RT Article
T1 "Illumination": Harold Frederic's American Clerical Novel
JF Religion & literature
VO 50
IS 3
SP 1
OP 23
A1 Hochwender, Kristina L.
LA English
YR 2018
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1693581175
AB First published in England under the title Illumination, Harold Frederic's novel The Damnation of Theron Ware has long been considered in terms of its Americanness. Frederic's 1896 portrayal of a small-town Methodist minister in upstate New York has been praised for its authentic regional depiction, as well as its engagement with changing national demographics and portrayal of the American Methodist church. Yet Illumination's place in the tradition of British clerical novels has largely been overlooked. In addition to dramatizing the character and calling of the clergyman, clerical novels addressed the social place of the minister and the obligations of the profession in nations that considered themselves to be Christian. Congregational expectations, financial strain, personal ambition, and crises of belief all impact the effective ministry of the clergyman in these novels. This essay expands the critical emphasis which has tended to see Frederic's novel as particularly American, placing Illumination in context with novels by Trollope, Oliphant, Barrie, and others, as well as in context with authors of 19th century ministerial handbooks. In so doing, it calls for a heightened appreciation of the complexity and achievement of Frederic's best-known work.
K1 Americans
K1 DAMNATION of Theron Ware, The (Book : Frederic)
K1 FREDERIC, Harold, 1856-1898
K1 Lighting
K1 REALIST fiction
DO 10.1353/rel.2018.0028