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St. Elmo
Late nineteenth century novel by Augusta Jane Evans, Mrs Wilson, who was an American novelist, born in Columbus, Georgia.
500 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1866
About the author
Augusta Jane Evans
17 books5 followersAugusta Jane Wilson, or Augusta Evans Wilson, (May 8, 1835 – May 9, 1909) was an American Southern author and one of the pillars of Southern literature. She wrote nine novels: Inez (1850), Beulah (1859), Macaria (1863), St. Elmo (1866), Vashti (1869), Infelice (1875), At the Mercy of Tiberius (1887), A Speckled Bird (1902), and Devota (1907). Given her support for the Confederate States of America from the perspective of a Southern patriot, and her literary activities during the American Civil War, she can be deemed as having contributed decisively to the literary and cultural development of the Confederacy in particular, and of the South in general, as a civilization.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 9, 2018
Yikes! I would have liked to finish this novel, just so I could say I read all the books on my Women Writers Challenge, but it just ain’t gonna happen. A mere 100 pages in on this 522 page work and I have had to endure:
The souls of our dead need not the aid of Sandalphon to interpret the whispers that rise tremulously from the world of sin and wrestling, that float up among the stars, through the gates of pearl, down the golden streets of New Jerusalem.
and:
In delirious visions she saw her grandfather now struggling in the grasp of Phlegyas, and now writhing in the fiery tomb of Uberti, with jets of flame leaping through his white hair, and his shrunken hands stretched appealingly toward her, as she had seen those of the doom Ghibelline leader, in the hideous Dante picture.
Finally:
Symmetrical and grand as that temple of Juno, in shrouded Pompeii, whose polished shafts gleamed centuries ago in the morning sunshine of a day of woe, whose untimely night has endured for nineteen hundred years, so, in the glorious flush of his youth, this man had stood facing a noble and possibly a sanctified future…
Well, you get the gist. It goes on and on this way and at no point do you care a pittance what happens to any of the characters introduced here. As a matter of fact, the heroine prays around page 25 that the Lord will see fit to take her from her woeful lot, and I devoutly wished he would.
I suspect the point in writing this book was to display for the world the author’s considerable knowledge of Classical references and demonstrate the extent of her Classical education. I can sympathize. What else was she to do with it? I will not read the rest of the book to prove this point--but I’m betting I could tell you precisely what happens to the main character and the gentleman that she finds so crude and unkind on first encounter. I don’t see much in the way of originality or creativity on display here.
I am calling the challenge done, writing this book off as a bad idea, and moving on to something I hope will be infinitely better. After all, there are William Gay’s and Lee Smith’s that I have yet to read!
BTW, Amazon, I want my 99-cents back.
The souls of our dead need not the aid of Sandalphon to interpret the whispers that rise tremulously from the world of sin and wrestling, that float up among the stars, through the gates of pearl, down the golden streets of New Jerusalem.
and:
In delirious visions she saw her grandfather now struggling in the grasp of Phlegyas, and now writhing in the fiery tomb of Uberti, with jets of flame leaping through his white hair, and his shrunken hands stretched appealingly toward her, as she had seen those of the doom Ghibelline leader, in the hideous Dante picture.
Finally:
Symmetrical and grand as that temple of Juno, in shrouded Pompeii, whose polished shafts gleamed centuries ago in the morning sunshine of a day of woe, whose untimely night has endured for nineteen hundred years, so, in the glorious flush of his youth, this man had stood facing a noble and possibly a sanctified future…
Well, you get the gist. It goes on and on this way and at no point do you care a pittance what happens to any of the characters introduced here. As a matter of fact, the heroine prays around page 25 that the Lord will see fit to take her from her woeful lot, and I devoutly wished he would.
I suspect the point in writing this book was to display for the world the author’s considerable knowledge of Classical references and demonstrate the extent of her Classical education. I can sympathize. What else was she to do with it? I will not read the rest of the book to prove this point--but I’m betting I could tell you precisely what happens to the main character and the gentleman that she finds so crude and unkind on first encounter. I don’t see much in the way of originality or creativity on display here.
I am calling the challenge done, writing this book off as a bad idea, and moving on to something I hope will be infinitely better. After all, there are William Gay’s and Lee Smith’s that I have yet to read!
BTW, Amazon, I want my 99-cents back.
January 6, 2016
ST. ELMO, by Augusta Evans Wilson, was written in 1866. ST. ELMO was the third bestselling novel (after BEN HUR and UNCLE TOM'S CABIN) in the 19th century, equivalent in popularity to the 20th century novel GONE WITH THE WIND. In fact, according to Margaret Mitchell's biography, Rhett Butler was modeled after St. Elmo Murray. The book inspired plays and was adapted to film in 1923. The ST. ELMO silent film starred John Gilbert and Bessie Love.
The story begins at the foot of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (Today that part of Chattanooga is named after the book.) "Edna Earl" is an orphan of humble means living with her grandfather. Early one morning, Edna stumbles upon a duel in which a man is killed near her home. Having witnessed the duel from beginning to end, she is permanently traumatized by the incident. The victim's body is laid out in her house. When the victim's wife comes to see the body, she dies from the shock.
Edna Earl is horrified by the damage that the senseless duel has caused. Meanwhile, Edna adores her grandfather, who is a blacksmith. One day on the way to her grandfather's shop, she encounters a gruff, arrogant man who is in need of a blacksmith to replace a horse shoe. Edna directs him to her grandfather's shop. The man is impatient, swearing as he waits for her grandfather to finish the job. As the man rides away, Edna's grandfather says to her: "He is a rude, blasphemous man." Edna notices that "the rude blasphemous man" drops a book by mistake as he rides away in haste. The book is a leather-bound copy of DANTE with the initials SEM inside the flap. Edna learns to treasure the book for its text and illustrations.
