Hieroglyphics (Annotated)

Arthur Machen's *Hieroglyphics: A Note upon Ecstasy in Literature* is an eccentric, intellectually provocative work of literary criticism that argues for "ecstasy"—the apprehension of spiritual mystery, wonder, and heightened being—as the defining quality of great literature. Rejecting narrowly realistic and merely didactic writing, Machen proposes that literary language should disclose realities ...