S2E7 - Yeats and the Learning of the Imagination - Kathleen Raine

The Bhagavad Gita is a central text in Hinduism, embedded within the epic Mahabharata. It recounts a dialogue between the warrior-prince Arjuna and his charioteer, Krishna, who is an avatar of the god Vishnu. The text explores themes of dharma (duty), karma (action), and the path to spiritual enlightenment. Krishna advises Arjuna on the importance of performing his duties without attachment to the outcomes, emphasizing the concept of nishkama karma (nonattached action). The Gita synthesizes various strands of Indian religious thought, including Vedic concepts, samkhya yoga, and bhakti (devotion), providing a coherent vision of Hindu philosophy and spiritual practice.

Gitanjali, meaning "Song Offerings," is a collection of poems by Rabindranath Tagore. Published in English in 1912, it brought Tagore international recognition and earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature the following year. The poems explore themes of spirituality, nature, love, and the human condition, blending elements of Indian mysticism and Western romanticism. Gitanjali's lyrical beauty and profound insights into the human soul resonated deeply with readers worldwide, establishing Tagore as a major figure in 20th-century literature. The collection's impact extended beyond the literary world, influencing artistic movements and philosophical thought.

In this influential book, David Marr describes a general framework for understanding visual perception. He outlines a multi-level approach to vision, including the computational, algorithmic, and hardware implementation levels. Marr discusses how the brain constructs representations of the visual world, from the input image to the description of three-dimensional objects. The book is highly technical and has been a cornerstone in the fields of neuroscience and cognitive science.

The Waste Land is a 434-line poem divided into five sections: 'The Burial of the Dead', 'A Game of Chess', 'The Fire Sermon', 'Death by Water', and 'What the Thunder Said'. It is a complex and erudite work that incorporates numerous allusions to mythology, classical literature, and religious texts. The poem reflects the spiritual disillusionment and moral decay of the Western world after World War I, portraying a sterile and fragmented society. It was initially met with controversy due to its innovative and often obscure style but has since become a central work in the modernist canon.

Four Quartets is a cycle of four poems by T.S. Eliot, each titled with a place name: 'Burnt Norton,' 'East Coker,' 'The Dry Salvages,' and 'Little Gidding. ' The poems are meditations on time, redemption, and eternity, blending Eliot's Anglo-Catholicism with mystical, philosophical, and poetic elements from various traditions. Each quartet has five sections and explores themes such as the conflict between individual mortality and the endless span of human existence, the nature of spirituality, and the relationship between the present and the past. The work is considered Eliot's masterpiece and his clearest exposition of his Christian beliefs.