodic trip through history - from ancient Israel and Greece to early Christian times, onward to medieval England, and the eras of the Renaissance and Romanticism, right up to the present day. He does not just demonstrate that there has been an evolution of consciousness; he reveals how thrilling it is when recognized.

The Sphinx's deepest riddle, Barfield knew, was: What, after all, is the human being? The evolution of consciousness, Barfield's great subject, has given many answers to that question. In the essays collected here, Owen Barfield challenges us, beyond the ready-made responses given to us, to answer the question anew, for ourselves.

Owen Barfield is one of the twentieth century's most significant writers and philosophers. Widely renowned for his insight and literary artistry, Barfield addresses key concerns of the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and arts in our time. His fellow Inklings, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, are among the leading figures influenced by Barfield's work.

Immediately after the Christmas Conference, Rudolf Steiner set about to renew and deepen anthroposophy, which had been the ultimate goal of that Conference. Beginning already in January, he gave a series of nine lectures entitled Anthroposophy: an Introduction (GA 234). The lectures are out of print, and have been so for many years. This cycle is exceedingly important. In it, Steiner sets a new tone, in keeping with his desire to recast anthroposophy in a form that is it once more concrete and more esoteric. More concrete in that the abstract, bald, and schematic presentation of spiritual realities in his book Theosophy (which dates from 1903, and Steiner refers to specifically) gives way to phenomenological discussions of matters much closer to home, especially memories and dreams. More esoteric, in that Steiner greatly expands the screen, both spatially and temporally. There is one lecture however that stands out especially for its beauty and profundity: Lecture 5, given on February 2, 1924. It also can, I believe, stand on its own, as it offers in many ways a complete and organic picture.

Owen Barfield is known primarily for his many publications on the evolution of consciousness and the essential reframing of cultural history that results from this theory. At the center of his philosophy is a deep analysis of mythology and poetics that draws from Coleridge, Steiner, and others to reveal the noetic role of the poetic principle and its salient shifts that map the evolution of conscious experience. A member of the Oxford Inklings group, Barfield's first published book, The Silver Trumpet (1925), is the first märchen, or fantasy story, published by any of them.

Despite the influence Barfield exerted on contemporary authors such as Howard Nemerov and Saul Bellow, the biggest gaps in the published corpus of the Philosopher of Poetry are most of the major poems and poetic dramas he wrote according to his theories that place poetics at the core of conscious experience itself. This current publication remedies this absence by presenting five striking literary pieces composed throughout Barfield's lifetime. The Tower, an introspective narrative poem, is the 'great work' of Barfield's youth; Medea, a mythopoeic drama, is seemingly his last major poetic and dramatic work. Between these two are the mythopoeic narrative poem Riders on Pegasus, a trilogy of Anthroposophical mystery plays Angels at Bay, and the light-hearted extended poem The Unicorn. Readers of Barfield's philosophical works and Inklings enthusiasts will find much to admire and enjoy in this volume.

About the Author

Owen Barfield (1898-1997) is one of the twentieth century's most original and influential literary figures.

As an author and philosopher, he rallied against 'positivism' and was instrumental in bringing about a new awareness of the spiritual world that would eventually result in the New Age movement. He lived to see with satisfaction how alternative ways of thinking have begun to transform the limited positivist mindset.

Early on, Barfield developed his theory of 'The Evolution of Consciousness', based on an understanding of imagination as the highest human ability, as a vessel by which divinity passes down into humanity.

His fellow Inklings C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien are among the leading figures influenced by Barfield's work. Tolkien's linguistic and literary philosophy were influenced by Barfield's theories. For Lewis, he was a life-long friend and creative partner. Indeed, Owen Barfield was 'Romanticism' personified.

About the Editors

Leslie A. Taylor (PhD, Southern Illinois University, 1997) is an independent scholar who specializes in Classical and Renaissance Literature. She has published on the Greek and Hebrew translations of Boethius's De consolatione philosophiae and has co-authored with Jefferey H. Taylor a book on the influence of Boethius on Milton's Paradise Lost.

Jefferey H. Taylor (PhD, Southern Illinois University, 1994) is a Professor of English at Metropolitan State University of Denver. He is author of Four Levels of Meaning in the York Cycle of Mystery Plays and has published on the Dutch and Hebrew translations of Boethius. Dr. Taylor is recipient of the 2016 Owen Barfield Award for Excellence.