EXISTENTIAL OCTAVIO PAZ OR THE POETIC ESSENCE OF BEING by JOSE MANUEL ZAMORANO MEZA B.Sc. Instituto de Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, 1992 M.Sc. University of Surrey, 1996. M.A. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2004 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Interdisciplinary Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) August 2012 © José Manuel Zamorano Meza, 2012