When her grandfather dies unexpectedly, Edna tries to make it on her own. Just 13-years-old, she boards a train bound for Georgia. The train wrecks. Many die but Edna survives and is rescued by one of the locals, "Ellen Murray," a wealthy widow. Edna begins to recover under the widow's care. The two bond and Mrs. Murray decides to raise the orphan, as if she were her own child. Then, something happens that shatters Edna's contentment. Mrs. Murray's son arrives home.
Edna hears his harsh voice in the next room and realizes that he is "the rude blasphemous man" who disrespected her beloved grandfather. She returns his copy of DANTE at the first opportunity, realizing that the initials SEM stand for "St. Elmo Murray."
Throughout the rest of the novel, Edna Earl is torn between loathing and loving St. Elmo. “He’s like a rattlesnake that crawls in his own track, and bites everything that meddles or crosses his trail.” But in time, Edna is “disquieted and pained to discover” in “his bronzed face . . . an attraction–an indescribable fascination–which she had found nowhere else.”
The conflict between the protagonists centers around dueling, a common practice in Augusta Evans day. But the sub-theme--feminism vs. anti-feminism--is the theme that catches the modern reader's attention. When I say "feminism," I don't feminism as we define it today. The book was written long before women had the right to vote. So while "Edna Earl" disapproves of women in politics, she believes that men and women are intellectual equals and approves of women with literary careers.
The book is filled with explosive, romantic tension that just won't quit. The characters are not particularly realistic. Instead, they are larger than life, and that's what makes the book fun to read. However, ST. ELMO is not easy reading. You will find allusions to mythology mind-boggling at times, but if you like character-driven novels, you won't be able to put it down. You have to read it more than once to truly appreciate this book. Parts of the book are hilarious, but you might miss the humor the first time around. Much of it is tongue in cheek.
ST. ELMO is enjoying a resurgence of popularity today. Deadra Lore of St. Augustine, Florida, is writing a ST. ELMO study guide that explains the foreign expressions, mythical references, and difficult words peppered throughout the story. Several years ago, filmmaker Robert Clem created a docudrama called "The Passion of Miss Augusta," which highlights scenes from ST. ELMO and compares the fictional "Edna Earl" with her creator, Augusta Evans. He explores the feminist side of Augusta Evans with riveting drama and insight.
The story begins at the foot of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (Today that part of Chattanooga is named after the book.) "Edna Earl" is an orphan of humble means living with her grandfather. Early one morning, Edna stumbles upon a duel in which a man is killed near her home. Having witnessed the duel from beginning to end, she is permanently traumatized by the incident. The victim's body is laid out in her house. When the victim's wife comes to see the body, she dies from the shock.
Edna Earl is horrified by the damage that the senseless duel has caused. Meanwhile, Edna adores her grandfather, who is a blacksmith. One day on the way to her grandfather's shop, she encounters a gruff, arrogant man who is in need of a blacksmith to replace a horse shoe. Edna directs him to her grandfather's shop. The man is impatient, swearing as he waits for her grandfather to finish the job. As the man rides away, Edna's grandfather says to her: "He is a rude, blasphemous man." Edna notices that "the rude blasphemous man" drops a book by mistake as he rides away in haste. The book is a leather-bound copy of DANTE with the initials SEM inside the flap. Edna learns to treasure the book for its text and illustrations.
When her grandfather dies unexpectedly, Edna tries to make it on her own. Just 13-years-old, she boards a train bound for Georgia. The train wrecks. Many die but Edna survives and is rescued by one of the locals, "Ellen Murray," a wealthy widow. Edna begins to recover under the widow's care. The two bond and Mrs. Murray decides to raise the orphan, as if she were her own child. Then, something happens that shatters Edna's contentment. Mrs. Murray's son arrives home.
Edna hears his harsh voice in the next room and realizes that he is "the rude blasphemous man" who disrespected her beloved grandfather. She returns his copy of DANTE at the first opportunity, realizing that the initials SEM stand for "St. Elmo Murray."
Throughout the rest of the novel, Edna Earl is torn between loathing and loving St. Elmo. “He’s like a rattlesnake that crawls in his own track, and bites everything that meddles or crosses his trail.” But in time, Edna is “disquieted and pained to discover” in “his bronzed face . . . an attraction–an indescribable fascination–which she had found nowhere else.”
The conflict between the protagonists centers around dueling, a common practice in Augusta Evans day. But the sub-theme--feminism vs. anti-feminism--is the theme that catches the modern reader's attention. When I say "feminism," I don't feminism as we define it today. The book was written long before women had the right to vote. So while "Edna Earl" disapproves of women in politics, she believes that men and women are intellectual equals and approves of women with literary careers.
The book is filled with explosive, romantic tension that just won't quit. The characters are not particularly realistic. Instead, they are larger than life, and that's what makes the book fun to read. However, ST. ELMO is not easy reading. You will find allusions to mythology mind-boggling at times, but if you like character-driven novels, you won't be able to put it down. You have to read it more than once to truly appreciate this book. Parts of the book are hilarious, but you might miss the humor the first time around. Much of it is tongue in cheek.
