Hadrian the Seventh (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Historical NovelBy Frederick Rolfe
Length14h 55m
About this audiobook
Frederick Rolfe's Hadrian the Seventh (1904) is a singular fantasy of ecclesiastical power, psychological revenge, and spiritual self-fashioning. Its hero, George Arthur Rose, an impoverished Englishman denied the priesthood, is unexpectedly elevated to the papacy and becomes Hadrian VII. Written in a richly mannered, baroque prose, the novel mingles Catholic ceremonial, political speculation, satire, and Decadent self-dramatization, standing at an eccentric angle to Edwardian fiction and anticipating later explorations of identity, authority, and authorial mythmaking. Rolfe, who styled himself Baron Corvo, was himself a convert to Roman Catholicism, a disappointed aspirant to the priesthood, and a writer marked by poverty, quarrels, exile, and fierce resentment of institutions that rejected him. Hadrian the Seventh is therefore inseparable from his life: it transforms personal frustration into an audacious imaginative triumph, recasting exclusion as providential election and private grievance as universal judgment. This book is recommended to readers interested in literary Catholicism, fin-de-siècle eccentricity, and novels in which style and personality are inseparable. It is not merely a curiosity, but a brilliant, unsettling work of wish-fulfilment, satire, and spiritual ambition.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreGeneral Fiction, Humor
Length14 hrs 55 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateApr 17, 2020
LanguageEnglish
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