Literary notes about estrange (AI summary)
The word "estrange" has been harnessed by writers to convey notions of separation and alienation, both on an intimate and societal level. In poetic contexts, as seen in John Milton’s work [1], it poignantly captures the pain of being torn from one’s dearest companions. Meanwhile, in more socio-cultural critiques, Inazo Nitobe uses "estrange" to describe the disjunction between established traditions and evolving religious perspectives [2]. Thackeray further amplifies this connotation by embedding the term in a triad of harsh verbs—degrade, estrange, torture—to criticize the deliberate acts that sever the bonds among gentle souls [3]. Thus, across different literary landscapes, "estrange" becomes a powerful linguistic tool for expressing the all-too-familiar experience of separation and alienation.
- *And all thy waves break me bears both. 8 Thou dost my friends from me estrange, And mak'st me odious, Me to them odious, for they change,
— from The Poetical Works of John Milton by John Milton - some say—and consequently estrange their religion from the habits of thought we and our forefathers have been accustomed to for centuries past.
— from Bushido, the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe - and how many of those gentle souls do you degrade, estrange, torture, for the sake of a little loose arithmetic, and miserable dog-latin?
— from Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
