George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian

Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

minister. He was a pioneering figure in the field of modern

fantasy literature Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fa ...

and the mentor of fellow writer

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are '' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequ ...

. In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works of Christian theology, including several collections of sermons. His writings have been cited as a major literary influence by many notable authors including

, W. H. Auden, David Lindsay,

J. M. Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succ ...

, Lord Dunsany, Elizabeth Yates,

Oswald Chambers Oswald Chambers (24 July 187415 November 1917) was an early-twentieth-century Scottish Baptist evangelist and teacher who was aligned with the Holiness Movement. He is best known for the daily devotional ''My Utmost for His Highest''. Youth an ...

, Mark Twain,

Hope Mirrlees (Helen) Hope Mirrlees (8 April 1887 – 1 August 1978) was a British poet, novelist, and translator. She is best known for the 1926 ''Lud-in-the-Mist'', a fantasy novel and influential classic,David Langford and Mike Ashley, "Mirrlees, Hope", i ...

, Robert E. Howard,

L. Frank Baum Lyman Frank Baum (; May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author best known for his children's books, particularly ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the ''Oz'' series, plus 41 other novels (not includ ...

, T. H. White, Richard Adams,

Lloyd Alexander Lloyd Chudley Alexander (January 30, 1924 – May 17, 2007) was an American author of more than 40 books, primarily fantasy novels for children and young adults. Over his seven-decade career, Alexander wrote 48 books, and his work has been tran ...

Hilaire Belloc Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc (, ; 27 July 187016 July 1953) was a Franco-English writer and historian of the early twentieth century. Belloc was also an orator, poet, sailor, satirist, writer of letters, soldier, and political activist. H ...

, G. K. Chesterton,

Robert Hugh Benson Robert Hugh Benson AFSC KC*SG KGCHS (18 November 1871 – 19 October 1914) was an English Catholic priest and writer. First an Anglican priest, he was received into the Catholic Church in 1903 and ordained therein the next year. He ...

Dorothy Day Dorothy Day (November 8, 1897 – November 29, 1980) was an American journalist, social activist and anarchist who, after a bohemian youth, became a Catholic without abandoning her social and anarchist activism. She was perhaps the best-known ...

, Thomas Merton,

Fulton Sheen Fulton John Sheen (born Peter John Sheen, May 8, 1895 – December 9, 1979) was an American bishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in ...

Flannery O'Connor Mary Flannery O'Connor (March 25, 1925August 3, 1964) was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist. She wrote two novels and 31 short stories, as well as a number of reviews and commentaries. She was a Southern literature, Southe ...

, Louis Pasteur,

Simone Weil Simone Adolphine Weil ( , ; 3 February 1909 – 24 August 1943) was a French philosopher, mystic, and political activist. Over 2,500 scholarly works have been published about her, including close analyses and readings of her work, since 1995. ...

Charles Maurras Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras (; ; 20 April 1868 – 16 November 1952) was a French author, politician, poet, and critic. He was an organizer and principal philosopher of ''Action Française'', a political movement that is monarchist, anti-par ...

, Jacques Maritain, George Orwell,

Aldous Huxley Aldous Leonard Huxley (26 July 1894 – 22 November 1963) was an English writer and philosopher. He wrote nearly 50 books, both novels and non-fiction works, as well as wide-ranging essays, narratives, and poems. Born into the prominent Huxle ...

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery fictio ...

, C. H. Douglas, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien,

Walter de la Mare Walter John de la Mare (; 25 April 1873 – 22 June 1956) was an English poet, short story writer, and novelist. He is probably best remembered for his works for children, for his poem "The Listeners", and for a highly acclaimed selection of ...

E. Nesbit Edith Nesbit (married name Edith Bland; 15 August 1858 – 4 May 1924) was an English writer and poet, who published her books for children as E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on more than 60 such books. She was also a political activist a ...

, Peter S. Beagle,

Elizabeth Goudge Elizabeth de Beauchamp Goudge FRSL (24 April 1900 – 1 April 1984) was an English writer of fiction and children's books. She won the Carnegie Medal for British children's books in 1946 for ''The Little White Horse''. Goudge was long a popular ...

