Victorian mythology and Christian socialism

Charles Kingsley

1819 – 1875

Charles Kingsley was an Anglican clergyman, novelist, and social reformer who retold Greek mythology for Victorian audiences in The Heroes (1856) and explored early Christian mysticism and paganism in the historical novel Hypatia (1853). A founder of Christian Socialism and advocate of muscular Christianity, he wove mythological and theological themes throughout his widely read fiction, making him an important popular conduit for classical and mythological content in Victorian culture. His accessible retellings introduced Greek heroic mythology — with its gods, oracles, and magic — to generations of middle-class readers.