Chapter Three: Historical Notes
Religion and Literature in Post-Civil War America
The Crisis of Faith in the Gilded Age
The Civil War shattered American religious certainty. Both North and South had claimed God's favor, yet the carnage—over 600,000 dead—challenged traditional notions of divine providence. The subsequent Gilded Age saw rapid industrialization, scientific advancement (Darwin's theories), and growing wealth inequality that further eroded simple faith.
Mark Twain captured this disillusionment in "The War Prayer" (written 1905, published posthumously), where an aged stranger reveals the dark truth of praying for victory: "O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells... help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire." Twain exposed how religious language masked violent desires, much as McQuary would use religious venues to spread his fabrications.
By the 1890s, many Americans, especially young men like McQuary, found themselves caught between inherited religious structures and modern skepticism. The result was often a cynical manipulation of religious forms—using church venues and Biblical language while privately rejecting traditional morality.
The Trilby Phenomenon of 1894
George du Maurier's "Trilby" became one of the best-selling novels of the 19th century, despite—or perhaps because of—its French dialogue and bohemian Paris setting. The story of an artist's model controlled by the mesmerist Svengali captivated American readers, spawning "Trilby parties," merchandise, and even a hat style (the trilby).
The novel's appeal lay partly in its exotic European setting and scandalous themes (mesmerism, bohemian life, a woman living with male artists) safely distanced by foreign language and locale. American readers could indulge in transgressive fantasies while maintaining propriety. The French passages actually enhanced its appeal—readers felt sophisticated even if they skipped the untranslated sections.
For McQuary, "Trilby" offered both a model (Svengali's control through mesmerism) and a lesson in how exotic narratives captivated American audiences. His Purple Knight persona would similarly use foreign adventure to entrance small-town listeners.