About the book
At the close of the eighteenth century, Timothy Dwight — poet, clergyman, and, later, president of Yale College — waged a literary and intellectual war against the forces of “infidelity.” The Devil and Doctor Dwight reexamines this episode by focusing on The Triumph of Infidelity (1788), the verse satire that launched Dwight’s campaign and, Colin Wells argues, the key to recovering the deeper meaning of the threat of infidelity in the early years of the American Republic. The book also features the first modern, annotated edition of this important but long-overlooked poem.
Modeled after Alexander Pope’s satiric masterpiece, the Dunciad, Dwight’s poem took aim at a number of his contemporaries, but its principal target was Congregationalist Charles Chauncy, author of a controversial treatise asserting “the salvation of all men.” To Dwight’s mind, a belief in universal salvation issued from the same naive faith in innate human virtue and inevitable progress that governed all forms of Enlightenment thought, political as well as religious. Indeed, in subsequent works he traced with increasing dismay a shift in the idea of universal salvation from a theological doctrine to a political belief and symbol of American national identity. In this light, Dwight’s campaign against infidelity must also be seen as an early and prescient critique of the ideological underpinnings of Jeffersonian democracy.
Editions of The Devil and Doctor Dwight
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807827154
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807853832
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890875037
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469601083
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807839058
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890875020
Read an Excerpt
At the close of the eighteenth century, Timothy Dwight — poet, clergyman, and, later, president of Yale College — waged a literary and intellectual war against the forces of “infidelity.” The Devil and Doctor Dwight reexamines this episode by focusing on The Triumph of Infidelity (1788), the verse satire that launched Dwight’s campaign and, Colin Wells argues, the key to recovering the deeper meaning of the threat of infidelity in the early years of the American Republic. The book also features the first modern, annotated edition of this important but long-overlooked poem.
Modeled after Alexander Pope’s satiric masterpiece, the Dunciad, Dwight’s poem took aim at a number of his contemporaries, but its principal target was Congregationalist Charles Chauncy, author of a controversial treatise asserting “the salvation of all men.” To Dwight’s mind, a belief in universal salvation issued from the same naive faith in innate human virtue and inevitable progress that governed all forms of Enlightenment thought, political as well as religious. Indeed, in subsequent works he traced with increasing dismay a shift in the idea of universal salvation from a theological doctrine to a political belief and symbol of American national identity. In this light, Dwight’s campaign against infidelity must also be seen as an early and prescient critique of the ideological underpinnings of Jeffersonian democracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Devil and Doctor Dwight about?
At the close of the eighteenth century, Timothy Dwight — poet, clergyman, and, later, president of Yale College — waged a literary and intellectual war against the forces of “infidelity.” The Devil and Doctor Dwight reexamines this episode by focusing on The Triumph of Infidelity (1788), the verse satire that launched Dwight’s campaign and, Colin Wells argues, the key to recovering the deeper meaning of the threat of infidelity in the early years of the American Republic. The book also features the first modern, annotated edition of this important but long-overlooked poem.
Modeled after Alexander Pope’s satiric masterpiece, the Dunciad, Dwight’s poem took aim at a number of his contemporaries, but its principal target was Congregationalist Charles Chauncy, author of a controversial treatise asserting “the salvation of all men.” To Dwight’s mind, a belief in universal salvation issued from the same naive faith in innate human virtue and inevitable progress that governed all forms of Enlightenment thought, political as well as religious. Indeed, in subsequent works he traced with increasing dismay a shift in the idea of universal salvation from a theological doctrine to a political belief and symbol of American national identity. In this light, Dwight’s campaign against infidelity must also be seen as an early and prescient critique of the ideological underpinnings of Jeffersonian democracy.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Devil and Doctor Dwight?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism
Where can I read a sample of The Devil and Doctor Dwight?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807827154
How long is The Devil and Doctor Dwight and how many pages does it have?
The Devil and Doctor Dwight has 272 page(s)
Is The Devil and Doctor Dwight part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Devil and Doctor Dwight?
Colin Wells
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Devil and Doctor Dwight is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807827154) and paperback(ISBN 9780807853832) and ebook(ISBN 9798890875037) and ebook(ISBN 9781469601083) and ebook(ISBN 9780807839058) and pdf(ISBN 9798890875020)
Where can I buy The Devil and Doctor Dwight online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Devil and Doctor Dwight from below
Where can I buy The Devil and Doctor Dwight?