ST. ELMO is enjoying a resurgence of popularity today. Deadra Lore of St. Augustine, Florida, is writing a ST. ELMO study guide that explains the foreign expressions, mythical references, and difficult words peppered throughout the story. Several years ago, filmmaker Robert Clem created a docudrama called "The Passion of Miss Augusta," which highlights scenes from ST. ELMO and compares the fictional "Edna Earl" with her creator, Augusta Evans. He explores the feminist side of Augusta Evans with riveting drama and insight.
January 31, 2012
As I started to read this novel, my first inclination was distaste because of it's style, which will be familiar to anyone who reads a lot of 19th Century literature. Once you get past that hurdle (if it is a hurdle for you), it ends up being a novel thta was, for me at least, difficult to put down.
Though written by an author who is extremely pro-Confederacy and published in the year after the Civil War ends, there is little mention of anything around the war. Though "servant" are mentioned on a number of occasions, and are very likely to be servants of color, there is no indication as to status of slave or free among them. The indicators which suggest a postbellum setting are simply an one time mention of a memorial to "thirty Confederates" and the freedom of travel between the South and New York. Otherwise, there is no suggestion of feelings of sectionalism.
The story itself can be read under many views, but I see it as a tale of ambition and how that ambition affects a life. Once the movement of the novel gets into full swing, the first temptation is to read it as a largely feminist work. The protagonist, a young orphan named Edna, sets out with the idea of finding a way to support herself to get an education and then to support herself with that education so she has to accept help from none. She champions, in her attitudes, the right of women to the same education as men, going so far as to be recognized as brighter than a young, rising lawyer whom she is tutored beside. She bows to no desire by others to rule her life and rejects a total of four proposals throughout the novel, most of them made multiple times.
This feminist reading, however, starts to fall flat as one gets later in the novel. The character argues and publishes against the idea of the equality of the sexes and the female right to vote. She sees no place for women in power in business or politics, but firmly supports the traditional role of women in their domestic obligations and their ability to shape the world through those obligations. Further, by the end of the novel, her pioneering of the attitude that no man will decide her life and that she will support herself through her publishing and teaching is gone as she finally gives in and accepts marriage with one of the four men who has proposed and a love for whom she has been struggling against for the last three hundred pages. It is better, perhaps, to suggest in this novel a nuanced feminist message, rather than what at the time would have been a radical one.
The other interesting element of the novel in my mind is the insight into writing and publshing that is given. Taking on the field of literature at the time, it shows the perils of trying to get published and the toll that a rigorous publishing schedule can take on any individual. Perhaps this should be required reading for anyone who wishes to go into academia and seek tenure somewhere.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I might have to read other novels by this author, who was the most monetarily successful female author in the US before Edith Wharton.
Though written by an author who is extremely pro-Confederacy and published in the year after the Civil War ends, there is little mention of anything around the war. Though "servant" are mentioned on a number of occasions, and are very likely to be servants of color, there is no indication as to status of slave or free among them. The indicators which suggest a postbellum setting are simply an one time mention of a memorial to "thirty Confederates" and the freedom of travel between the South and New York. Otherwise, there is no suggestion of feelings of sectionalism.
The story itself can be read under many views, but I see it as a tale of ambition and how that ambition affects a life. Once the movement of the novel gets into full swing, the first temptation is to read it as a largely feminist work. The protagonist, a young orphan named Edna, sets out with the idea of finding a way to support herself to get an education and then to support herself with that education so she has to accept help from none. She champions, in her attitudes, the right of women to the same education as men, going so far as to be recognized as brighter than a young, rising lawyer whom she is tutored beside. She bows to no desire by others to rule her life and rejects a total of four proposals throughout the novel, most of them made multiple times.
This feminist reading, however, starts to fall flat as one gets later in the novel. The character argues and publishes against the idea of the equality of the sexes and the female right to vote. She sees no place for women in power in business or politics, but firmly supports the traditional role of women in their domestic obligations and their ability to shape the world through those obligations. Further, by the end of the novel, her pioneering of the attitude that no man will decide her life and that she will support herself through her publishing and teaching is gone as she finally gives in and accepts marriage with one of the four men who has proposed and a love for whom she has been struggling against for the last three hundred pages. It is better, perhaps, to suggest in this novel a nuanced feminist message, rather than what at the time would have been a radical one.
The other interesting element of the novel in my mind is the insight into writing and publshing that is given. Taking on the field of literature at the time, it shows the perils of trying to get published and the toll that a rigorous publishing schedule can take on any individual. Perhaps this should be required reading for anyone who wishes to go into academia and seek tenure somewhere.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I might have to read other novels by this author, who was the most monetarily successful female author in the US before Edith Wharton.
March 13, 2009
I am for the most part not an avid fan of Novels (especially Romance Novels), however I so far have really enjoyed the work of Augusta Jane Evan Wilson. A Christian woman of the 1800's, she had the vision of educating readers through her writing and not only entertaining them. She strongly believed in the God given sphere for women in the home, was a loyal daughter of the South, and being extremely well read, her books are very wordy as well as entertaining! Though I don't quite agree with all of her views and fancies, her work is very thought provoking and the logic and richness of the dialog is great! I personally like that she stresses the importance of doing one's duty above one's own plans and wishes for self fulfillment, pleasure, and happiness.
