MURAL - Maynooth University Research Archive Library



    Herman Melville's Pierre: How Radical is the Critque of Christianity?


    Cosgrove, Brian (2005) Herman Melville's Pierre: How Radical is the Critque of Christianity? Irish Theological Quarterly, 70 (2).

    [img] Download (2MB)


    Share your research

    Twitter Facebook LinkedIn GooglePlus Email more...



    Add this article to your Mendeley library


    Abstract

    In the dark and problematic Pierre, the much lesser-known novel written after Moby-Dick, Melville provides a radical critque of Christian morality. Ironically, it is the untenable ideals fostered by Christianity that lead to Pierre's disillusionment and self-destruction. But if Christianity is subjected to such a critique, can the source of such moral beliefs - Christ himself - remain exempt from a related critical scrutiny? In any case, does not Pierre push to a further extreme the deep scepticism about a providential God the Father already evident in Moby-Dick?

    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: Herman Melville; Pierre; Critique of Christianity;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Arts,Celtic Studies and Philosophy > School of English, Media & Theatre Studies
    Item ID: 754
    Depositing User: Professor Brian Cosgrove
    Date Deposited: 11 Nov 2007
    Journal or Publication Title: Irish Theological Quarterly
    Publisher: Pontifical University, Maynooth
    Refereed: Yes
    URI:
      Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

      Repository Staff Only(login required)

      View Item Item control page

      Downloads

      Downloads per month over past year

      Origin of downloads