Literary notes about Heterodox (AI summary)
The term "heterodox" has been wielded in literature to denote beliefs or practices that stand in stark opposition to established norms. In earlier works, such as those by Fielding and Galen, the label was used with severe consequence—Fielding’s character condemns the print of heterodox ideas with threats of execution [1], while Galen describes a fate of burning at the stake for holding such unorthodox views [2]. Over time, the usage of the term became broader, incorporating both formal definitions, as seen in dictionaries by Burgess and Park [3, 4], and more nuanced character assessments, like in Brontë's narrative where a question is subtly marked as heterodox [5]. Additionally, in texts like those of Herzl and Pope, heterodoxy is linked not only to individual opinions but also to broader societal and philosophical currents, influencing political masses and hinting at logical agnosticism when such views are fully developed [6, 7]; Boethius similarly includes it among the traits of variant philosophical sects [8]. This evolution reflects the word’s flexible application—from a marker of dangerous deviation to a descriptor of unconventional thought in diverse contexts.
- "Whoever prints such heterodox stuff ought to be hanged," says Barnabas.
— from Joseph Andrews, Vol. 1 by Henry Fielding - For his heterodox opinions he was burned at the stake.
— from Galen: On the Natural Faculties by Galen - A dictionary of heterodox English, slang and phrase.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park - A dictionary, historical and comparative, of the heterodox speech of all classes of society for more than three hundred years.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park - I declined answering Mrs. Dean’s question, which struck me as something heterodox.
— from Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë - The masses [145] are also more prone even than Parliaments to be led away by heterodox opinions, and to be swayed by vigorous ranting.
— from The Jewish State by Theodor Herzl - Bolingbroke's views were for that time distinctly heterodox, and, if logically developed, led to complete agnosticism.
— from The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems by Alexander Pope - [B] The Stoic, Epicurean, and other philosophical sects, which Boethius regards as heterodox.
— from The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius
