The undergraduate thesis focuses on the elements of spirituality in Leonard Cohen's poetry collection entitled Book of Mercy. In the analysis of this work, the literary persona of Leonard Cohen is interpreted with the help of sources, which manifests itself through the liturgical language, in which he expresses his longing for spiritual fulfilment through prayer. Cohen's search for strength and inspiration in the Jewish religious tradition is explored in more detail as it relates to his personal memory and collective and family past. In this context, special attention is paid to Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism. The Kabbalistic lore allows him to expand the boundaries within his Jewish heritage. With his religious tradition, Cohen also connects the Jewish movement of Hasidism, which manifests itself through nuances in the images and language used in the Book of Mercy. Everything is framed by Zen Buddhism, which played an important role in the poet's life during the creation of the poetry collection. Precisely because of the rigidity of the Buddhist guidelines, the poet could more easily practice his Jewish creed. The diploma thesis thus concludes the presentation of Cohen's diverse religious practice, which is very clearly depicted in the poetry collection Book of Mercy.
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