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''The Damnation of Theron Ware'' (published in England as ''Illumination'') is an 1896 novel by American author Harold Frederic. It is widely considered a classic of American literature by scholars and critics, though the common reader often has not heard of it. The novel reveals a great deal about early 20th century provincial America, religious life, and the depressed state of intellectual and artistic culture in small towns. It is similar to Samuel Butler's ''The Way of All Flesh'' and Sinclair Lewis's ''Elmer Gantry''. It is written in a realistic style. The novel centers on the life of a Methodist pastor named Theron Ware who has recently moved to a fictional small town in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, which Frederic modeled after Utica, New York. A promising young pastor recently married, Theron has a number of experiences that cause him to begin to question the Methodist religion, his role as a minister and even the very existence of God. His moral decline (or illumination) is heightened through his dealings with Father Forbes, the town's Catholic priest; Dr. Ledsmar, a local atheist, philosopher, and man of science; and Celia Madden, a local Irish Catholic girl, a species of aesthete, with whom Theron becomes hopelessly infatuated. In the end, these three "advanced" characters find Theron a bore, and tell him so. He goes on a binge, and is saved by Brother and Sister Soulsby, common-sensical fund-raisers for Methodist congregations. Their feet are on the ground, and they pack Theron and his wife off to the new state of Washington, where—who knows?--he might end up in politics. The name "Theron Ware" was later used by author James Blish for his "villain" in the novel ''Black Easter''. In this novel Ware brings about the death of God and the triumph of Satan. The book was adapted into a play in 1979 by a Troy University theatre professor and produced by the school's drama department. ==Characters== * Theron Ware – A Methodist minister who begins to question his faith when he is faced with people who live and work outside of his faith. * Alice Ware – Theron's wife. They met and were married very quickly and later fell into debt. While Theron forgave himself about the debt, Alice was still upset about it. * Abram Beekman – A man from Tyre who gave the Wares a loan so they could "start over". * Loren Pierce – Octavius trustee who "does not know how to smile". He is very anti-Irish Catholic. * Erastus Winch – Octavius trustee. Very smart yet tight with money. * Levi Gorringe – Octavius trustee. A nonreligious no non-sense lawyer who probably has a drinking problem. He became good friends with Alice and later becomes a member of the Methodist parish. * Mr. MacEvoy – Worker at a wagon shop who is injured and issued his last rites by Father Forbes. * Father Vincent Forbes – An Irish Catholic priest in Octavius. * Celia Madden – Daughter of the wagon-shop owner and organist at the Catholic Church, although she is not Catholic and believes in the Greek philosophy. * Dr. Ledsmar – An elderly nonreligious scientist and expert of Assyriology. * Jeremiah Madden – Octavius' richest citizen with many children, including Celia. * Candace Soulsby – A debt-raiser who uses outlandish activities to raise money for churches. * Brother Soulsby – Sister Soulsby's husband. * Erastus Winch – Pledged money to the Methodist church but was unable to pay. His case was voted on by the trustees. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Damnation of Theron Ware」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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