The Role of Religion in Childrens Literature - Essay Example

Children were perceived as miniature adults or as less than human, as typified by Michel de Montaigne, the sixteenth-century French humanist, and essayist.” (Literature for Children). It aimed at educating the children, teaching them morality, and assisting them in socialization. The web article entitled Religion, Children's Literature and Modernity in Europe gives a clear idea about the relevance of religion, the role played by it, and the influence it exerted in children’s literature. It says: “The development of children's literature reveals a complex pattern of development in its relation to modernity and religion.” (Religion, Children’s Literature and Modernity in Europe).

The debut occurrence of the new genre that is children’s literature was in German English and French, and they were circulated widely in Latin countries through translations between the 1780s and 1850s. Most of them were conceived with the religious values and morality of the old regime. “When describing the history of books for children, decorated medieval manuscripts and illustrated early printed books are generally considered the precursors of the form.” (Historical Children’s Literature Collection).

Gradually the church had to control the production of educational books at the time but the enlightenment which followed the French revolution contested this order of affairs. Initially, it was religion that dominated but gradually its power both in content and editorial system began to decline. The real character of the national children’s literature emerged, making distance from religion during the period from 1880 to 1950. However, preserving some solid positions of power, the religious establishment elaborated the strategies of adaptation. But later on, the moral and religious consensus collapsed and religion became more discrete.

A brief biography of Dr. Seuss and a bibliography of his selected 5 works:
Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on 2 March 1904 on Howard Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is better known by his pen name Dr. Seuss. After graduation from Dartmouth College in 1925 he proceeded to Oxford University setting the goal of acquiring a doctoral degree in literature. After returning from Europe in 1927 he began submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for Judge, a leading humor magazine in America at the time and this popularized him.  His cartoon called Gerald McBoing-Boing won him an Oscar. Theodor Seuss Geisel died on 24 September 1991. (A Brief, Rough Biography of Dr. Seuss).

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is one of the noted works of Dr. Seuss. It depicts what happened when Bartholomew couldn't take his hat off before the king. It is a lovely bit of tom-foolery which keeps up the suspense and surprise until the last page. It was published by Random House in 1990. (Seuss).

The Cat in the Hat is a novel of prose and poetry by Dr. Seuss. Through this novel, he pays homage to the great Dr. Sigmund Freud in a nightmarish fantasy of a renegade feline helping two young children understand their frustrated sexuality. It was published by Random House Children's Books in 1987. (Seuss). My Many Colored Days is yet another work by Dr. Seuss. This rare and beautiful book is bound to appeal both to the innocent young and the most sophisticated seniors. It was published by Alfred A Knopf in 1998. (Seuss, Johnson, and Fancher).  Read More