Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog Project Gutenberg 2004-09-28 Public domain in the USA. 202 Holmes, Oliver Wendell 1809 1894 Elsie Venner Produced by David Widger "Elsie Venner" by Oliver Wendell Holmes is a novel written in the mid-19th century that intertwines romance with elements of scientific inquiry. The story explores complex themes such as moral responsibility and inherited traits, primarily through the character of Elsie Venner, a young woman whose very nature is shaped by a pre-natal incident involving a rattlesnake. Set against a backdrop of New England's society, the narrative delves into psychological and ethical questions about the origin of evil and the influence of ancestry on personal conduct. The opening of "Elsie Venner" introduces readers to the philosophical underpinnings of the narrative through the author's reflections in the preface. Holmes conveys the idea that the story arises from a blend of artistic imagination and scientific thought, outlined within the framework of a "medicated novel," which hints at deeper psychological and moral critiques. The author hints at the conflicts that will arise from Elsie's unique condition and sets the stage by discussing the societal context of New England, touching on themes of class and morality, while also presenting the character dynamics that will unfold, especially regarding the relationships Elsie will have with others, including the young scholar Bernard Langdon. Holmes’ style is rich with detail and reflection, effectively laying the groundwork for the exploration of character and conscience. (This is an automatically generated summary.) en Didactic fiction Paranormal fiction Predestination -- Fiction Birthmarks -- Fiction PS Text Browsing: Literature Browsing: Religion/Spirituality/Paranormal Browsing: Fiction 933959 933960 2024-10-02T04:27:13.689946 2023-10-02T04:33:32.137781 text/html text/html 952462 2021-01-27T13:43:03 text/html; charset=utf-8 337195 2021-01-27T13:43:03 text/html; charset=utf-8 application/zip 417070 2024-10-02T04:27:25.240901 application/epub+zip 432672 2024-10-02T04:27:17.364938 application/epub+zip 414921 2024-10-02T04:27:15.653937 application/epub+zip 711594 2024-10-02T04:27:31.755857 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 663626 2024-10-02T04:27:24.340926 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 624961 2022-09-02T05:32:27.568983 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 828473 828466 2024-10-02T04:27:12.323933 2023-10-02T04:33:31.244763 text/plain; charset=us-ascii text/plain 828436 2021-01-01T00:41:53 text/plain; charset=utf-8 323407 2021-01-01T00:41:53 text/plain; charset=utf-8 application/zip 20415 2024-10-02T04:27:32.070842 application/rdf+xml 13785 2024-10-02T04:27:16.392915 image/jpeg 3645 2024-10-02T04:27:15.937885 image/jpeg 406852 2024-10-02T04:27:13.767926 application/octet-stream application/zip en.wikipedia