Couverture / Jaquette

Yeast: A Problem by Charles Kingsley is a socio-political novel that blends social critique with moral and religious inquiry. The novel explores themes of class disparity, social justice, and the responsibility of the elite toward the rural poor in 19th-century England. Through the character of Lancelot Smith, a wealthy young man who undergoes a transformative journey, Kingsley delves into the moral dilemmas and social responsibilities of the upper classes. Lancelot becomes aware of the harsh economic, social, and unsanitary conditions facing the rural working class, prompting a reevaluation of his views on religion and society. The book engages with the ""Condition-of-England"" question, critiquing the apathy of the educated and wealthy classes toward the plight of the laboring poor.Yeast offers a strong social commentary on the inequalities of the time. The book is also notable for its early focus on unsanitary conditions and disease in rural areas, emphasizing the stark contrast between urban and rural poverty. Ultimately, Yeast advocates for social reform, personal growth, and a more compassionate society.

Note biographique

Charles Kingsley was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university lecturer, a social reformer, a historian, a novelist, and a poet. He lived from 12 June 1819 to 23 January 1875. He is known for his involvement in Christian socialism, the working men's college, and the establishment of labor cooperatives, which were unsuccessful but inspired later labor reforms. He was Charles Darwin's friend and correspondent. The eldest child of the Reverend Charles Kingsley and his wife, Mary Lucas Kingsley, Kingsley was born in Holne, Devon. Both his sister Charlotte Chanter (1828-1882) and brother Henry Kingsley (1830-1876) were writers. He was the uncle of the explorer and scientist Mary Kingsley and the father of the novelist Lucas Malet (Mary St. Leger Kingsley, 1852-1931). (1862-1900). The early years of Charles Kingsley were spent in Barnack, Northamptonshire, and Clovelly, Devon, where his father served as Curate from 1826 to 1832 and Rector from 1832 to 1836. Before attending King's College London and the University of Cambridge, he received his education at Bristol Grammar School and Helston Grammar School. Charles enrolled in Cambridge's Magdalene College in 1838 and earned his degree there in 1842.

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