Vocation and time in Rumer Godden’s In This House of Brede

Rumer Godden’s 1969 novel, In This House of Brede, transcends linear time in its account of a divinely inspired vocation. As Brede relates the events surrounding a monastery of Roman Catholic nuns, the novel’s blending of past, present, and future—along with an indeterminate beginning and open-ended...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Christianity & literature
Main Author: Pierson, Marisa (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Johns Hopkins University Press [2015]
In: Christianity & literature
RelBib Classification:CD Christianity and Culture
KBF British Isles
KCA Monasticism; religious orders
TK Recent history
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Summary:Rumer Godden’s 1969 novel, In This House of Brede, transcends linear time in its account of a divinely inspired vocation. As Brede relates the events surrounding a monastery of Roman Catholic nuns, the novel’s blending of past, present, and future—along with an indeterminate beginning and open-ended conclusion—reflects the connection between eternity and temporality experienced in a religious vocation. Drawing upon the narratological theories of 20th-century philosopher Paul Ricoeur, this article argues that Brede’s time-transcending structure creates a realistic and captivating narrative that invites readers to engage in the action of the novel as its story of Christian vocation unfolds.
ISSN:2056-5666
Contains:Enthalten in: Christianity & literature
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0148333115587869