What is Charles Kingsley's novel Hypatia about?

Published in 1853 by English writer Charles Kingsley, Hypatia, or New Foes with an Old Face is a fictionalized account of the ancient Neoplatonist philosopher Hypatia. The story follows a young monk named Philammon as he travels to Alexandria and becomes entangled in fifth-century political and religious conflicts. Written as Christian apologia, the novel reflects nineteenth-century religious sentiments and was widely read and considered one of Kingsley's best works for many years.

What we know

• Hypatia, or New Foes with an Old Face is an 1853 novel written by English author Charles Kingsley. [1, 2]
• The narrative follows a young monk named Philammon who travels to Alexandria and gets caught up in religious and political battles. [2]
• The book was intended as Christian apologia and reflects typical nineteenth-century religious sentiments. [2]
• The novel romanticized the historical philosopher Hypatia as "the last of the Hellenes" within European literature of the period. [4]

Where to go next

• how we knowWho was the historical philosopher Hypatia?
• whoWhat other works did Charles Kingsley write?
• what followedHow did Charles Kingsley's novel inspire later art?
• the bigger pictureWhat was the role of Christian socialism in Kingsley's life?
• compared withHow does fiction romanticize the classical era?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a 19th-century English novel spark a major debate on nude art in Victorian London?Charles Kingsley's 1853 literary work directly inspired an 1885 oil painting by Charles William Mitchell that combined history painting and nudity, provoking a fierce public debate at the Grosvenor Gallery.

Sources

• [1]Hypatia (Wikidata Q12060647) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Hypatia (novel) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Charles Kingsley · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Hypatia · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Hypatia (painting) · CC BY-SA 4.0