Robert Pollok's The Course of Time and Literary Theodicy in the Romantic Age: The Rise and Fall of a Christian Epic

This book explores the contexts and reception history of Robert Pollok's religious epic The Course of Time (1827), which was popular in the nineteenth century but has been largely forgotten today. It examines the poem's origins as a defense of Biblical authority and divine providence and explores the reasons for its enormous popularity and later decline. It offers insights into the relationship between religion and wider culture in the nineteenth century, the uses of literature as a vehicle for theological argument, and the role of religion in literary and Scottish Romanticism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 17 November 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the rich contexts and captivating reception history of Robert Pollok's religious epic, The Course of Time (1827), a remarkable work that has largely faded from collective memory today. Once widely acclaimed and cherished across the United States and the British Empire, the poem's unique blend of evangelical Calvinism, High Romanticism, and native Scottishness struck a chord with numerous readers. This monograph explores the poem's origins as a steadfast defense of Biblical authority, divine providence, and religious orthodoxy, countering figures such as Byron and Joseph Priestley. It also delves into the reasons behind The Course of Time's extraordinary popularity, spanning decades, and its subsequent decline. Through a close analysis of the poem and a thorough examination of its reception history, readers are provided with invaluable insights into the intricate interplay between religion and wider culture during the nineteenth century. This work sheds light on the uses of literature as a platform for theological argumentation and theodicy, as well as the significant yet often overlooked role that religion played in literary and, particularly, Scottish Romanticism. With its broad appeal to scholars of religious history, literary history, Evangelicalism, Romanticism, Scottish literature, and nineteenth-century culture, this book offers a profound exploration of a forgotten literary gem.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032523101