Universal Music, Universal Magic: Esoteric Thought in Athanasius Kircher's Musurgia Universalis

Abstract

While scholars have increasingly studied the works of Jesuit polymath Athanasius Kircher works, his 1650 treatise on music, Musurgia universalis, has received relatively little attention. Even less well-studied is the esoteric knowledge contained therein, despite its importance to the treatise as a whole. In this dissertation, I explore the different types of esoteric knowledge in the treatise, arguing that their inclusion demonstrates the rigor of Kircher's philosophical system. Kircher also uses esoteric knowledge to guide the reader in contemplation of deeper wisdom and understanding of God. Finally, Kircher uses esoteric concepts and topics to provoke wonder in the reader to demonstrate Kircher's virtuosic learning and ensure glory both for the Jesuits and for God.