Project Gutenberg 2004-09-28 Public domain in the USA. 421 Holmes, Oliver Wendell 1809 1894 Elsie Venner Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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.) Reading ease score: 73.5 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Didactic fiction Paranormal fiction Predestination -- Fiction Birthmarks -- Fiction PS Text Category: Novels Category: American Literature 934062 2025-07-02T03:56:56.596142 text/html 952462 2021-01-27T13:43:03 text/html 417141 2025-07-02T03:57:06.604147 application/epub+zip 432648 2025-07-02T03:56:59.630158 application/epub+zip 414896 2025-07-02T03:56:58.383193 application/epub+zip 711556 2025-07-02T03:57:12.633089 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 663626 2025-07-02T03:57:05.803138 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 624961 2022-09-02T05:32:27.568983 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 828473 2025-07-02T03:56:55.631140 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 828436 2021-01-01T00:41:53 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19534 2025-07-02T03:57:12.760089 application/rdf+xml 13785 2025-07-02T03:56:58.894133 image/jpeg 3645 2025-07-02T03:56:58.632152 image/jpeg 323407 2021-01-01T00:41:53 application/octet-stream application/zip 337195 2021-01-27T13:43:03 application/octet-stream application/zip 406897 2025-07-02T03:56:56.665157 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia