George Eliot, Strauss's Life of Jesus

Gisela Argyle (York University)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.07: English Writing and Culture of the Victorian Period, 1837-1901.
Vol. editors: Gillian Fenwick (University of Toronto), Jessica E. Gossling (Goldsmiths College, University of London), Grace Moore (University of Otago)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1846

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Translation

Resources

The article below treats George Eliot’s translations of both Strauss’s Life of Jesus and Feuerbach’s Essence of Christianity.

In Victorian narratives of a crisis of faith (both factual and fictive), German biblical criticism, or higher criticism – most importantly Strauss’s Life of Jesus – is usually cited as one of its two main causes, the other being scientific knowledge. Further causes cited are ethical qualms about Old Testament morality and about Christian doctrines, such as atonement, and disillusionment with worldly or hypocritical clergy, such as we meet in Anthony Trollope’s Barchester Towers (1857) where the cosmopolitan young Bertie Stanhope wickedly shocks the chancellor by announcing to an assembly of conservative clergymen that Englishmen could learn from German professors (Trollope 1983, p. 90; vol. 1, ch. 11). The chancellor’s sentiments match those of Dr E.B. Pusey,...

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3056 words

Citation: Argyle, Gisela. "Strauss's Life of Jesus". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 05 November 2010 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1838, accessed 09 June 2026.]

George Eliot, Strauss's Life of Jesus

Dates

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