Brian Jacques James Brian Jacques (, as in "Jakes"; 15 June 1939 – 5 February 2011) was an English novelist known for his '' Redwall'' series of novels and '' Castaways of the Flying Dutchman'' series. He also completed two collections of short stories ent ...

, M. I. McAllister, Neil Gaiman and Madeleine L'Engle. C. S. Lewis wrote that he regarded MacDonald as his "master": "Picking up a copy of ''

Phantastes ''Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women'' is a fantasy novel by Scottish writer George MacDonald, first published in London in 1858. It was later reprinted in paperback by Ballantine Books as the fourteenth volume of the ''Ballantine ...

'' one day at a train-station bookstall, I began to read. A few hours later, I knew that I had crossed a great frontier." G. K. Chesterton cited ''

The Princess and the Goblin ''The Princess and the Goblin'' is a children's fantasy novel by George MacDonald. It was published in 1872 by Strahan & Co., with black-and-white illustrations by Arthur Hughes. Strahan had published the story and illustrations as a serial in ...

'' as a book that had "made a difference to my whole existence". Elizabeth Yates wrote of '' Sir Gibbie'', "It moved me the way books did when, as a child, the great gates of literature began to open and first encounters with noble thoughts and utterances were unspeakably thrilling." Even Mark Twain, who initially disliked MacDonald, became friends with him, and there is some evidence that Twain was influenced by him. The Christian author

wrote in his ''Christian Disciplines'' that "it is a striking indication of the trend and shallowness of the modern reading public that George MacDonald's books have been so neglected".

Early life

George MacDonald was born on 10 December 1824 at

Huntly Huntly ( gd, Srath Bhalgaidh or ''Hunndaidh'') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, formerly known as Milton of Strathbogie or simply Strathbogie. It had a population of 4,460 in 2004 and is the site of Huntly Castle. Its neighbouring settlement ...

, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His father, a farmer, was descended from the Clan MacDonald of Glen Coe and a direct descendant of one of the families that suffered in the massacre of 1692. MacDonald grew up in an unusually literate environment: one of his maternal uncles was a notable Celtic scholar, editor of the ''Gaelic Highland Dictionary'' and collector of fairy tales and Celtic oral poetry. His paternal grandfather had supported the publication of an edition of

James Macpherson James Macpherson (Gaelic: ''Seumas MacMhuirich'' or ''Seumas Mac a' Phearsain''; 27 October 1736 – 17 February 1796) was a Scottish writer, poet, literary collector and politician, known as the "translator" of the Ossian cycle of epic poem ...

's '' Ossian'', the controversial epic poem based on the

Fenian Cycle The Fenian Cycle (), Fianna Cycle or Finn Cycle ( ga, an Fhiannaíocht) is a body of early Irish literature focusing on the exploits of the mythical hero Finn or Fionn mac Cumhaill and his warrior band the Fianna. Sometimes called the Ossi ...

of Celtic Mythology and which contributed to the starting of European

Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

. MacDonald's step-uncle was a Shakespeare scholar, and his paternal cousin another Celtic academic. Both his parents were readers, his father harbouring predilections for

Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/27) was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author (described in his time as a " natural philosopher"), widely recognised as one of the grea ...

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

William Cowper William Cowper ( ; 26 November 1731 – 25 April 1800) was an English poet and Anglican hymnwriter. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th-century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and sce ...

, Chalmers,

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Samuel Taylor Coleridge (; 21 October 177225 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake ...

, and

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...

