Madonna Book:
The Black Madonna
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Madonna Book:
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Editorial Review: It is not easy to answer the question of what the Black Madonna actually represents. One answer leads to more questions, which, in turn, demand more explanations. Still, she reflects herself in our personal and collective lives and gives intimations of her most essential meaning through images, myths, dreams, and fantasies. If we are willing to receive and be open to such phenomena, we might not only learn what she could represent, but we could also experience the healing force she embodies in our time. Throughout history, this darker aspect of the feminine has been both feared and sought after, both hated and admired. The Black Madonna of Einsiedeln stands among the many Black Virgins that seem to imagistically express this dark side of the feminine in a creative transformational manner for both the individual and the collective. Beginning with a history of the Einsiedeln Madonna, Dr. Gustafson broadens his analysis into a psychological and historical examination of the Black Madonna, from her roots in the pagan deity Lilith and the archetype of the Great Mother, to her resurgence as the Virgin in the Middle Ages, to her life today as the unheeded, unconscious archetype of the feminine. The Black Madonna Reviews: An entire chapter of the book is devoted to comparing the BV to other Dark Goddesses, such as Kali, and Isis. Although I found "The Black Madonna" a useful tool in learning more about the phenomenon of the BV, I was dissapointed by a publisher's 'teaser' on the back cover of the book. The teaser hints that a relationship between the Hebrew Lilith and the BV will be established in this book. Although many Dark Goddesses are mentioned, Lilith is overlooked. I also found some of the scholarship of this book in opposition to other books concering the BV. For example, "The Templar Revelation" disproves the oft-repeated theory that BV's black coloration was created by accidents concerning soot deposits from centuries of exposure to flame. "The Templar Revelation" also makes the case of Mary Magdelene's ties to the BV much clearer. I would recommend starting with "The Black Madonna" for a background about the BV, and then tackleing "The Templar Revelation" for more information. "The Black Madonna" is, all-in-all, a good starting point for those interested in the BV and is certainly the definitive resource for psychological symbolism surrounding her. It is not, however, her full story. | |||||||||||||||||
