Eminent Victorians

Eminent Victorians is a book written by Lytton Strachey, a British writer and critic, first published in 1918. The book is a collection of biographical essays that examine the lives of four prominent figures from the Victorian era: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Dr. Arnold, and General Gordon. Strachey's approach to biography was unconventional for its time, as he sought to demythologize and humanize his subjects, rather than glorify them. He uses a witty and irreverent tone, often poking fun at the hypocrisy and absurdity of Victorian society. The first essay, on Cardinal Manning, explores his journey from Anglicanism to Catholicism and his role in the Catholic Church's struggle for power in Victorian England. The second essay, on Florence Nightingale, examines her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War and her later efforts to reform healthcare in Britain. The third essay, on Dr. Arnold, discusses his tenure as headmaster of Rugby School and his influence on the education system in Britain. The final essay, on General Gordon, recounts his military career and his controversial role in the Sudanese War. Eminent Victorians was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and is considered a landmark work in the development of modern biography. Strachey's approach to biography, which emphasized psychological insight and a critical perspective, would influence generations of writers and historians.1918. The famous biographer of the Victorians, Strachey was one of the leading members of the Bloomsbury group. Eminent Victorians is a groundbreaking work of biography that raised the genre to the level of high art. It replaced reverence with skepticism and Strachey's wit, iconoclasm, and narrative skill liberated the biographical enterprise. His portraits of Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Thomas Arnold, and General Gordon changed perceptions of the Victorians for a generation. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.