, to quote a few, while his mother had received a classical education which included multiple languages. An account cited how the young George suffered lapses in health in his early years and was subject to problems with his lungs such as

asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...

bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...

and even a bout of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

. This last illness was considered a family disease and two of MacDonald's brothers, his mother, and later three of his own children died from the illness. Even in his adult life, he was constantly travelling in search of purer air for his lungs. MacDonald grew up in the Congregational Church, with an atmosphere of

Calvinism Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

. However, his family was atypical, with his paternal grandfather a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

-born, fiddle-playing, Presbyterian elder; his paternal grandmother an Independent church rebel; his mother was a sister to the Gaelic-speaking radical who became moderator of the Free Church, while his step-mother, to whom he was also very close, was the daughter of a priest of the

Scottish Episcopal Church The Scottish Episcopal Church ( gd, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba; sco, Scots Episcopal(ian) Kirk) is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion in Scotland. A continuation of the Church of Scotland as intended by King James VI, and ...

. MacDonald graduated from the

University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

in 1845 with a degree in chemistry and physics. He spent the next several years struggling with matters of faith and deciding what to do with his life. His son, biographer Greville MacDonald, stated that his father could have pursued a career in the medical field but he speculated that lack of money put an end to this prospect. It was only in 1848 that MacDonald began theological training at Highbury College for the Congregational ministry.

Early career

MacDonald was appointed minister of Trinity Congregational Church, Arundel, in 1850, after briefly serving as a locum minister in Ireland. However, his sermons—which preached God's universal love and that everyone was capable of redemption—met with little favour and his salary was cut in half. In May 1853, MacDonald tendered his resignation from his pastoral duties at Arundel. Later he was engaged in ministerial work in

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

, leaving that because of poor health. An account cited the role of Lady Byron in convincing MacDonald to travel to Algiers in 1856 with the hope that the sojourn would help turn his health around. When he got back, he settled in London and taught for some time at the University of London. MacDonald was also for a time editor of ''Good Words for the Young''.

Writing career

MacDonald's first novel '' David Elginbrod'' was published in 1863. MacDonald is often regarded as the founding father of modern fantasy writing. His best-known works are ''

'', ''

At the Back of the North Wind ''At the Back of the North Wind'' is a children's book written by Scottish author George MacDonald. It was serialized in the children's magazine ''Good Words for the Young'' beginning in 1868 and was published in book form in 1871. It is a fant ...

'', and ''

Lilith Lilith ( ; he, לִילִית, Līlīṯ) is a female figure in Mesopotamian and Judaic mythology, alternatively the first wife of Adam and supposedly the primordial she-demon. Lilith is cited as having been "banished" from the Garden of Ed ...

'' (1895), all fantasy novels, and fairy tales such as "

The Light Princess ''The Light Princess'' is a Scottish fairy tale by George MacDonald. It was published in 1864 as a story within the larger story ''Adela Cathcart.'' Drawing on inspiration from "Sleeping Beauty", it tells the story of a princess afflicted by a c ...

", " The Golden Key", and " The Wise Woman". "I write, not for children", he wrote, "but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five." MacDonald also published some volumes of sermons, the pulpit not having proved an unreservedly successful venue. After his literary success, MacDonald went on to do a lecture tour in the United States in 1872–1873, after being invited to do so by a lecture company, the

Boston Lyceum Bureau __NOTOC__ The Boston Lyceum Bureau (est.1868) in Boston, Massachusetts, was a project of James Redpath and George L. Fall. Its office stood at no.36 Bromfield Street. "Through its agency, many ... lecturers and authors of celebrity have been intr ...

. On the tour, MacDonald lectured about other poets such as

, Shakespeare, and

Tom Hood Tom Hood (19 January 183520 November 1874) was an English humorist and playwright, and a prolific author. He was the son of the poet and author Thomas Hood. ''Pen and Pencil Pictures'' (1857) was the first of his illustrated books. His most s ...

. He performed this lecture to great acclaim, speaking in Boston to crowds in the neighbourhood of three thousand people. MacDonald served as a mentor to

: it was MacDonald's advice, and the enthusiastic reception of '' Alice'' by MacDonald's many sons and daughters, that convinced Carroll to submit ''Alice'' for publication.Reis, Richard H. (1972). ''George MacDonald'', pp. 25–34. Twayne Publishers, Inc. Carroll, one of the finest Victorian photographers, also created photographic portraits of several of the MacDonald children. MacDonald was also friends with

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and pol ...

