The Esoterical Turn Rhetoric and Rite in Swedish Freemasonry 1753-1760 Marcus Willén Postdoctoral researcher Dep. of Literature, secon of Rhetoric marcus.willen@[email protected] [email protected] Project The Temple of Immortality Moral, Mys;cism and Masculinity in the Swedish Order of Freemasons 1735-1796 Financed by Swedish Research Council 1750-1755-1760 Anders Odel Carl Fredrik Eckleff (1718-1773) (1723-1786) Biography 1750-1755-1760 Anders Odel Carl Fredrik Eckleff • Designer at the Ministry of • Secretary and registrator at Texle producon (silk) the Foreign Office • Famous author of sarical • Poet pamphlets • Leading figure in several sociees • Hat Poli;can • Organized/introduced: • Scosh degrees (1756) Grand Chapter (1759), templar degrees) The Grand Lodge (1760) Archives and Collec;ons 1750-1755-1760 Anders Odel Carl Fredrik Eckleff • Speches and poems – Royal • Poems – Royal Library, Library, Stockholm Stockholm (many odes of masonic origin) • Speeches 1759-1783 – Swedish Order of Freemasons, Archive at Bååtska palatset, Stockholm • (ca 20 oraons, 140 pages) Rhetorical Situaon 1750-1755-1760 Anders Odel Carl Fredrik Eckleff • Tavern masonry • …and Banquet Halls • Few par;cipants • Many new members • Talking polics were not • Talking polics were not allowed allowed • Oraons at Feasts • Memorial lodges or instruc;ons at recep;ons dominate Rhetorical Style 1750-1755-1760 Anders Odel Carl Fredrik Eckleff • Narrave, spiral-associave • Classical Rhetoric • Allegorical narraon • Rhetorical structure • Humour, jocularity • Seriosity • Swedish, lan quotes • Swedish • Fic;onalized world • Symbolic World • Landscape – external scene • Lodge – internal scene • Classical An;quity – mofs • Biblical Mo;fs • Temple workers and their tools; light; blood of Christ Rhetorical Doxa 1750-1755-1760 Anders Odel Carl Fredrik Eckleff • Brotherhood • …and Knighthood – Nobility • Social equality • Hierarchy • Public oriented • Secrecy • Poli;cal sare, philosophy • Chris;anity, faith • Exoteric – a civil moral • Esoteric – inner temple • Manners • Religious agenda • Masonry in the world • Inner life projected • Ritual – nonrelated • Ritual – related • Life, opmism • Eternity and immortality The Esoterical Turn • Royal patronage, 1753- • Great Lisbon Earthquake, 1755 (referred to) • Seven Year’s War, 1756-1763 Eckleff’s and The Swedish Rite: • A masonic system that stresses: Eternal life, the exixtence of God • Blood mofs, 1759- - noble blood, blood of Christ (Bohemian Brethren) • Inner illuminaon, instead of enlightenment as societal development (Odel) The Swedish Rite since the late 1750s • Chris;an • Esoteric • Templarism • Hierarchical • Royal patronage .