Pan: The Great God’s Modern Return

by Paul Robichaud

Pan – he of the cloven hoof and lustful grin, beckoning through the trees. From classical myth to modern literature, film and music, the god Pan has fascinated and terrified the western imagination. ‘Panic’ is the name given to the peculiar feeling we experience in his presence. Still, the ways in which Pan has been imagined have varied wildly – fitting for a god even whose name the ancients confused with the Greek word meaning ‘all’.Part-goat, part-man, Pan bridges the divide between the human and animal worlds. In exquisite prose, Paul Robichaud explores how he has been imagined in mythology, art, literature, music, spirituality and popular culture through the centuries. At times, Pan is a dangerous, destabilizing force; at others, a source of fertility and renewal. His portrayals reveal shifting anxieties about our own animal impulses and our relationship to nature. Always the outsider, he has been the god of choice for gay writers, occult practitioners, and New Age mystics. Though ancient sources announced his death, he has lived on through the work of Arthur Machen, Gustav Mahler, Kenneth Grahame, D. H. Lawrence and countless others. The Great God’s Modern Return traces his intoxicating dance.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mythology, History, Folklore, Classics, Religion, Mysticism

371 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 13, 2021

Reviews

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

actually, between 4 & 4.5; a wide-ranging and thorough examination of the Great God Pan in his many manifestations down through the centuries.

full post here:
http://www.nonfictionrealstuff.com/20...

I am a huge fan of Arthur Machen's novella The Great God Pan (which I've recently reread), and I've been saying for some time now that some enterprising person would be doing readers like me a huge favor by collecting and compiling every story ever written about Pan and publishing them all together in book form. Since that's unlikely to be in the works for the near future, spending more time reading about the great god seemed to me to be a good idea, so I was beyond excited when I first heard about the publication of this book. It is one I've been looking forward to for a very long time, and without hesitation I can say that I was not at all disappointed. Historian Paul Robichaud has written this volume for readers "interested in learning more about the goat-footed god and how he has been imagined through the centuries." That would be me. For sure.

"Through the centuries" is not an understatement in this case. Robichaud traces the various ways that Pan has been envisioned from antiquity up to our own time, using "individual texts, works of art and musical compositions," introducing them and "relating them where possible to the larger tradition of which they form a part." As he notes,

"Surveying Pan's role in mythology, art, literature, music, spirituality and popular culture ... shows how portrayals of the god reveal shifting anxiety about our own animality and our relationship to the natural world, whether this is understood as the wilderness beyond civilization or the cosmos as a whole. "

Covering Pan's appearance from mythic through contemporary times, Robichaud, as he explains at the beginning, has no assumptions that readers of this book might have "any prior knowledge of the material explored here," and he has written this volume in a highly-approachable fashion making it beyond reader friendly. I have barely skimmed the surface in this post, but trust me -- if anyone wants to know anything at all about the Great God Pan, it's very likely found here in this wide-ranging exploration of the goat-footed god. Beware though -- I came up with a list of twenty-five books I wanted to read from the author's source material.

Most definitely and very highly recommended; an excellent book that will have a place of honor on my shelves.

[Monty Milne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an inherently fascinating subject and there is a lot of good material here, but overall it didn’t quite hit the spot. The association of Pan with the Devil is a late development (nineteenth century, according to the great and respected Ronald Hutton), and is clearly an absurdity. Even more absurd are the attempts to identify Pan with Jesus (I wasn’t aware there were any – but the parable of the sheep of the goats has apparently been used in this way).

The 18th century was perhaps most inimical to the idea of Pan. And yet, bizarrely, the exiled James II was frequently associated with Pan. The author doesn’t really speculate why. Certainly, the court of the pleasure loving Charles II had enough music, beauty and sex to contrast it with the dour anti-Pan Puritans. But his unfortunate brother James II was a rather dour and humourless character and it’s impossible to visualise him romping in a glade with his pipes and his fauns.