, and served as a go-between in Ruskin's long courtship with Rose La Touche. While in America he was befriended by

Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include "Paul Revere's Ride", ''The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely transl ...

and

Walt Whitman Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among ...

. MacDonald's use of

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

as a literary medium for exploring the human condition greatly influenced a generation of notable authors, including

C. S. Lewis Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge Univers ...

, who featured him as a character in his '' The Great Divorce''. In his introduction to his MacDonald anthology, Lewis speaks highly of MacDonald's views: Others he influenced include

J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, ; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlins ...

and Madeleine L'Engle. MacDonald's non-fantasy novels, such as ''Alec Forbes'', had their influence as well; they were among the first realistic Scottish novels, and as such MacDonald has been credited with founding the "

kailyard school The Kailyard school (1880–1914) is a proposed literary movement of Scottish fiction dating from the last decades of the 19th century. Origin and etymology It was first given the name in an article published April 1895 in the ''New Review'' by ...

" of Scottish writing. Chesterton cited ''

'' as a book that had "made a difference to my whole existence", in showing "how near both the best and the worst things are to us from the first ... and making all the ordinary staircases and doors and windows into magical things."

Later life

In 1877 he was given a civil list pension. From 1879 he and his family lived in

Bordighera Bordighera (; lij, A Bordighea, locally ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Imperia, Liguria (Italy). Geography Bordighera is located from the land border between Italy and France, and it is possible to see the French coast with a nak ...

, in a place much loved by British expatriates, the Riviera dei Fiori in

Liguria it, Ligure , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

, Italy, almost on the French border. In that locality there also was an Anglican church, All Saints, which he attended. Deeply enamoured of the Riviera, he spent 20 years there, writing almost half of his whole literary production, especially the

work. MacDonald founded a literary studio in that Ligurian town, naming it '' Casa Coraggio'' (Bravery House). It soon became one of the most renowned cultural centres of that period, well attended by British and Italian travellers, and by locals, with presentations of classic plays and readings of

Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian people, Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', origin ...

and

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

often being held. In 1900 he moved into St George's Wood, Haslemere, a house designed for him by his son, Robert, its building overseen by his eldest son, Greville. George MacDonald died on 18 September 1905 in

Ashtead Ashtead is a large village in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England, approximately south of central London. Primarily a commuter settlement, Ashtead is on the single-carriageway A24 between Epsom and Leatherhead. The village is on ...

, Surrey, England. He was cremated in Woking, Surrey, and his ashes were buried in

, in the English cemetery, along with his wife Louisa and daughters Lilia and Grace.

Personal life

MacDonald married Louisa Powell in Hackney in 1851, with whom he raised a family of eleven children: Lilia Scott (1852), Mary Josephine (1853–1878), Caroline Grace (1854), Greville Matheson (1856–1944), Irene (1857), Winifred Louise (1858), Ronald (1860–1933), Robert Falconer (1862–1913), Maurice (1864), Bernard Powell (1865–1928), and George Mackay (1867–1909?). His son Greville became a noted medical specialist, a pioneer of the Peasant Arts movement, wrote numerous fairy tales for children, and ensured that new editions of his father's works were published. Another son, Ronald, became a novelist. His daughter Mary was engaged to the artist Edward Robert Hughes until her death in 1878. Ronald's son,

Philip MacDonald Philip MacDonald (5 November 1900 – 10 December 1980) was a British-born writer of fiction and screenplays, best known for thrillers. Life and work MacDonald was born in London, the son of author Ronald MacDonald and actress Constance Roberts ...

(George MacDonald's grandson), became a Hollywood screenwriter. Tuberculosis caused the death of several family members, including Lilia, Mary Josephine, Grace, Maurice as well as one granddaughter and a daughter-in-law. MacDonald was said to have been particularly affected by the death of Lilia, his eldest. There is
blue plaque
on his home at 20 Albert Street, Camden, London.

