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Literary notes about Periodicity (AI summary)

The term "periodicity" in literature has been employed to convey the idea of recurring or cyclic phenomena, albeit in differing contexts. In George Eliot's "Adam Bede" [1], the word is imbued with an almost philosophical nuance, referring to the recurring patterns of sensations in what is described as "post-time." This use emphasizes the rhythmic, inevitable reoccurrence within human perception or experience. In contrast, Émile Durkheim's reference in "The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life" [2] treats periodicity in a more analytical, causal manner, suggesting that these recurrent phenomena may be attributed to underlying, external factors. Together, these examples highlight the flexibility of the concept as both a poetic device and a scientific observation.
  1. He only read one newspaper, innocent of leaders, and was free from that periodicity of sensations which we call post-time.
    — from Adam Bede by George Eliot
  2. So this periodicity [Pg 350] must be due to other causes.
    — from The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life by Émile Durkheim

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