John Keble had an immense influence on nineteenth-century literature and
culture. A founding figure of the Oxford Movement, he was mythologized
as the living embodiment of Christian ideals. His 1827 volume of verse
The Christian Year was the best-selling book of poetry in the Victorian
era while his lectures as Oxford Professor of Poetry were highly
influential. Those indebted to his ideas include figures as diverse as
John Henry Newman, Christina Rossetti and Alfred Tennyson.
Despite his evident importance, Keble's social, political and cultural
impacts on his times have, until recently, been significantly
underestimated. This interdisciplinary volume is a major contribution to
our understanding of the importance of Keble's life and work. It
provides an entirely fresh perspective on Keble's writings, bringing
critical work on Keble into the twenty-first century, in particular,
demonstrating the importance of his contribution to nineteenth-century
literature, politics and theology. Including works by a number of
prominent scholars, 'John Keble in Context' provides a wide range of
perspectives on Keble's place in politics and religion, his writings and
his influence on his literary heirs and successors. This unique and
timely volume offers the first major reassessment of Keble's work for
several decades, and a comprehensive introduction to this key figure.
John Keble in Context will appeal to students of Victorian literature,
history, religion and culture.