(1981), Banville’s ninth novel, is the second book in the science tetralogy, the first being

(1976), and the last two books

(1982) and

(1986).

is a stimulating interpretation of the astronomer’s painstaking search for cosmic harmony, in the face of the disorder and chaos that are the subject of this tetralogy. To a greater extent than in

, Kepler’s search is here presented in all its difficulties and contradictions, attentive, as it is, to the underlying importance of random events and imaginative leaps in the creative act. In this, Banville draws from Thomas Kuhn’s study on paradigm shift and the crucial function of “illuminations” in science. For Kuhn (1922-1996) science is not a progressive claim for…

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Citation: Palazzolo, Pietra. "Kepler". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 02 November 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4248, accessed 25 November 2024.]