Robert Elsmere
- First published
- 1888
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Price
- Free
About the book
"Robert Elsmere" by Mrs. Humphry Ward is a novel published in 1888. It follows an Oxford clergyman who encounters German rationalist writings that shake his faith in Anglican doctrine. Rather than embracing atheism or Catholicism, he pursues a new path of social work among the poor. The novel sparked intense controversy in Victorian England, where religious doubt was taboo, becoming an immediate bestseller that sold over a million copies and provoked a famous critical response from Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone himself.
- Religious fiction
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #24898. Robert Elsmere on Wikipedia.
