The Human Condition: A Synthesis of Spirituality and Sensuality

Abstract

This is a Capstone Paper for the Dalhousie Department of English. It studies the work of James Broughton in contrast to Cartesian dualism. After establishing how Broughton's poetry characterizes the human condition as a marriage between body and spirit, the paper explores the ways in which Broughton's queerness interacts with his representation of spirituality. In addition to Broughton's work, the paper cites literary scholarship on the San Francisco Renaissance, sociological studies on queer spirituality, and Cartesian philosophy.