The substitution of one mental picture for another Reconceptualizing Christ in Robert Elsmere
This essay explores Mary Augusta Ward’s 1888 novel Robert Elsmere and its place in the complex, evolving religious landscape of the Victorian period, arguing that its narrative strategies are designed to persuade readers to agree with the beliefs of its protagonist not mainly through intellectual ar...
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| Published in: | Renascence Vol. 76; no. 3; pp. 23 - 39 |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Marquette University Press
22-06-2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | This essay explores Mary Augusta Ward’s 1888 novel Robert Elsmere and its place in the complex, evolving religious landscape of the Victorian period, arguing that its narrative strategies are designed to persuade readers to agree with the beliefs of its protagonist not mainly through intellectual argument or emotional appeals, but through appeals to images. It contends that this image-based approach is key to the novel’s resonance, a resonance which suggests a counter to intellectually focused narratives of the Victorian faith crisis. Robert Elsmere establishes a model of belief that privileges the power of images over that of intellectual assent, offering readers a compelling glimpse into the inner world of a religious dissenter. Ultimately, it underlines the importance of imaginative identification with new religious images in facilitating the seismic spiritual changes of the Victorian period. |
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| ISSN: | 0034-4346 |
| DOI: | 10.5840/renascence202476312 |