Iron John: A Book about MenIn this deeply learned book, poet and translator Robert Bly offers nothing less than a new vision of what it is to be a man.Bly's vision is based on his ongoing work with men and reflections on his own life. He addresses the devastating effects of remote fathers and mourns the disappearance of male initiation rites in our culture. Finding rich meaning in ancient stories and legends, Bly uses the Grimm fairy tale "Iron John," in which the narrator, or "Wild Man," guides a young man through eight stages of male growth, to remind us of archetypes long forgotten-images of vigorous masculinity, both protective and emotionally centered.Simultaneously poetic and down-to-earth, combining the grandeur of myth with the practical and often painful lessons of our own histories, Iron John is a rare work that will continue to guide and inspire men-and women-for years to come. |
Contents
ONE The Pillow and the Key I | 1 |
TWO When One Hair Turns Gold | 28 |
THREE The Road of Ashes | 56 |
Copyright | |
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adult Alexander Mitscherlich animal Antonio Machado ashes asked battle become boar body boy's called castle century César Vallejo child Copyright culture D. H. Lawrence dark side Dionysus earth energy Enkidu father feel female feminine fight finger forest garden give gold golden apple golden ball golden hair Greek grief happened head Hermes holy horse human imagine initiation initiatory inner King inside Iron John James Hillman John Layard katabasis King's daughter knight live look lover male Marie-Louise von Franz masculine mentor mood mother move myth mythological naïve Odysseus older person psyche ritual space Robert Bly Sacred King sexual shame sort soul spirit spring story says sword talk things trans Translated by R.B. Trickster turned W. B. Yeats walked warrior Wild Man's Wild Woman women wound Yeats York young Zeus