Here is one of my favorite quotes from her book St. Elmo (speaking of the convictions of the heroine Edna Earl), "Believing that the intelligent, refined, modest Christian women were the real custodians of national purity, and the sole agents who could arrest the tide of demoralization breaking over the land, she addressed herself to the wives, mothers, and daughters of America; calling upon them to smite their false gods, and purify their shrines at which they worshiped. Jealously she contended for every woman's right which God and nature had decreed her sex. The right to be learned, wise, noble, useful, in woman's divinely limited sphere. The right to influence and exalt the circle in which she moved. The right to mount the sanctified beam of her own quiet hearth-stone; the right to modify and direct her husband's opinion, if he considered her worthy and competent to guide him; the right to make her children ornaments to their nation, and a crown of glory to their race; the right to advise, to plead, to pray; ....the right to be all the phrase 'noble Christian woman' means. But not the right to vote; to harangue from the hustings; to trail her heaven-born purity through the dust and mire of political strife; to ascend the rosta of statesmen, whither she may send a worthy husband, son, or brother, but wither she can never go, without disgracing all womanhood."
Over all really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to get my hands on some more of her works in the future!
Here is one of my favorite quotes from her book St. Elmo (speaking of the convictions of the heroine Edna Earl), "Believing that the intelligent, refined, modest Christian women were the real custodians of national purity, and the sole agents who could arrest the tide of demoralization breaking over the land, she addressed herself to the wives, mothers, and daughters of America; calling upon them to smite their false gods, and purify their shrines at which they worshiped. Jealously she contended for every woman's right which God and nature had decreed her sex. The right to be learned, wise, noble, useful, in woman's divinely limited sphere. The right to influence and exalt the circle in which she moved. The right to mount the sanctified beam of her own quiet hearth-stone; the right to modify and direct her husband's opinion, if he considered her worthy and competent to guide him; the right to make her children ornaments to their nation, and a crown of glory to their race; the right to advise, to plead, to pray; ....the right to be all the phrase 'noble Christian woman' means. But not the right to vote; to harangue from the hustings; to trail her heaven-born purity through the dust and mire of political strife; to ascend the rosta of statesmen, whither she may send a worthy husband, son, or brother, but wither she can never go, without disgracing all womanhood."
Over all really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to get my hands on some more of her works in the future!
September 15, 2009
This is the first book I read by Augusta Evans Wilson. Since then I have collected every book she has ever written. They are all really good.
July 6, 2012
Evans writes an interesting tale of love and redemption, taking place in the latter part of the 19th century. Edna, an orphan, is essentially adopted by a kind-souled woman who lives with her fantastically wealthy son, St. Elmo. The woman, Mrs. Murray, has Edna educated by a kindly old pastor. Edna is a most studious pupil, and learns voraciously. Edna also takes quite an aversion to St. Elmo, who, when he is around, is thoroughly sullen and unsavory. Edna feels it is her call to write and to educate. But before she leaves the guardianship of Mrs. Murray, some important things occur: Edna realizes that she is "in love" with St. Elmo; and she learns of his dark, sinful past. Thus she is caught in a terrible predicament: her heart clings to him, but she knows she should abhor him. She follows her "calling," and becomes a governess and a writer. Edna, however, has been the instrument to start the reformation of St. Elmo. God touched St. Elmo's heart, as he observed the righteous Edna. He loved her, and desired to be worthy of her. Thus he commenced a lengthy repentance and renewal, which culminated in him becoming a minister of the Gospel he had once spurned. And finally, the two are united in marriage.
Evans's themes are lofty, indeed the very highest; i cannot fault her there. She also writes in an exceedingly learned way. Here, I think, is where she errs. Although her allusions and so forth are intellectually stimulating, quite often she becomes almost cumbersomely pedantic. Her characters have this ability to spout off lengthy, obscure bits of poetry and prose from memory; many have multiple languages at their disposal. In this way, her characters are somewhat incredible. The character of Edna, also, is almost too spotless. Despite all that, it's a good story and well worth a read.
August 13, 2013
I had to take a bit of time to accustom myself to the language and the many references, but once settled in and enjoyed this book very much.
I really did not want to put it down or be interrupted!
Some have classed it as a romance, but it is much more than that to me. It speaks loudly to the issues present in those days for women.
It also portrays one man's struggle to overcome his demons. And finally, it is a religious,though not preachy, book in that the main character's
faith is what drives her.
While she is portrayed as a deeply religious woman, she is not without her flaws in reasoning and character which helps make her an interesting
Character to get drawn into.
A good read if you can persevere!
Just as a side note......I live in Mobile, Alabama where Augusta Evans lived. She was prominent in society here helping further medical care and
education. Augusta Evans School is named for her.
I really did not want to put it down or be interrupted!
Some have classed it as a romance, but it is much more than that to me. It speaks loudly to the issues present in those days for women.
It also portrays one man's struggle to overcome his demons. And finally, it is a religious,though not preachy, book in that the main character's
faith is what drives her.
While she is portrayed as a deeply religious woman, she is not without her flaws in reasoning and character which helps make her an interesting
Character to get drawn into.
A good read if you can persevere!
Just as a side note......I live in Mobile, Alabama where Augusta Evans lived. She was prominent in society here helping further medical care and
education. Augusta Evans School is named for her.
June 13, 2012
This is the book that really turned me on to classics. Wordy, flowery language, tons of moralizing, and a heroine who is nauseatingly good...
Beautiful story, much better love story (imho) than a lot of the more modern ones.
Beautiful story, much better love story (imho) than a lot of the more modern ones.
July 7, 2008
If people did go around constantly quoting poetry and great literature, as in this book, there would be less time for anger and hatred.