Theology

According to biographer William Raeper, MacDonald's theology "celebrated the rediscovery of God as Father, and sought to encourage an intuitive response to God and Christ through quickening his readers' spirits in their reading of the Bible and their perception of nature." MacDonald's oft-mentioned

universalism Universalism is the philosophical and theological concept that some ideas have universal application or applicability. A belief in one fundamental truth is another important tenet in universalism. The living truth is seen as more far-reaching th ...

is not the idea that everyone will automatically be saved, but is closer to

Gregory of Nyssa Gregory of Nyssa, also known as Gregory Nyssen ( grc-gre, Γρηγόριος Νύσσης; c. 335 – c. 395), was Bishop of Nyssa in Cappadocia from 372 to 376 and from 378 until his death in 395. He is venerated as a saint in Catholicis ...

in the view that all will ultimately repent and be restored to God. MacDonald appears to have never felt comfortable with some aspects of Calvinist doctrine, feeling that its principles were inherently "unfair"; when the doctrine of

predestination Predestination, in theology, is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God, usually with reference to the eventual fate of the individual soul. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the paradox of free will, whereby G ...

was first explained to him, he burst into tears (although assured that he was one of the elect). Later novels, such as ''Robert Falconer'' and ''

'', show a distaste for the idea that God's electing love is limited to some and denied to others. Chesterton noted that only a man who had "escaped" Calvinism could say that God is easy to please and hard to satisfy. MacDonald rejected the doctrine of

penal substitution Penal substitution (sometimes, esp. in older writings, called forensic theory)D. Smith, The atonement in the light of history and the modern spirit' (London: Hodder and Stoughton), p. 96-7: 'THE FORENSIC THEORY...each successive period of history ...

ary atonement as developed by John Calvin, which argues that Christ has taken the place of sinners and is punished by the wrath of God in their place, believing that in turn it raised serious questions about the character and nature of God. Instead, he taught that Christ had come to save people from their sins, and not from a Divine penalty for their sins: the problem was not the need to appease a wrathful God, but the disease of cosmic evil itself. MacDonald frequently described the

atonement Atonement (also atoning, to atone) is the concept of a person taking action to correct previous wrongdoing on their part, either through direct action to undo the consequences of that act, equivalent action to do good for others, or some other ...

in terms similar to the

Christus Victor ''Christus Victor'' is a book by Gustaf Aulén published in English in 1931, presenting a study of theories of atonement in Christianity. The original Swedish title is ''Den kristna försoningstanken'' ("The Christian Idea of the Atonement") p ...

theory. MacDonald posed the rhetorical question, "Did he not foil and slay evil by letting all the waves and billows of its horrid sea break upon him, go over him, and die without rebound—spend their rage, fall defeated, and cease? Verily, he made atonement!" George and Louisa MacDonald on their 50th anniversary

George and Louisa MacDonald on their 50th anniversary

MacDonald was convinced that God does not punish except to amend, and that the sole end of His greatest anger is the amelioration of the guilty. As the doctor uses fire and steel in certain deep-seated diseases, so God may use hell-fire if necessary to heal the hardened sinner. MacDonald declared, "I believe that no hell will be lacking which would help the just mercy of God to redeem his children." MacDonald posed the rhetorical question, "When we say that God is Love, do we teach men that their fear of Him is groundless?" He replied, "No. As much as they were will come upon them, possibly far more. ... The wrath will consume what they ''call'' themselves; so that the selves God made shall appear." However, true repentance, in the sense of freely chosen moral growth, is essential to this process, and, in MacDonald's optimistic view, inevitable for all beings (see

universal reconciliation In Christian theology, universal reconciliation (also called universal salvation, Christian universalism, or in context simply universalism) is the doctrine that all sinful and alienated human souls—because of divine love and mercy—will ul ...

). MacDonald states his theological views most distinctly in the sermon "Justice", found in the third volume of ''Unspoken Sermons''.

