Quick Guide: Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

By Students' Academy

“The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner” by James Hogg was first published anonymously in 1824.

The book is generally categorized under different genres. It is said to be a part-gothic and part-psychological mystery. Some scholars consider it by turns part-meta-fiction, part-satire, and part-case study of totalitarian thought.

It can also be considered an early example of modern crime fiction. The novel has a criminal anti-hero, who narrates the major part of the story.

Quick Guide: Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Major Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: May 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311127136

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Quick Guide: Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

Copyright

Quick Guide: Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

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Chapter One: Introduction

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg was first published anonymously in 1824.

The book is generally categorized under different genres. It is said to be a part-Gothic and part-psychological mystery. Some scholars consider it by turns part-meta-fiction, part-satire, and part-case study of totalitarian thought.

It can also be considered an early example of modern crime fiction. The novel has a criminal anti-hero, who narrates the major part of the story.

The major action is set in Scotland in the past. The author seems to have very accurately observed the settings. At the same time, there is a pseudo-Christian world of angels, devils, and certain demonic possessions in the story.

When the book was published for the first time, it was not very well received and only a few copies were sold. It is said to have suffered critical neglect during that period, particularly in the early part of the nineteenth century.

The things changed with the future editions of the book. It began to draw a lot of critical interest during the latter part of the twentieth century. The book began to catch the attention of readers, scholars, and critics.

The book was praised by several famous scholars such as Andre Gide, Walter Allen, and many more to name. Now the book is seen as a study of religious fanaticism through its deeply critical portrait of the Calvinist concept of predestination.

Although the book is written in English, there are some parts which have Scottish dialogue to add to the effect of the plot and story.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

The narrator presents his two perspectives, once as the editor and the second as the sinner. First he understands the facts as he understands them to be, and then he narrates the events of the novel in the words of the ‘sinner’ himself.

The narration presented by the ‘Editor’ begins in 1687 with the marriage of Rabina Orde to the much older George Colwan, Laird of Dalcastle.

Rabina hates her new husband because his religious beliefs do not come up to the beliefs she carries. He loves dancing and drinks a lot. She does not like these things in him. She happens to have her extremely religious beliefs.

Soon after the marriage, she flees her new husband, but her father compels her to go back to her husband. They begin to live separately in the same house. Life goes on and Rabina gives birth to two sons. Her first son is named George. He is undoubtedly the son of her husband, the Laird, but it is very strongly implied in the narrative that her second son Robert is the son of the Reverend Wringhim, who happens to be Rabina’s very close confidante and her spiritual adviser.

As the time progresses, Wringhim becomes Robert’s adoptive father. George is brought up by the Laird and Robert is educated by his mother and Wringhim. Robert begins to follow Wringhim’s radical antinomian sect of Calvinism. According to Calvinism, there are only certain people who are predestined to be