This collection of essays attempts to address the disparate historical and critical ways religion informs the literature and culture of nineteenth century England, showing how a representative group of major Victorians negotiated its impact. The collection attempts to present Victorian religious discourse not as monologic but as dialogic, if not protean. It seeks to make available new understandings of nineteenth-century British literature as well as to elucidate the extent to which religious discourse is vested in Victorian cultural thoughts and practice.
"Jude V. Nixon's collection of essays, Victorian Religious Discourse, is an up-to-date survey of scholarly work on Christian faith and doubt in nineteenth-century England. These essays demonstrate the centrality of Protestant faith and practice to English nationhood and personal identity. Combining studies of prose, poetry, and fiction by established and younger scholars, the book is crucial reading for critics and historians interested in Victorian religious culture." - Sue Zemka, Emory University