Bibliography

The following is a list of MacDonald's published works in the genre now referred to as fantasy:

Fantasy

*'' Phantastes: A Fairie Romance for Men and Women'' (1858) *"Cross Purposes" (1862) *''The Portent: A Story of the Inner Vision of the Highlanders, Commonly Called "The Second Sight"'' (1864) *''Dealings with the Fairies'' (1867), containing " The Golden Key", "

", "The Shadows", and other short stories *''

'' (1871) *''Works of Fancy and Imagination'' (1871), including '' Within and Without'', "Cross Purposes", "The Light Princess", "The Golden Key", and other works *''

'' (1872) *'' The Wise Woman: A Parable'' (1875) (Published also as "The Lost Princess: A Double Story"; or as "A Double Story".) *''The Gifts of the Child Christ and Other Tales'' (1882; republished as ''Stephen Archer and Other Tales'') 1908 edition by Edwin Dalton, London was illustrated by

Cyrus Cuneo Cyrus Cincinato Cuneo (18 June 187923 July 1916), known as Ciro, was an American-born English visual artist, best known for painting. Early life He was born into an Italian American family of artists and musicians. His parents were Giovann ...

and G. H. Evison. Available online at the

Hathi Trust HathiTrust Digital Library is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from research libraries including content digitized via Google Books and the Internet Archive digitization initiatives, as well as content digitized locally ...

. *''

The Day Boy and the Night Girl ''The Day Boy and Night Girl'', also referred to as ''The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris'', is an 1882 fairy tale novel by George MacDonald. A version of this story appeared in ''Harper's Young People'' as a series beginning on 2 December 1879 ...

'' (1882) *'' The Princess and Curdie'' (1883), a sequel to ''The Princess and the Goblin'' *'' Lilith: A Romance'' (1895)

Fiction

*'' David Elginbrod'' (1863; republished in edited form as ''The Tutor's First Love''), originally published in three volumes *''Adela Cathcart'' (1864); contains many fantasy stories told by the characters within the larger story, including "

", "

The Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the pre- Beatles era. They served as the backing band for Cliff Richard ...

", etc. *''

Alec Forbes of Howglen ''Alec Forbes of Howglen'' is a novel by George MacDonald, first published in 1865 and is primarily concerned with Scottish country life. Synopsis The 'Howglen' described in the novel is probably a reference to George MacDonald's childhood hom ...

'' (1865; edited by Michael Phillips and republished as ''The Maiden's Bequest;'' edited to children's version by Michael Phillips and republished as ''Alec Forbes and His Friend Annie'') *''Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood'' (1867) *''Guild Court: A London Story'' (1868; republished in edited form as ''The Prodigal Apprentice''). 1908 edition by Edwin Dalton, London was illustrated by G. H. Evison. Available online at

. *''Robert Falconer'' (1868; republished in edited form as ''The Musician's Quest'') *''The Seaboard Parish'' (1869), a sequel to ''Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood'' *''

Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood ''Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood'' is a realistic, largely autobiographical, novel by George MacDonald. It was first published in 1871. The original edition was illustrated by Arthur Hughes. Plot introduction Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood is a story ...

'' (republished in edited form as ''The Boyhood of Ranald Bannerman'') (1871) *''Wilfrid Cumbermede'' (1871) *''The Vicar's Daughter'' (1871), a sequel to ''Annals of a Quiet Neighborhood'' and ''The Seaboard Parish''. 1908 edition by Sampson Low and Company, London was illustrated by

and G. H. Evison. *''The History of Gutta Percha Willie, the Working Genius'' (1873; republished in edited form as ''The Genius of Willie MacMichael''), usually called simply ''Gutta Percha Willie'' *''

Malcolm Malcolm, Malcom, Máel Coluim, or Maol Choluim may refer to: People * Malcolm (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Clan Malcolm * Maol Choluim de Innerpeffray, 14th-century bishop-elect of Dunkeld Nobility * Máe ...

