The Disappearance of God: Five Nineteenth-Century Writers

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July 16, 2026

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J. Hillis Miller's The Disappearance of God: Five Nineteenth-Century Writers explores theological concerns and the absence or death of the divine in the works of its subjects. The book delves into how writers grappled with changing ideas about God, influenced by the intellectual currents of the 19th century, such as the rise of science and philosophical critiques that challenged traditional religious beliefs. This period saw a questioning of God's existence and role, a trend reflected in literature and philosophy. The book connects these literary explorations to broader cultural shifts and the philosophical landscape of the time, including movements like Transcendentalism.1234

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J. Hillis Miller
…Meredith, and Hardy (1968), and The Disappearance of God: Five Nineteenth-Century Writers (1963). He drew heavily on ideas of the absence or death of the divine. By 1970, however, he had joined the deconstructionist critics at Yale, where he often defended deconstruction against charges of nihilism. Although Miller’s literary scholarship…
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…Meredith, and Hardy (1968), and The Disappearance of God: Five Nineteenth-Century Writers (1963). He drew heavily on ideas of the absence or death of the divine. By 1970, however, he had joined the deconstructionist critics at Yale, where he often defended deconstruction against charges of nihilism. Although Miller’s literary scholarship…
Read More