
God of Rescue
John Berryman and Christianity
Tom Rogers(Author)
Peter Lang Verlag
Published on 9. March 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
424 pages
978-3-03910-748-3 (ISBN)
Description
John Berryman (1914-1972) was one of the most important American poets and men of letters of the twentieth century. A major preoccupation of his work was his life-long quest for religious truth, in particular, his critical investigations into the claims of his lost Christian faith - a faith he portrays as being extinguished at the age of twelve by his father's suicide, but dramatically reawakened four decades later by his encounter in the alcoholics' ward with the 'God of Rescue'.
This book constitutes the first full-length study to be published on this important, yet often neglected, aspect of Berryman's writings. The author establishes a narrative of conflict and conversion in Berryman's poetry, which explores the mysterious relationship between grace and free will, and the limits both of the will and of belief that the poet encounters in the face of human suffering and the existence of evil. The closely researched commentary takes the reader from Berryman's largely uncharted early verse through to The Dream Songs and his final 'post-conversion' poetry. Drawing on many previously unpublished writings by Berryman, the author demonstrates how the poet's religious experiences and research are crucial for an informed interpretation of this often challenging body of work.
More details
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Peter Lang Group AG, International Academic Publishers
Edition type
New edition
Dimensions
Height: 225 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
609 gr
ISBN-13
978-3-03910-748-3 (9783039107483)
DOI
10.3726/978-3-0353-0104-5
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
04/2011
250th Edition
Peter Lang Verlag
€115.89
Available for download
Person
Tom Rogers was awarded his PhD by the University of Sheffield for a thesis on John Berryman. He has lectured in English literature at the Universities of Sheffield, Derby and Sheffield Hallam, and is currently Head of English at University Centre Peterborough.
Content
Contents: The Early Poetry (1937-48) - Berryman's Sonnets - Homage to Mistress Bradstreet - The Dream Songs - 'God of Rescue': Love & Fame, Recovery and Delusions.