Explores how Edwardian era writers used the mystical novel as a way to represent transcendent experiences within the tradition of the English realist novel.
Divine Representations examines the development of a unique form of "mystical novel" in the early twentieth century by a loose fellowship of like-minded British writers with a passion for mysticism. Although the Victorian era's growing fascination with all things esoteric and occult had led to sundry examples of "mystical" fiction, the Edwardian era saw the emergence of several mystics-cum-novelists-A. E. Waite, R. H. Benson, Evelyn Underhill, and Arthur Machen-who were largely skeptical of Victorian spiritualist and occult practices. They sought, instead, to disentangle mysticism from occultism and align it, explicitly or implicitly, with a Christian sacramental theology. Through close readings of their most exemplary mystical novels, the book identifies the distinctive features of this school of Edwardian mystical novelists, all of whom were inspired by the medieval past, inclined to distinguish mysticism from magic (to greater or lesser degrees), and interested in engaging the modern middlebrow reader with Christian mystical experience in ways not previously attempted in the English novel's realist tradition. Their work as novelists-but also as editors, translators, lecturers, and spiritual guides-illuminates popular attitudes toward mysticism that have persisted since the turn of the twentieth century and have powerfully influenced, for better or worse, the trajectory of religion and spirituality to the present day.
| ISBN: | 9798855805321 |
| Publication date: | 1st February 2026 |
| Author: | Carla A Arnell |
| Publisher: | SUNY Press an imprint of State University of New York Press |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 186 pages |
| Series: | Suny Series in Western Esoteric Traditions |
| Genres: |
Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000 Mysticism Mysticism, magic and occult interests Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers Literature: history and criticism |
Explores how Edwardian era writers used the mystical novel as a way to represent transcendent experiences within the tradition of the English realist novel.
Divine Representations examines the development of a unique form of "mystical novel" in the early twentieth century by a loose fellowship of like-minded British writers with a passion for mysticism. Although the Victorian era's growing fascination with all things esoteric and occult had led to sundry examples of "mystical" fiction, the Edwardian era saw the emergence of several mystics-cum-novelists-A. E. Waite, R. H. Benson, Evelyn Underhill, and Arthur Machen-who were largely skeptical of Victorian spiritualist and occult practices. They sought, instead, to disentangle mysticism from occultism and align it, explicitly or implicitly, with a Christian sacramental theology. Through close readings of their most exemplary mystical novels, the book identifies the distinctive features of this school of Edwardian mystical novelists, all of whom were inspired by the medieval past, inclined to distinguish mysticism from magic (to greater or lesser degrees), and interested in engaging the modern middlebrow reader with Christian mystical experience in ways not previously attempted in the English novel's realist tradition. Their work as novelists-but also as editors, translators, lecturers, and spiritual guides-illuminates popular attitudes toward mysticism that have persisted since the turn of the twentieth century and have powerfully influenced, for better or worse, the trajectory of religion and spirituality to the present day.
Divine Representations features in the following genres: Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000, Mysticism, Mysticism, magic and occult interests, Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, Literature: history and criticism
Divine Representations is available in Hardback
Divine Representations was written by Carla A Arnell and published by SUNY Press an imprint of State University of New York Press
Divine Representations has 186 pages
Yes it is part of Suny Series in Western Esoteric Traditions series
£77.85