The Enthusiast: Anatomy of the Fanatic in Seventeenth-Century British Culture

The Enthusiast was a character type developed in early modern Britain to discredit radical prophets during the dismantling of the Church of England's traditional means of punishing heresy. It was adopted by writers as a literary vehicle for exploring profound problems of spirit, soul, and body and as a persona for the ironic expression of their prophetic illuminations. It establishes the figure of the fanatic as a bridge between the Reformation and the Enlightenment, showing how an incipient secular modernity was informed by the transformation of the prophet into something sparkling, witty, ironic, and new.

Format: Hardback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 15 July 2023
Publisher: Cornell University Press

The Enthusiast is a captivating tale that emerged in early modern Britain, serving as a means to undermine radical prophets during a time when the Church of England's traditional methods of punishing heresy were being dismantled. As William Cook Miller reveals, this caricature of fanaticism, known as the Enthusiast, initially emerged as a tool of propaganda against religious dissenters, particularly working-class upstarts. However, it quickly gained traction among a diverse group of writers as a literary vehicle for delving into profound issues of spirit, soul, and body, as well as a persona for expressing their own prophetic insights with irony.

The Enthusiast took shape through the public and private writings of several notable authors of seventeenth-century Britain, including Henry More, John Locke, the Third Earl of Shaftesbury, Mary Astell, and Jonathan Swift. These authors contributed to the development of the Enthusiast in various forms and literary styles. By examining this literary entity and its animators, The Enthusiast establishes the figure of the fanatic as a crucial bridge between the Reformation and the Enlightenment. It demonstrates how an emerging secular modernity was shaped not by the rejection of religion but by the transformation of the prophet into a sparkling, witty, ironic, and innovative figure.

The Enthusiast's portrayal of the fanatic as a figure driven by passion and conviction, yet also capable of humor and irony, offers a nuanced understanding of the complexities of religious belief and the human condition. It challenges traditional stereotypes and reveals the potential for religious discourse to be both profound and playful. Through its exploration of the Enthusiast, The Enthusiast provides a valuable contribution to the study of literature, religion, and the history of ideas in early modern Britain.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501770807