Poets and Essayists Descend Into the Abyss as Metaphor for Modern Uncertainty
The American Scholar—Several literary publications have converged on 'the abyss' as a central image, using it to probe the depths of human experience in an era of mounting crises. One essay traces the etymology and philosophical weight of the word and its derivatives across centuries of usage. Another renders the theme in verse, exploring how confronting an absolute void demands honesty about one's own limits and finitude.