Early on in reading The Beautiful and Damned, I came across the term Bilphist.
"Her name's Gloria. Shes from home-Kansas City. Her mother is a practising Bilphist, and her father's quite dull but a perfect gentleman."
And being the conscientious reader that I am, when I come across a word or phrase I am unfamiliar with, I head over to my handy-dandy computer and Google it.
Surprisingly, there is not much on Bilphism, or maybe not surprising considering Fitzgerald made it up. I am not sure I know why he made it up yet, maybe it becomes clearer as I read on. Below is what I unearthed. Now I should make note, I did not spend hours and hours doing research. Nope, just a few minutes, maybe 10 at most. If I find out more I will add that.
Bilphism (noun) source : The name used and coined by F. Scott Fitzgerald in his 1922 novel The Beautiful and the Damned, referring to a religious belief concerned with the reincarnation of the human soul.
" 'Oh, yes, but you see Bilphism isn’t a religion. It’s the science of all religions.' " —F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Beautiful and Damned, 1922
"Shakespeare was a Bilphist," she assured him through a fixed smile.
"Oh, yes! He was a Bilphist. It's been proved."
At this Dick would look a bit blank.
"If you've read 'Hamlet' you can't help but see."
"Well, he--he lived in a more credulous age--a more religious age."
But she demanded the whole loaf:
"Oh, yes, but you see Bilphism isn't a religion. It's the science of all religions." She smiled defiantly at him. This was the _bon mot_ of herTaken from text of The Beautiful and Damned
belief...
thanks so much for research...holidaying in Munich and having read B and D experienced same puzzle...now happily resolved so can go out into sunshine.....
ReplyDeleteJulie
Thanks for providing the info - now I'm left wondering which fashionable pseudo-religion Fitzgerald was really mocking?
ReplyDeleteHere is what I turned up:
ReplyDeleteIn 1922 Fitzgerald explained to Dr. Frank H. Vizetelly, editor of Funk and Wagnell’s Standard Dictionary: “Bilphism is a coinage of my own. It is a euphemism for Theosophy---- I wanted to take a crack at theosophy without hurting the feelings of a relative of mine. Several people have inquired about it. So I guess it will enter no dictionary.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald Collection Notes, No. 1, September 1995).
Thanks for the blog! I am a recent Fitzgerald reader and am enjoying his works!
Cheers,
Mark
You are most welcome Laurie. What an odd term - I just had to look it up.
ReplyDeleteSo far, I have read Gatsby and have just finished The Beautiful and Damned. These are haunting works that will stick with me. I am looking forward to reading EVERYTHING.
Being a Literature fan, is there anything else can you would recommend from this period?
Thanks again for this fantastic blog!
Cheers,
Mark