We all know Kenneth Graham’s Wind in the Willows and we all recall the strange chapter in it, “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” , where a Pan figure guards and protects some lost otter cubs. Opinion is divided: some think this is an odd aberration and out of keeping with the rest of the book, and should have been left out. I always rather loved it and felt it added something unusual and important to the mix. Robichaud discusses in some detail the way Graham plays with and develops the Pan motif.

There are many such interesting things in this book, but there are other aspects which are less satisfactory. As other reviwers have pointed out, there are some unsatisfactory quotations from ancient authors, and some sources are looked at in exhaustive detail, whereas others feel skimmed. The most annoying thing for me was the final chapter, which is a highly contentious piece of agitprop which feels utterly wrong headed and out of date (despite the fact it was only written in 2020). Now excuse me while I head into the woods with my pipes.

[Sam Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and thorough examination of Pan's refusal to die in the Western imagination: trickster, Olympian proto-slacker, disembodied animator of the natural world, demon, liberator. What a guy slash goat.

[Eilidh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing about Pan and I finished this book having obtained a new special interest- thanks, I now have an unhealthy obsession and I will be reading up on all the literature that mentions Pan 🤭

[milo in the woods · Rating 2 out of 5]

i think that the author is not as well rounded as he thinks he is. this book is written as if it is an encompassing approach to the god pan in culture, through ancient and modern times. it’s not.

the sources used throughout are cherry-picked and. the author (seemingly randomly) picks and chooses when to analyse something line by line and when to gloss over an authors entire bibliography.

i think, for this to be successful, the author should have added a more personal touch. i would have been interested in why he was so enamoured by the mythology of pan, or why he was so intrigued by certain poems more so than others. if he had a connection to the topic, and some sort of relationship with the sources he was engaging with, that would have made it a lot more compelling to me (and it also would have made it more reasonable for the sources to be so cherry-picked).

i also have some issues as an academic with citing wikipedia articles and using perseus translations (from decades ago) rather than more modern/up to date translations. that’s mainly a personal preference, though it does give me pause in trusting the academic authority and trustworthiness of this author.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review of this book, and interview with the author, will soon be available at The Folklore Podcast website.

I will update with links once it is available.

[Tom Stanger · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a new focus on Gothic prevailing in new literature I’m often left wondering as to where the genre first started. Albeit it could be argued that Gothic literature owes its origins to many sources it within the myths of the ancient Greeks that we owe so much of our literature today. From the Greeks originates the god Pan, the legendary half-man-half-goat god whose portrayal and image has been synonymous with fear, panic and even alleged to be acknowledged as Jesus himself! Yet, the actual figure of Pan is far more complex, and in Pan: The Great God’s Modern Return, Paul Robichaud opens the doors to this both mystical and magical figure who has pervaded our history and literature.

Starting with Pans origins in ancient Arcadia we’re taken through a labyrinthine journey through time, and sometimes space, to gain insight into Pan’s influence, not only in the ancient world, where he emerged as part of the Greek Panteon, but also influencing modern writers such as Wordsworth, Blake and Arthur Machen, whose terrifying depictions of Pan have influenced modern authors to this day. However, there is also a more esoteric influence of Pan, who came to influence occultists such as Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune, but also influenced more metaphysical thinkers coinciding with the work such as of Emanuel Swedenborg.

Although very much an academic piece in Pan: The Great God’s Modern Return Paul Robichaud has managed to create a narrative and history that is not only accessible to the reader but also a narrative that is enjoyable and insightful. In many ways reflecting a compendium of sorts over an in-depth analysis of Pan’s character, I do think this allows the reader to see how Pan has influenced culture through the writings of the many famous luminaries who have delved into this mystical and complex character which has spanned between good and evil throughout the centuries.

In Pan: The Great God’s Modern Return Paul Robichaud creates not only the most extensive account of one of mythology’s most elusive characters but also creates a history emboldened with a charm and style that will captivate and engage any reader.