February 10, 2024
I highly anticipated reading this book; after all, Beulah by the same author was my favorite novel I read in 2022. And thankfully, it didn’t disappoint me. To be sure, this book isn’t for everyone, but if you are sufficiently used to Victorian fiction, it is a must-read.
History/Reception: St. Elmo was written by Augusta Jane Evans (later Wilson), who was already a well-known author after the publication of her three previous books, Inez, Beulah, and Macaria. She was born in Columbus, Georgia, and resided in Alabama. She finished writing St. Elmo at “El Dorado”, the home of her aunt. The residence’s name would later be changed to “St. Elmo”. Evans’s novel was published in 1866 and achieved great popularity. It was so well-known that author Charles Henry Webb wrote a parody entitled “St. Twel’mo”. In the beginning of the 20th century, a few movie adaptations of the novel were filmed.
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Edna Earl lives near Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, with her beloved grandfather Aaron Hunt. Then tragedy strikes, leaving Edna with no living relatives and no choice but to make her own way into the world. Her plans to educate herself while working at a factory in Chattanooga are halted when the train she is on has an accident, temporarily injuring her. A wealthy stranger, Mrs. Murray, kindly takes Edna in so she can get an education. The only thorn in Edna’s placid life is Mrs. Murray’s son, St. Elmo, a wicked, cynical, swearing man. As years pass on, Edna’s repulsion towards him gradually becomes paired with fascination, but until St. Elmo repents of his ways, there is no way they can ever be together.
Characters: Augusta Evans writes amazing characters, and the ones in St. Elmo were no exception. Our protagonist, Edna Earl, is the same sort of female character that Evans uses often: the extremely erudite, proud, and independent orphan. She is less flawed than Beulah Benton, but her character is still intriguing to me, though some might not care for her perfection. And her erudition seemed unrealistic, but I still enjoyed reading about her. At the end of the book, I couldn’t help but think that few modern authors would have dared to write about Edna’s precarious health condition, but I appreciated the realism it added to the story. St. Elmo Murray was another intriguing character from the pen of an author talented at writing heroes–or antiheroes, or redeemed heroes, as the case may be. The minor characters were intriguing and well-done without taking any of the focus away from the main pair. Felix, in particular, was a character I came to love, though I never expected to do so.
Style: The writing style of this book might be my favorite part. Evans’s writing is saturated with detail and feeling. Yes, it’s been called pedantic, and definitely has more obscure classical references than are purely necessary for the story, but to me it is beautiful.
Theme: Not only does this novel contain a well-written romance and lovely prose, it is also full of Christian content. Edna is a devout Christian, and this book also contains a redemption arc as well as themes of not judging someone based on sins that they have since turned from. Other themes include writing, women’s place in society, and women’s place in literature.
History/Reception: St. Elmo was written by Augusta Jane Evans (later Wilson), who was already a well-known author after the publication of her three previous books, Inez, Beulah, and Macaria. She was born in Columbus, Georgia, and resided in Alabama. She finished writing St. Elmo at “El Dorado”, the home of her aunt. The residence’s name would later be changed to “St. Elmo”. Evans’s novel was published in 1866 and achieved great popularity. It was so well-known that author Charles Henry Webb wrote a parody entitled “St. Twel’mo”. In the beginning of the 20th century, a few movie adaptations of the novel were filmed.
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Edna Earl lives near Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, with her beloved grandfather Aaron Hunt. Then tragedy strikes, leaving Edna with no living relatives and no choice but to make her own way into the world. Her plans to educate herself while working at a factory in Chattanooga are halted when the train she is on has an accident, temporarily injuring her. A wealthy stranger, Mrs. Murray, kindly takes Edna in so she can get an education. The only thorn in Edna’s placid life is Mrs. Murray’s son, St. Elmo, a wicked, cynical, swearing man. As years pass on, Edna’s repulsion towards him gradually becomes paired with fascination, but until St. Elmo repents of his ways, there is no way they can ever be together.
Characters: Augusta Evans writes amazing characters, and the ones in St. Elmo were no exception. Our protagonist, Edna Earl, is the same sort of female character that Evans uses often: the extremely erudite, proud, and independent orphan. She is less flawed than Beulah Benton, but her character is still intriguing to me, though some might not care for her perfection. And her erudition seemed unrealistic, but I still enjoyed reading about her. At the end of the book, I couldn’t help but think that few modern authors would have dared to write about Edna’s precarious health condition, but I appreciated the realism it added to the story. St. Elmo Murray was another intriguing character from the pen of an author talented at writing heroes–or antiheroes, or redeemed heroes, as the case may be. The minor characters were intriguing and well-done without taking any of the focus away from the main pair. Felix, in particular, was a character I came to love, though I never expected to do so.
Style: The writing style of this book might be my favorite part. Evans’s writing is saturated with detail and feeling. Yes, it’s been called pedantic, and definitely has more obscure classical references than are purely necessary for the story, but to me it is beautiful.
Theme: Not only does this novel contain a well-written romance and lovely prose, it is also full of Christian content. Edna is a devout Christian, and this book also contains a redemption arc as well as themes of not judging someone based on sins that they have since turned from. Other themes include writing, women’s place in society, and women’s place in literature.
March 11, 2016
Both infuriating and engrossing. I read this first (and last) when I was a teenager, and it's burned into my memory for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, Edna's obsession with classical literature. Yeah, I'm calling it an obsession. Obscure references to tiny details in old lit drag down the plot, but also, I remember being stymied and entranced by all the unknown information. This was what started me down the path of reading classical literature myself. For years, I wanted to be that intense, devoted scholar who would stay up until the wee hours of the morning, studying and learning. It was so romantic (hah!) the way her obsession was described.
Secondly, the passion between Edna and St. Elmo is so goddamn intense. It hit all the right notes for a pubescent girl. They hate each other but can't help but love each other and desire each other passionately. Total Mr. Rochester stuff.
Third...the ending. What a betrayal of feminist ideals. But also....so satisfying to that previously-mentioned pubescent girl. I felt so many conflicting emotions about it.
I'm curious how I would react to this book as an adult.
First and foremost, Edna's obsession with classical literature. Yeah, I'm calling it an obsession. Obscure references to tiny details in old lit drag down the plot, but also, I remember being stymied and entranced by all the unknown information. This was what started me down the path of reading classical literature myself. For years, I wanted to be that intense, devoted scholar who would stay up until the wee hours of the morning, studying and learning. It was so romantic (hah!) the way her obsession was described.
Secondly, the passion between Edna and St. Elmo is so goddamn intense. It hit all the right notes for a pubescent girl. They hate each other but can't help but love each other and desire each other passionately. Total Mr. Rochester stuff.
Third...the ending. What a betrayal of feminist ideals. But also....so satisfying to that previously-mentioned pubescent girl. I felt so many conflicting emotions about it.
I'm curious how I would react to this book as an adult.
November 30, 2019
I would give this book 6 stars if I could. What. A. Ride.
It begins with more tragedy than you'd think one author could think up on her own. It is a ROLLERCOASTER. I mean that in the sense that sometimes rollercoasters crawl slowly up a hill and you think that will never end, but at other times you are thrilled to your core.
The writing is so unnecessarily wordy at times that I found myself laughing and reading passages aloud to my family. In the beginning, I thought I was enjoying this book ironically. By the time I ended this book, I was deeply saddened and realized I was closing one of the best books of my life. The number of times the author uses phrases like "blackened soul" cannot be counted, and she compares the title character to Lucifer in so many creative ways. I cannot recommend this book enough. At times I thought I would never finish it, but now I feel I must read it multiple times before I die. I am being serious, people.
It begins with more tragedy than you'd think one author could think up on her own. It is a ROLLERCOASTER. I mean that in the sense that sometimes rollercoasters crawl slowly up a hill and you think that will never end, but at other times you are thrilled to your core.
The writing is so unnecessarily wordy at times that I found myself laughing and reading passages aloud to my family. In the beginning, I thought I was enjoying this book ironically. By the time I ended this book, I was deeply saddened and realized I was closing one of the best books of my life. The number of times the author uses phrases like "blackened soul" cannot be counted, and she compares the title character to Lucifer in so many creative ways. I cannot recommend this book enough. At times I thought I would never finish it, but now I feel I must read it multiple times before I die. I am being serious, people.
February 13, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed the first three-quarters of this book. St. Elmo and Edna Earl make for a great pair in this romance. St. Elmo in particular is an awesome character and shows one of the greatest transitions from sinner to saint in American literature. This book shows some of the worst tragedies and depravity and sorrow humans can experience, and the heroes persevere through them all. This book also shows a great example of the ideals women ought to strive for.
That said, Edna Earl becomes rather insufferable in the last quarter of the book, and I practically scanned the last tenth in order to get the story done and over with. I highly recommend this old classic with that one caveat.
That said, Edna Earl becomes rather insufferable in the last quarter of the book, and I practically scanned the last tenth in order to get the story done and over with. I highly recommend this old classic with that one caveat.
September 28, 2009
It was an interesting story. Alot of old fashion language and very wordy a normal old fashioned book. Still enjoyed it.
May 27, 2016
"The past is the realm of my heart"
October 24, 2019
This book, first published in 1866, is very long at 440 pages and covers the life story of Edna Earl (“Pearl”) who at age twelve, witnesses a murder by duel. After her grandfather dies, she sets off by train to work in a factory. The train wrecks, she is injured, and the attending physician finds a wealthy widow to take her in. There she receives an education and meets St Elmo Murray, the man who had won the duel (murder), but she disdains him. Eventually becoming a well-known author, she reconnects with St. Elmo and he, now a repentant Christian, finally wins her heart. Set in the mid-1800s American South, this book is a wonderful source of copious details from that time and place. Extremely verbose with innumerable literary and Biblical allusions, it may be difficult for modern readers to fully comprehend or appreciate.
August 31, 2010
It may be worth comparing this extremely successful novel published in 1867 (but largely forgotten today) with the disastrously unsuccessful Pierre, or the Ambiguities which basically destroyed Herman Melville's career as a writer - but is still in print and widely read. Both books have repeated reference to Shakespeare and the Bible, both have a writer as a principal character who travels to New York in an attempt to succeed in the highly competitive literary environment there. Edna Earl, Evans' heroine, is a Tennessean orphan rescued from a train wreck by a wealthy widow in Georgia who has a cynical, world-weary but well-informed and handsome son, St. Elmo Murray. Edna is beautiful, industrious, amiable, pious and talented - she turns down no less than four marriage proposals before St. Elmo finally wins her hand by repenting and becoming a Christian minister. Melville's Pierre seems to be less of a character which antebellum novel readers could identify with. He's a Yankee, not so very talented but very idealistic - so much so that he feels a religious commitment to rescue his newly discovered half-sister Isabel from workhouse bondage by eloping to New York with her - unfortunately alienating his wealthy mother (but not his ex-fiancee, Lucy Tartan, who joins him and Isabel in a menage a trois in Manhatten!) Pierre is a tragedy which explores the sins of a father being visited on the subsequent generation. St. Elmo is a romance filled with zeal to proselyte for Christianity - a Christianity that denies any validity in the movements toward racial and sexual equality and regards John C. Calhoun as a statesman on a par with George Washington.
