XI. Before the Door of the Spiritual Soul

There begins a war between France and England, which lasts from 1339 to 1453, and for over a hundred years throws everything into confusion. This general confusion, proceeding from a particular spiritual current unfavourable to Man's development, puts hindrances in the way of certain events which would have brought the Spiritual Soul much more rapidly into mankind, had these hindrances not been there. Chaucer (who died 1400 D.C.) founded English literature. If one thinks of all that the founding of this literature has led to, in spiritual consequences for Europe, one cannot but find it significant that such an event could not develop in freedom along its own lines, but must happen amid all the troubles of a war. In addition comes the fact that already before this, namely in 1215 A.D., that tendency of political thought had begun in England, which is to receive its right stamp from the Spiritual Soul. The further developments of this event too lie amid the embarrassment of war.