Routledge - Spaces of the Sacred and Profane Book

Explore the complex relationship between religion and society in Victorian England through this scholarly study. This book examines how Charles Dickens and Anthony Trollope use the setting of the cathedral town to address the pressing issues of their era. By focusing on these specific locations, these authors move social critiques away from the metropolis to provide a new perspective on urban life. Readers will find a deep analysis of how the enclosure of cathedral towns serves as a way to examine religious attitudes, aesthetic anxieties, and business practices. The text looks at how the connection between the sacred and the secular allows for a unique critique of Victorian culture, including topics like immigration. This work is an essential resource for those interested in literary criticism and cultural theory, offering a way to understand how social authors defamiliarize urban problems through specific historical settings.