[Giulia ruuu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robichaud’s prose is lyrical and engaging. Pan, this mythical, awe inspiring creature, whom very few dare to inquire into, is brought to us as this all encompassing god, who is everything and nothing at the same time. Through the minds of the curious, those who heard the calling of the pipes of pan, and dared to venture into the grove to encounter the deity. You almost feel like you’re witnessing Pan yourself, recounting those memories in the woods by yourself, feeling as if there was something or someone else with you, you couldn’t quite understand or grasp what exactly it was, because it was only meant to be felt. Robichaud is that third person spying through the trees, on you and Pan, somehow he makes an account in words, tangibilizing the experience as a whole, not only through his words, but by means of the working of others who have witnessed and summoned the great god.

Nowadays, with climate change and the global crisis. We see and hear these urgent calls to actions. Nonetheless they have lost their impact, due to their constant exposure and exploitation. Even though Robichaud is not writing about ecology or scolding you for not taking care of the planet, the quote that he repeats in every chapter: “The Great God Pan is Dead” echoes deeply within, knowing well that it is our fault, our apathy and selfishness which alienates us from earth, and the root of the problem’s we’re just beginning to face at the start of this century.

Pan, The Great God’s Modern Return, was a beautifully composed anthology of the multidimensional deity who could barely be grasped due to his polysemic nature, but through every poem, book, opera, movie, or artwork, I somehow saw a reflection of what I felt and what it means to be in the presence of Pan, somewhat nostalgic, longing for our instinctual nature unconstrained, wandering and roaming harmoniously through this beautiful place we call earth.

[Jason Baldauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceptional compendium of references to Pan in literature and popular culture and his influence from the ancient Greeks to present. The best part of the book is the first chapter in which the author introduces Pan. Subsequent chapters document references from the medieval to contemporary period. Chapter 5, Pan as Occult Power, was interesting as well. The other chapters are well researched, but read as a checklist of every reference ever made. Those who are deeply fascinated with the subject will find this as a god send reference book. For the casual reader, it can be a bit tiresome but interesting enough to be an enlightening read.

[Mark Dickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for a book club and while, as with any comprehensive study on a topic, I added loads of the discussed media to the list of things I want to read, this didn’t fully land. It oscillates between too much detail (such as a line by line analysis of a poem quoted inline to the analysis) and skimming completely over the surface of the initial myths.

[Chiara Rizzarda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and passionate dive into the figure of the "Great God Pan" and its significance across the centuries from an author who plays it straight and never conceals the more problematic aspects of his research nor shrugs from addressing them.

[Sarah Huntington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this, although it was a little too scholarly for me to love completely, I still enjoyed this a huge amount and it was interesting all the way through and held my attention. I liked it far better than The Rebirth of Pan, and I thought the author did an excellent job here.

[Jordan Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read!

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a deep and academic review of Pan's appearance in art and literature. It had little on current practices of actually engaging with the god.

[ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely reads like something written by someone who has never heard Pan's music in the wild, perhaps encountering it only in recordings. It's a book whose structure and style is somewhat antithetical to Pan, or at least not synergistic. As such, it's just okay, nothing more or less. The overall style is that of a lecture: dry, repetitive at times, thorough yet ultimately unsatisfying. The writing is competent, but rarely compelling. I could do without such detailed summaries of so many literary works, especially ones that sound pretty dull, and the absence of Jean Giono (whose conception of Pan in Hill is possibly even more "Panish" than Grahame's classic one) is an odd and pretty unforgiveable oversight. Occasionally moralistic, and the "Conclusion" reads like a morally insecure declaration of allegiance to progressive values that - whether you agree with them or not - feels insincere and desperate, a mere checklist of causes. I think it's also a cheesy attempt to make the book relevant, its tacked-on appearance seemingly at odds with the idea of Pan's "modern return."

Although I would have preferred a more anecdotal approach rather than the simple presentation of the facts, this is a good start and a wide survey of a beloved god.

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written, making material available for the layman.

[Noah Boss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to rate this one. Being an extremely broad survey, it's got some super valuable info in it but also drops the ball in more than a few places and concludes with an unexpected and rather maudlin opinion piece. Great resource for locating other texts and sources though, and more than a few of the connections Robichaud makes seem novel and of interest.