Literary notes about Zeitgeist (AI summary)
In literature, "zeitgeist" is often used to evoke the prevailing spirit or mood of an era, suggesting a force that drives cultural and historical change ([1], [2]). It is presented not merely as an abstract concept but as a dynamic agent—sometimes even personified—that shapes societal evolution and influences individual actions, as seen when authors attribute historical triumphs or failures to its sway ([3], [4]). Moreover, writers use the term to explore the tension between individual identity and broader cultural currents, implying that even prominent figures can be both molded by and reflective of their times ([5], [6]).
- The Zeitgeist, the Spirit of the Age, all in capitals!
— from Religion and the War by Yale University. Divinity School - Surely it must have been actuated by a common impulse, which was nothing but the urgent demand of the Zeitgeist .
— from An Introduction to the History of Japan by Katsuro Hara - "My thesis is that no man and no people can for long stand in the way of what the Germans call the zeitgeist —the spirit of the age.
— from The Master of Warlock: A Virginia War Story by George Cary Eggleston - All this was but a part and parcel of the times—an index of the Zeitgeist.
— from Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 11 Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Businessmen by Elbert Hubbard - One can see him kicking violently under the arm of the Zeitgeist as he is borne down the ringing grooves of change.
— from In a Green ShadeA Country Commentary by Maurice Hewlett - Matthew Arnold spoke of Heine as a sardonic smile on the face of the Zeitgeist.
— from The Bibliotaph, and Other People by Leon H. (Leon Henry) Vincent
