Hadrian the Seventh
Encyclopedia
Hadrian the Seventh is a 1904 novel
by the English
novelist Frederick Rolfe
, who wrote under the pseudonym "Baron Corvo".
Rolfe's best-known work, this novel of extreme wish-fulfillment developed out of an article he wrote on the Papal Conclave
to elect the successor to Pope
Leo XIII. The prologue introduces us to George Arthur Rose (a transparent double for Rolfe himself): a failed candidate for the priesthood denied his vocation by the machinations and bungling of the Roman Catholic ecclesiastical machinery, now living alone with his yellow cat.
Rose is visited by two prominent churchmen, one a Cardinal Archbishop
. The two propose to right the wrongs done to him, ordain him a priest, and take him to Rome
where the Conclave to elect the new Pope has reached deadlock. When he arrives in Rome he finds that the Cardinals have been inspired, divinely or otherwise, to offer him the Papacy. He accepts, and since the only previous English Pope was Adrian (or Hadrian) IV
, he takes the name Hadrian VII.
The novel develops with this unconventional, chain-smoking Englishman peremptorily reforming the Church and the early 20th-century world, against inevitable opposition from the established Roman Catholic hierarchy
, rewarding his friends and trouncing his enemies. Generally he gets his way by charm or doggedness, and of course by being much cleverer than all those round him; but his short reign is brought to an end when he is assassinated by a Pope-hating Scotsman, or possibly Ulsterman, and the world breathes a sigh of relief.
and his newspaper, the Daily Mail
, cast in the form of a Papal Bull
issued by Hadrian VII.
The novel was made into a successful stage-play by Peter Luke
, opening at the Mermaid Theatre
, London in April 1968 and starring Alec McCowen
as Fr. William Rolfe (not Rose). The subsequent Broadway production starred first McCowen, then Roderick Cook
, and later, Barry Morse
. It was also Morse who played in the Australian production and the USA national tour.
A satirical novel on a similar theme, which mentions Hadrian the Seventh in its bibliography, is Robert Player
's Let's Talk of Graves, of Worms, of Epitaphs (1972).
The Translation of Father Torturo (2005), a novel by Brendan Connell about a priest's ruthless ascent to the papacy, is dedicated to "Frederick William Serafino Austin Lewis Mary Rolfe, Baron Corvo", "for the design which I so meanly twisted".
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
novelist Frederick Rolfe
Frederick Rolfe
Frederick William Rolfe, better known as Baron Corvo, and also calling himself 'Frederick William Serafino Austin Lewis Mary Rolfe', , was an English writer, artist, photographer and eccentric...
, who wrote under the pseudonym "Baron Corvo".
Rolfe's best-known work, this novel of extreme wish-fulfillment developed out of an article he wrote on the Papal Conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
to elect the successor to Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Leo XIII. The prologue introduces us to George Arthur Rose (a transparent double for Rolfe himself): a failed candidate for the priesthood denied his vocation by the machinations and bungling of the Roman Catholic ecclesiastical machinery, now living alone with his yellow cat.
Rose is visited by two prominent churchmen, one a Cardinal Archbishop
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
. The two propose to right the wrongs done to him, ordain him a priest, and take him to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
where the Conclave to elect the new Pope has reached deadlock. When he arrives in Rome he finds that the Cardinals have been inspired, divinely or otherwise, to offer him the Papacy. He accepts, and since the only previous English Pope was Adrian (or Hadrian) IV
Pope Adrian IV
Pope Adrian IV , born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope from 1154 to 1159.Adrian IV is the only Englishman who has occupied the papal chair...
, he takes the name Hadrian VII.
The novel develops with this unconventional, chain-smoking Englishman peremptorily reforming the Church and the early 20th-century world, against inevitable opposition from the established Roman Catholic hierarchy
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
, rewarding his friends and trouncing his enemies. Generally he gets his way by charm or doggedness, and of course by being much cleverer than all those round him; but his short reign is brought to an end when he is assassinated by a Pope-hating Scotsman, or possibly Ulsterman, and the world breathes a sigh of relief.
Later works based on or influenced by Hadrian the Seventh
In 1908 Rolfe resurrected the character of Hadrian for The Bull Against the Enemy of the Anglican Race, a violent attack on Lord NorthcliffeAlfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe
Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe rose from childhood poverty to become a powerful British newspaper and publishing magnate, famed for buying stolid, unprofitable newspapers and transforming them to make them lively and entertaining for the mass market.His company...
and his newspaper, the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, cast in the form of a Papal Bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
issued by Hadrian VII.
The novel was made into a successful stage-play by Peter Luke
Peter Luke
-Early years:Peter Ambrose Cyprian Luke was born in St Albans. He had wanted to be a painter, and went to art school for 2 years before World War II occurred. He was awarded the Military Cross for his efforts. Some time after, he worked under producer Sydney Newman on the British television drama...
, opening at the Mermaid Theatre
Mermaid Theatre
The Mermaid Theatre was a theatre at Puddle Dock, in Blackfriars, in the City of London and the first built there since the time of Shakespeare...
, London in April 1968 and starring Alec McCowen
Alec McCowen
Alexander Duncan "Alec" McCowen CBE is an English actor. He is known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. He was awarded the CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours List.-Personal:...
as Fr. William Rolfe (not Rose). The subsequent Broadway production starred first McCowen, then Roderick Cook
Roderick Cook
Roderick Cook was an English playwright, writer, theatre director and actor of stage, television and film...
, and later, Barry Morse
Barry Morse
Herbert "Barry" Morse was an Anglo-Canadian actor of stage, screen, and radio best known for his roles in the ABC television series The Fugitive and the British sci-fi drama Space: 1999...
. It was also Morse who played in the Australian production and the USA national tour.
A satirical novel on a similar theme, which mentions Hadrian the Seventh in its bibliography, is Robert Player
Robert Furneaux Jordan
Robert Furneaux Jordan was an English architect, architectural critic and novelist. Jordan was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, Birmingham School of Art, and the Architectural Association School of Architecture, London. He married Eira Furneaux Jordan in 1965...
's Let's Talk of Graves, of Worms, of Epitaphs (1972).
The Translation of Father Torturo (2005), a novel by Brendan Connell about a priest's ruthless ascent to the papacy, is dedicated to "Frederick William Serafino Austin Lewis Mary Rolfe, Baron Corvo", "for the design which I so meanly twisted".
External links
- LibriVox audiorecording of Hadrian the Seventh by Fr. Rolfe (Baron Corvo), read by Martin Geeson (in progress): http://librivox.org/newcatalog/search.php?title=hadrian&author=&status=all&action=Search