Church and Stage in Victorian England [Hardcover]

This 1997 book explores the process of reconciliation between the Church of England and the theatre during the reign of Queen Victoria.Queen Victoria was both Supreme Head of the Church of England and an ardent play-goer. At the beginning of her reign considerable antagonism existed between the church and the theatre, but by the end the reconciliation was almost complete. This book explores the process in terms of trends in religious thought (the Oxford Movement and Christian-Socialism), other contemporary developments such as urbanisation, education and women's emancipation and the principal protagonists: clergymen, dramatists, actors and actresses.Queen Victoria was both Supreme Head of the Church of England and an ardent play-goer. At the beginning of her reign considerable antagonism existed between the church and the theatre, but by the end the reconciliation was almost complete. This book explores the process in terms of trends in religious thought (the Oxford Movement and Christian-Socialism), other contemporary developments such as urbanisation, education and women's emancipation and the principal protagonists: clergymen, dramatists, actors and actresses.Queen Victoria was both Supreme Head of the Church of England and an ardent playgoer. At the beginning of her reign considerable antagonism existed between the Church and the theater, but by the end the reconciliation was almost complete. This book explores the process in terms of trends in religious thought (the Oxford Movement and Christian-Socialism), other contemporary developments such as urbanization, education and women's emancipation and the principal protagonists: clergymen, dramatists, actors and actresses.List of illustrations; Acknowledgements; Introit; 1. Heralds of change; 2. Censure and censorship; 3. Two professions; 4. Clerical attitudes; 5 Self-improvement; 6. Shakespeare; 7. From Passion Play to pantomime; 8. The ancient universities; 9. Actresses; 10. Headlam, hell and Hole; 11. Henry ArtlÓ!