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Context of Sterne's Sermons. / James Sladen Gow

Swansea University Author: James Sladen Gow

Abstract

As soon as the reading public realized that the much-enjoyed first volumes of Tristram Shandy were written by a priest and, furthermore, that this parson was publishing sermons under the name of Hamlet's exhumed jester, the sincerity of Sterne towards his vocation was questioned-if not flatly d...

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Published: 2003
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42536
first_indexed 2018-08-02T18:54:56Z
last_indexed 2018-08-03T10:10:25Z
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recordtype RisThesis
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spelling 2018-08-02T16:24:29.5873977 v2 42536 2018-08-02 Context of Sterne's Sermons. 0122b23dc657b44616e19bebbe9b0d6e NULL James Sladen Gow James Sladen Gow true true 2018-08-02 As soon as the reading public realized that the much-enjoyed first volumes of Tristram Shandy were written by a priest and, furthermore, that this parson was publishing sermons under the name of Hamlet's exhumed jester, the sincerity of Sterne towards his vocation was questioned-if not flatly denied. This immediate reticence and indignation has expanded and persisted. The stumbling blocks are two: bawdy fiction is not fitting from a priest; and, the sermons, full of plagiarism, lack evangelical heat. The aim of this dissertation is to review the contexts of mid-eighteenth century Anglican homiletics with reference to Sterne's oeuvres. Once we understand what was expected from the pulpit in content and style, we are equipped to observe ways in which Steme strove to meet those expectations. To date no published work has responsibly considered his much-alleged plagiarism. This is rectified, and the evidence unveils an interested and very capable sermon-writer. We then consider Sterne's fictions. That, alongside ribaldry, the first volumes of Tristram contain an entire sermon has led some to conclude Steme was mocking religion. On the contrary, tracing themes of the homilies through both novels we come to appreciate an intended reciprocity between the works. Of interest in this regard is Sterne's engagement with fideistic scepticism, and the manner in which he developed his parabolic contribution to this tradition of faithful, learned ignorance. I suggest that, far from the buffoonery of a snickering prankster, Sterne's fiction represents the elements of his orthodox sermons within a provocative and curiously accessible mode. As such, his canon has integrity. He lusted earnestly, and endeavoured carefully that these little books might stand instead of many bigger books', and his hope was that they would do us good. E-Thesis Religious history. 31 12 2003 2003-12-31 COLLEGE NANME History COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Doctoral Ph.D 2018-08-02T16:24:29.5873977 2018-08-02T16:24:29.5873977 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Culture and Communication - History James Sladen Gow NULL 1 0042536-02082018162502.pdf 10805285.pdf 2018-08-02T16:25:02.2230000 Output 14594034 application/pdf E-Thesis true 2018-08-02T16:25:02.2230000 false
title Context of Sterne's Sermons.
spellingShingle Context of Sterne's Sermons.
James Sladen Gow
title_short Context of Sterne's Sermons.
title_full Context of Sterne's Sermons.
title_fullStr Context of Sterne's Sermons.
title_full_unstemmed Context of Sterne's Sermons.
title_sort Context of Sterne's Sermons.
author_id_str_mv 0122b23dc657b44616e19bebbe9b0d6e
author_id_fullname_str_mv 0122b23dc657b44616e19bebbe9b0d6e_***_James Sladen Gow
author James Sladen Gow
author2 James Sladen Gow
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2003
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Culture and Communication - History{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Culture and Communication - History
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description As soon as the reading public realized that the much-enjoyed first volumes of Tristram Shandy were written by a priest and, furthermore, that this parson was publishing sermons under the name of Hamlet's exhumed jester, the sincerity of Sterne towards his vocation was questioned-if not flatly denied. This immediate reticence and indignation has expanded and persisted. The stumbling blocks are two: bawdy fiction is not fitting from a priest; and, the sermons, full of plagiarism, lack evangelical heat. The aim of this dissertation is to review the contexts of mid-eighteenth century Anglican homiletics with reference to Sterne's oeuvres. Once we understand what was expected from the pulpit in content and style, we are equipped to observe ways in which Steme strove to meet those expectations. To date no published work has responsibly considered his much-alleged plagiarism. This is rectified, and the evidence unveils an interested and very capable sermon-writer. We then consider Sterne's fictions. That, alongside ribaldry, the first volumes of Tristram contain an entire sermon has led some to conclude Steme was mocking religion. On the contrary, tracing themes of the homilies through both novels we come to appreciate an intended reciprocity between the works. Of interest in this regard is Sterne's engagement with fideistic scepticism, and the manner in which he developed his parabolic contribution to this tradition of faithful, learned ignorance. I suggest that, far from the buffoonery of a snickering prankster, Sterne's fiction represents the elements of his orthodox sermons within a provocative and curiously accessible mode. As such, his canon has integrity. He lusted earnestly, and endeavoured carefully that these little books might stand instead of many bigger books', and his hope was that they would do us good.
published_date 2003-12-31T05:46:13Z
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score 11.089469

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