| Author |
Newman, John Henry, 1801-1890 |
| Commentator |
Egan, Maurice Francis, 1852-1924 |
| Title |
The Dream of Gerontius
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 76.9 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
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| Credits |
Andrew Sly, Christopher Wright, Al Haines and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
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| Summary |
"The Dream of Gerontius" by John Henry Newman is a poetic work written during the late 19th century, specifically in the Victorian era. This notable poem explores the journey of a soul after death, reflecting on the themes of mortality, judgment, and divine mercy. It presents a deeply spiritual and meditative exploration of the afterlife, drawing heavily from the theology of the Catholic Church. The poem unfolds as Gerontius, an elderly man on the brink of death, experiences a profound transition from life to the afterlife. As he nears his demise, he calls upon friends to pray for him while he grapples with the fear of nothingness. Once he passes away, his soul is guided by a guardian angel and encounters various supernatural beings, including demons who mock his mortal plight. Ultimately, Gerontius finds himself before God for judgment. The poem culminates with his acceptance of his penance in purgatory, emphasizing themes of hope and the redemptive power of love and prayer. Throughout, Newman’s lyrical language heightens the emotional depth of this exploration of faith in the face of death and the promise of divine mercy. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
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| Subject |
Christian poetry, English -- 19th century
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
48927 |
| Release Date |
May 10, 2015 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Oct 29, 2021 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
249 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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