Revolutionary Desire: A Girardian View of Paradise Lost

René Girard (1923–2015) was a French historian, literary critic, and social theorist whose interdisciplinary work brought together literature, anthropology, philosophy, and religion. He spent much of his academic career in the United States and later taught at Stanford University. His mimetic theory begins with a deceptively simple claim: we learn what to desire by observing the desires of others.

Presented by Esmat Zeerak, a graduate of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this essay explores how imitation shapes the self, transforms models into rivals, and can lead communities toward conflict, sacrifice, and scapegoating. Ultimately, Girard’s work raises enduring questions about freedom, responsibility, violence, and whether more truthful forms of imitation can help us live less destructively with one another.

Reading: Esmat's paper: Revolutionary Desire: A Girardian View of Paradise Lost