Pierre, like other tragedies, poses difficult questions about life, love, idealism and Providence which have retained their resonance well into this new century. St. Elmo is a facile period piece - revealing much about the Reconstruction Era's literary tastes and displaying a good deal of Classical erudition, appreciation and knowledge of flora and fauna, fashion, and then existing medical lore. It attempts to move its readers by presenting a near perfect heroine who, in the end, even learns to 'Judge not that ye be not judged' and is united with the man of her dreams - who's soul her righteousness has helped redeem.
Pierre, on the other hand, is hardly sure what righteousness is - only that whatever it is this world will give it rough treatment.
Pierre, like other tragedies, poses difficult questions about life, love, idealism and Providence which have retained their resonance well into this new century. St. Elmo is a facile period piece - revealing much about the Reconstruction Era's literary tastes and displaying a good deal of Classical erudition, appreciation and knowledge of flora and fauna, fashion, and then existing medical lore. It attempts to move its readers by presenting a near perfect heroine who, in the end, even learns to 'Judge not that ye be not judged' and is united with the man of her dreams - who's soul her righteousness has helped redeem.
Pierre, on the other hand, is hardly sure what righteousness is - only that whatever it is this world will give it rough treatment.
August 30, 2018
I read this book when I was 12, then 17, now at 30. Every time, I found it a gripping romance, despite the excessively florid classical allusions and imagery. As a 12 year old, I admired the pale and virtuous heroine. As a 30 year old, I cringed at her unhealthy sense of her own nobility. The authoress certainly carries on the Victorian ideal of woman as man's good angel, who by her feminine refining influence lifts him to a higher standard of moral virtue. The profane, yet rakishly fascinating St. Elmo, falls under the spell of Edna's rare and astonishing purity of character and though she rebuffs him in horror at his stained moral record, he endeavors to become worthy of her and all that she stands for. Though I found many things in the book to admire, such as the idea that women should be well-educated without compromising their femininity, and that one must follow the path of duty when it is hard, there was something about the story that bothered me. Perhaps it was that it gives young girls the idea that their virtue will of necessity inspire profane men to fall in love with them and reform their lives. This is in most cases a delusion (which Edna herself seeks to support by her decisions, but the story leads elsewhere). Perhaps it was the numerous proposals of marriage that the heroine received, and her very interesting paleness and fainting spells, all of which the dreamy schoolgirl finds fascinating, but none of which need make up a healthy girl's lifestyle in the least. One can live earnestly for God and pursue holiness without being a weeping heroine, wasting away in the path of duty and self-sacrifice. The story does teach lessons of forgiveness and reconciliation through Christ, but even here, there is weakness, as the characters find inspiration through images of the suffering Christ in a painting or church window, and the idea of justification by faith (though alluded to briefly) is overshadowed by the idea of atonement for past crimes by a life of Christian service. A book can extol much that is good, while unconsciously promoting much that is unhealthy alongside it.
March 19, 2016
I've been wanting to read this 'masterpiece' for what seems like a lifetime. Heard many rave about what a grand novel it is. Now that I've read it, I really don't know what all the fuss was about. I feel cheated somehow. The heroine drove me crazy at times. I think she ought to have considered taking a vow of celibacy and enter a nunnery. She obviously loved God more than she did humans. This book left me cold in all ways imaginable ... even the writing sucks! Just too pedantic for words. No, I wouldn't recommend it for an enjoyable read. Perhaps, someone who might want to add words to their vocabulary that are NEVER used might enjoy it. Or perhaps some religious fanatic who can identify with the excessive piety, the standing in judgement of others, the self-sacrifice and all the things that would drive a normal person insane ... yeah, those might enjoy it! But to call this a romance is the greatest misnomer. I kept waiting for the great love until the end. And when it came, I wanted to wring the hero's neck for being such a sucker! ...LOL Geez! This is one frustrating book!
December 13, 2012
Eurora Welty wrote about her childhood memory that when women were asked how long to water roses, they would reply "pull up a chair and read St. Elmo".
This book evoked an odd response from me. The romantic storyline is timeless and compelling and keeps you rooting for love and right to win out. Ultimately it is the story of redemption.
However, many of her points of reference are arcane and rather incomprehensible. After a while I just stopped researching them. She occasionally lapses into long primal-scream-inducing descriptions and digressions. Some characters are brilliantly constructed and others lack any real depth. And yet - I just couldn't put it down.
This book evoked an odd response from me. The romantic storyline is timeless and compelling and keeps you rooting for love and right to win out. Ultimately it is the story of redemption.
However, many of her points of reference are arcane and rather incomprehensible. After a while I just stopped researching them. She occasionally lapses into long primal-scream-inducing descriptions and digressions. Some characters are brilliantly constructed and others lack any real depth. And yet - I just couldn't put it down.
November 13, 2015
Edna Earl is an intelligent, ambitious young girl with a strong moral compass. She is orphaned at a young age and is adopted by Mrs. Murray. There she encounters numerous conflicts with Mrs. Murray's son, the Byronic St. Elmo, a harsh, cruel man with a dark past. Edna's sweet nature touches the lives of many around her, and her ambition causes her to strive for nearly unattainable heights. Throughout the novel, Edna faces a constant battle between her passions and her conscience. In the end, Edna's convictions and her love act as a redeeming force to a suffering, desolate soul.