'' (1875) *''St. George and St. Michael'' (1876; edited by Dan Hamilton and republished as ''The Last Castle'') *''Thomas Wingfold, Curate'' (1876; republished in edited form as ''The Curate's Awakening'') *''

The Marquis of Lossie ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (1877; republished in edited form as ''The Marquis' Secret''), the second book of ''Malcolm'' * Sir Gibbie (1879): With simultaneous publication o
Vol. 2
an
Vol. 3
each of ''ca.'' 300 pages. Also issued by Lippincott in America in a single volume set in two columns in smaller font, in 210 pages, The entirety of the original text is available with a Broad Scots glossary by its digitizer, John Bechard, see Republished in edited form as Also as ''The Baronet's Song''. *''Paul Faber, Surgeon'' (1879; republished in edited form as ''The Lady's Confession''), a sequel to ''Thomas Wingfold, Curate'' *'' Mary Marston'' (1881; republished in edited form as ''A Daughter's Devotion'' and ''The Shopkeeper's Daughter'') *''Warlock o' Glenwarlock'' (1881; republished in edited form as ''Castle Warlock'' and ''The Laird's Inheritance'') *''Weighed and Wanting'' (1882; republished in edited form as ''A Gentlewoman's Choice'') *'' Donal Grant'' (1883; republished in edited form as ''The Shepherd's Castle''), a sequel to ''Sir Gibbie'' *''What's Mine's Mine'' (1886; republished in edited form as ''The Highlander's Last Song'') *''Home Again: A Tale'' (1887; republished in edited form as ''The Poet's Homecoming'') *'' The Elect Lady'' (1888; republished in edited form as ''The Landlady's Master'') *''A Rough Shaking'' (1891; republished in edited form as ''The Wanderings of Clare Skymer'') *''There and Back'' (1891; republished in edited form as ''The Baron's Apprenticeship''), a sequel to ''Thomas Wingfold, Curate'' and ''Paul Faber, Surgeon'' *''The Flight of the Shadow'' (1891) *''Heather and Snow'' (1893; republished in edited form as ''The Peasant Girl's Dream'') *''Salted with Fire'' (1896; republished in edited form as ''The Minister's Restoration'') *''Far Above Rubies'' (1898)

Poetry

The following is a list of MacDonald's published poetic works: *''Twelve of the Spiritual Songs of Novalis'' (1851), privately printed translation of the poetry of

Novalis Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg (2 May 1772 – 25 March 1801), pen name Novalis (), was a German polymath who was a writer, philosopher, poet, aristocrat and mystic. He is regarded as an idiosyncratic and influential figure of ...

*'' Within and Without: A Dramatic Poem'' (1855) * *''"A Hidden Life" and Other Poems'' (1864) *''"The Disciple" and Other Poems'' (1867) *''Exotics: A Translation of the Spiritual Songs of Novalis, the Hymn-book of Luther, and Other Poems from the German and Italian'' (1876) *''Dramatic and Miscellaneous Poems'' (1876) *''Diary of an Old Soul'' (1880) *''A Book of Strife, in the Form of the Diary of an Old Soul'' (1880), privately printed *''The Threefold Cord: Poems by Three Friends'' (1883), privately printed, with Greville Matheson and John Hill MacDonald * *''The Poetical Works of George MacDonald, 2 Volumes'' (1893) *''Scotch Songs and Ballads'' (1893) *''Rampolli: Growths from a Long-planted Root'' (1897)

Nonfiction

The following is a list of MacDonald's published works of non-fiction: *''Unspoken Sermons'' (1867) *''England's Antiphon'' (1868, 1874) *''The Miracles of Our Lord'' (1870) *''Cheerful Words from the Writing of George MacDonald'' (1880), compiled by E. E. Brown *''Orts: Chiefly Papers on the Imagination, and on Shakespeare'' (1882) *"Preface" (1884) to '' Letters from Hell'' (1866) by

Valdemar Adolph Thisted Valdemar Adolph Thisted (28 February 1815 – 14 October 1887) was a Danish writer, translator and priest. His works include novels, travelogues, romantic dramas and theological polemics. The writings published during his time as a pastor caused a ...

