'We have heard much of the rage of fanaticism in
former days, but nothing to this' A wretched young man,
'an outcast in the world', tells the story of his
upbringing by a heretical Calvinist minister who leads
him to believe that he is one of the elect, predestined
for salvation and thus above the moral law. Falling
under the spell of a mysterious stranger who bears an
uncanny likeness to himself, he embarks on a career as a
serial murderer. Robert Wringhim's Memoirs are presented
by an editor whose attempts to explain the story only
succeed in intensifying its more baffling and bizarre
aspects. Is Wringhim the victim of a psychotic delusion,
or has he been tempted by the devil to wage war against
God's enemies? Hogg's sardonic and terrifying novel, too
perverse for nineteenth-century taste, is now recognized
as one of the masterpieces of Romantic fiction. The
first edition text of 1824 has been freshly considered
for this new edition. A critical introduction explores
the remarkable career of the novel's author and its
historical, theological, and cultural contexts.ABOUT THE
SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has
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around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects
Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most
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including expert introductions by leading authorities,
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bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
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