
The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler is a novel that follows the life of Ernest Pontifex, a young man who challenges religious and academic assumptions, reflecting the society of the Victorian era. The story explores the struggles of the Pontifex family over four generations, focusing on characters like Ernest, his parents, and his godfather who plays a significant role in his financial inheritance. The book is a satirical and philosophical commentary on Victorian society, presenting a sarcastic indictment of various aspects of the era.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for The Way of All Flesh include themes of parental neglect, psychological trauma, religious scrutiny, and societal hypocrisy, reflecting the struggles faced by the protagonist.
From The Publisher:
A semi-autobiographical novel that attacks Victorian era hypocrisy as it traces four generations of the Pontifex family. Butler dared not publish it during his lifetime, but when it was published, it was accepted as part of the general revulsion against Victorianism.
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About the Author:
Samuel Butler, the freethinking Victorian whom George Bernard Shaw deemed 'the greatest English writer of the latter half of the nineteenth century,' was born on December 4, 1835, at Langar Rectory near Bingham, Nottinghamshire. The son of an Anglican clergyman,…
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