May 21, 2012
Am I the only one that this book for it's time downright steamy. I found this book in my Grandma'a book shelf and it was a favorite of her mother and her sisters. It is not terribly well written and the heroine is lifeless but certain parts have so much tension all without going over the edge. Augusta Evans Wilson is a author that I am never sure what I think about.
July 5, 2017
I had never heard of this author, although apparently she was one of the most popular American writers of the 19th century. Published in 1866, this novel was written “in the domestic sentimental style of the Victorian Age….of St. Elmo one critic maintained, ‘The trouble with the heroine of St. Elmo was that she swallowed an unabridged dictionary.’"
December 28, 2016
A re-read of an old fiction favorite... recommended esp. for highly imaginative, hopeless romantics like me (i.e. dialogues that are way to deep for real humans to ever have with each other and overly dramatic relationships...but that's what makes this one memorable, and definitely worth the read)
August 20, 2013
This book was, in many ways, hilarious.
Detailed review here.
Detailed review here.
March 22, 2014
Enjoyed this, but as I recall it was heavy with classical references that I didn't understand as a young teen. Also quite a lot of mystical feeling.
August 26, 2019
I just flat out hated this book. The heroine couldn't reason her way out of a brown paper bag, but she'd try to do it with several thousand words too many.
December 24, 2023
To those familiar with Chattanooga, Tennessee, do not be deceived by the title of this book. While the story begins in the small village at the foot of Lookout Mountain, it was not until after St. Elmo, the book, was published in 1866, that St. Elmo, the village, received its name after the title of the book. So, if you are looking for a book on the history of St. Elmo, this is not the book. There is very little historical information in this work of fiction, which is the story of a young woman, Edna Earl, who, aspiring to be a famous writer, refuses to let anything or anyone jeopardize her career or her morals, especially her four wealthy suitors, one of whom is named St. Elmo Murray.
Published in 1866, this book was written for the educated reader in a completely different culture than today’s culture of R-movies, science fiction, and profanity-infused books that require little more education than basic reading skills. Although the book contains some long and complicated passages that, to just halfway understand, would require the frequent use of English and Latin dictionaries and a couple of encyclopedic volumes on the Greek classics, the story is passionate with an intriguing plot that begs to be followed to the end. So, to those who put it down prematurely, too bad. This is your fault, not that of the author, Augusta J. Evans-Wilson, and in her defense, we have only to refer to the prophetic words of Edna Earl:
“Will my readers see it as I see it? Will they thank me for my high opinion of their culture, in assuming that it will be quite as plain to them as to me? If there should accidentally be an allusion to classical or scientific literature, which they do not understand at the first hasty, careless, novel-reading glance, will they inform themselves, and then appreciate my reason for employing it, and thank me for the hint; or will they attempt to ridicule my pedantry? When will they begin to suspect that what they may imagine sounds ‘learned’ in my writings, merely appears so to them because they have not climbed high enough to see how vast, how infinite is the sphere of human learning? No, no, dear reader, shivering with learning-phobia, I am not learned. You are only a little, a very little more ignorant. Doubtless you know many things which I should be glad to learn; come, let us barter. Let us all study the life of Giovanni Pico Mirandola, and then we shall begin to understand the meaning of the word ‘learned.’"
Published in 1866, this book was written for the educated reader in a completely different culture than today’s culture of R-movies, science fiction, and profanity-infused books that require little more education than basic reading skills. Although the book contains some long and complicated passages that, to just halfway understand, would require the frequent use of English and Latin dictionaries and a couple of encyclopedic volumes on the Greek classics, the story is passionate with an intriguing plot that begs to be followed to the end. So, to those who put it down prematurely, too bad. This is your fault, not that of the author, Augusta J. Evans-Wilson, and in her defense, we have only to refer to the prophetic words of Edna Earl:
“Will my readers see it as I see it? Will they thank me for my high opinion of their culture, in assuming that it will be quite as plain to them as to me? If there should accidentally be an allusion to classical or scientific literature, which they do not understand at the first hasty, careless, novel-reading glance, will they inform themselves, and then appreciate my reason for employing it, and thank me for the hint; or will they attempt to ridicule my pedantry? When will they begin to suspect that what they may imagine sounds ‘learned’ in my writings, merely appears so to them because they have not climbed high enough to see how vast, how infinite is the sphere of human learning? No, no, dear reader, shivering with learning-phobia, I am not learned. You are only a little, a very little more ignorant. Doubtless you know many things which I should be glad to learn; come, let us barter. Let us all study the life of Giovanni Pico Mirandola, and then we shall begin to understand the meaning of the word ‘learned.’"
March 14, 2019
A Shakespearean like book (in language and prose), I read it years ago and enjoyed it this time as well. I found the authors views of woman’s role in culture slightly antiquated but the philosophical approach to Christianity and how one lives that out was very interesting and moving to me. It’s a romance novel, but with quite a bit of theology and philosophy worked in. With a happy ending :) if you’re looking to expand your vocabulary with a romance novel (the two do not usually go together!) this is a great book!
September 14, 2020
The plot is similar to Jane Eyre. A middle-aged man with a bad past falls in love with a very young orphan... That plot. However, the characters are more spotless, beautiful, and intelligent, often discussing ancient Egypt/Greek/Mesopatamian gods, philosophies, and culture. As a young girl, I was enthralled by the romance and would've definitely given it 4 stars, but I would probably give it 2 now.
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