Mircea Eliade
- Born:
- March 9, 1907, Bucharest, Romania
- Died:
- April 22, 1986, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Nationality:
- Romanian, American
- Profession(s):
- Historian of Religions, Philosopher, Professor, Novelist
Early Life and Education
- Early interest in natural sciences, particularly entomology and botany.
- Studied Philosophy at the University of Bucharest, graduating in 1928.
- Spent three years (1928-1931) in India studying Indian philosophy and yoga with Surendranath Dasgupta.
Career and Major Achievements
- Professor of History of Religions at the École des Hautes Études in Paris (1945-1957).
- Professor of History of Religions at the University of Chicago (1957-1986).
- Developed the concept of "sacred space" and its manifestation in various cultures.
- Founded and edited the academic journal History of Religions.
- Significantly contributed to the field of comparative religion and the study of myth.
Notable Works
- Patterns in Comparative Religion (1949)
- The Myth of the Eternal Return (1949)
- Cosmos and History: The Myth of the Eternal Return (1954)
- The Sacred and the Profane (1957)
- A History of Religious Ideas (3 volumes, 1978-1985)
- Numerous novels and essays. Many scholars have examined aspects of mircea eliade biography books, which explore his life, work, and controversies.
Legacy and Impact
Mircea Eliade was a highly influential scholar of religion whose work has had a lasting impact on the fields of religious studies, anthropology, and cultural studies. His theories on the sacred and profane, myth, and symbolism continue to be debated and applied in contemporary scholarship.