*''The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: A Study With the Text of the Folio of 1623'' (1885) *''Unspoken Sermons, Second Series'' (1885) *''Unspoken Sermons, Third Series'' (1889) *''A Cabinet of Gems, Cut and Polished by Sir Philip Sidney; Now, for the More Radiance, Presented Without Their Setting by George MacDonald'' (1891) *''The Hope of the Gospel'' (1892) *''A Dish of Orts'' (1893) *''Beautiful Thoughts from George MacDonald'' (1894), compiled by Elizabeth Dougall

In popular culture

* American classical composer John Craton has utilized several of MacDonald's stories in his works, including "The Gray Wolf" (in a tone poem of the same name for solo mandolin – 2006) and portions of "The Cruel Painter", ''Lilith'', and ''The Light Princess'' (in ''Three Tableaux from George MacDonald'' for mandolin, recorder, and cello – 2011). * Contemporary new-age musician Jeff Johnson wrote a song titled "The Golden Key" based on George MacDonald's story of the same name. He has also written several other songs inspired by MacDonald and the

Inklings The Inklings were an informal literary discussion group associated with J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis at the University of Oxford for nearly two decades between the early 1930s and late 1949. The Inklings were literary enthusiasts who pr ...

. * Jazz pianist and recording artist Ray Lyon has a song on his CD ''Beginning to See'' (2007), called "Up The Spiral Stairs", which features lyrics from MacDonald's 26 and 27 September devotional readings from the book ''Diary of an Old Soul''. * Tori Amos and Samuel Adamson created a musical of

which was premiered for the Royal National Theatre in London in 2013. * A verse from ''

'' is cited in the "Beauty and the Beast" song by Nightwish. * Rock group

The Waterboys The Waterboys are a folk rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1983 by Scottish musician Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. Mike Scott has remained ...

titled their album ''

Room to Roam ''Room to Roam'' is the fifth studio album by The Waterboys; it continued the folk rock sound of 1988's '' Fisherman's Blues'', but was less of a commercial success, reaching #180 on the '' Billboard'' Top 200 after its release in September 1990 ...

'' (1990) after a passage in MacDonald's ''Phantastes'', also found in ''Lilith''. The title track of the album comprises a MacDonald poem from the text of ''Phantastes'' set to music by the band. The novels ''

'' and ''

'' are both named as books in a library, in the title track of another Waterboys album, ''

Universal Hall ''Universal Hall'' is the eighth studio album by The Waterboys, released in 2003. It is named after the theatre and performance hall at the Findhorn Foundation, which is pictured on the album cover. The album shows much more influence from fol ...

'' (2003).

References

Footnotes

Works cited

Greville. ''George Macdonald and his wife'', 1924, MacVeagh, New York

External links

Digital collections * * *
Christian Classics Ethereal Library

containing a few poems and translations of Novalis (Cornell University'

a

(pdf format)
Alec Forbes of Howglen
(Ebook/PDF format) Physical collections
The Marion E. Wade Center
– George MacDonald research collection at Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL * George MacDonald Collection. General Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Audio collections *
Audio recordings of GM Works ongoing

Free audio recording of "The Golden Key"
a
librivox.org
Biographical information
The George MacDonald Informational Web

on The Victorian Web

Scholarly work * ''North Wind. A Journal of George MacDonald Studies''. The Journals of the George MacDonald Society
The Center for the Study of C.S. Lewis and Friends – Taylor University at taylor.edu
Other links

* ttp://www.george-macdonald.com/ George MacDonald Society
Mark Twain and George MacDonald: The Salty and the Sweet
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonald, George 1824 births 1905 deaths 19th-century Christian mystics 19th-century Christian universalists 19th-century Scottish novelists 19th-century Scottish poets 19th-century Scottish writers 20th-century Christian mystics 20th-century Christian universalists 20th-century Scottish novelists 20th-century Scottish people 20th-century Scottish poets Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Christian novelists Christian poets Christian universalist clergy Christian universalist theologians Fabulists Kailyard school Lallans poets Mystics Mythopoeic writers People from Huntly Protestant mystics Protestant philosophers Scottish anti-communists Scottish children's writers Scottish Christian theologians Scottish Christian universalists Scottish Congregationalist ministers Scottish Christian poets Scottish expatriates in Italy Scottish fantasy writers Scottish male novelists Scottish male poets Scottish philosophers Victorian novelists Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland