The term “mystic” in literature carries a wide range of connotations that extend from the portrayal of transcendental insight to the evocation of enigmatic, symbolic imagery. Some authors employ it to depict characters or visions endowed with an otherworldly presence—for instance, a character whose aura inspires both awe and trepidation, as noted by a writer who described someone with a “strong, sustained, and mystic aspect” ([1]). In other works, it imbues everyday elements with symbolic meaning, transforming a common object or number into a vessel of magic and secret significance, much like a number considered inherently “mystic” that bridges the measurable with the metaphysical ([2], [3]). Additionally, “mystic” often appears in contexts that celebrate the ineffable, be it in descriptions of ethereal landscapes under a “mystic moon” ([4], [5]) or in invoking sacred rites and dream-like states that challenge conventional perceptions ([6], [7]). Overall, the term is a literary device that enriches narratives by suggesting that beneath the surface of the known lies a deeper, often unspoken realm of mystery and transcendence.
- The three mates quailed before his strong, sustained, and mystic aspect.
— from Moby Dick; Or, The Whale by Herman Melville
- Seven is a mystic and magical number among the Malay.
— from Philippine Folk Tales
- 2 represents the mystic letters said to have been placed on the portal of the oracle of Delphi.
— from Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism by Thomas Inman and M.R.C.S.E. John Newton
- But some one, perhaps it was Robert, thought of a bath at that mystic hour and under that mystic moon.
— from The Awakening, and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin
- The moon was coming up, and its mystic shimmer was casting a million lights across the distant, restless water.
— from The Awakening, and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin
- That in this symbolism it bears a striking analogy to the same science, as seen in the mystic rites of the ancient religions.
— from The symbolism of Freemasonry : by Albert Gallatin Mackey
- To interpret absolute monism worthily, be a mystic.
— from Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking by William James