# President Gurgoyle — Erewhon Revisited character guide

> President Gurgoyle in Erewhon Revisited by Samuel Butler.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** Dr. Gurgoyle, XI President Gurgoyle, the venerable Dr. Gurgoyle

**First appearance:** 0013-xi-president-gurgoyle-s-pamphlet-on-the-physics-of-vicarious-existence

## Who they are

An Erewhonian academic who writes a pamphlet on vicarious existence.

## In the story

### [Signs of the New Order of Things Catch My Father’s Eye on Every Side](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/erewhon_revisited_se/chapters/vii-signs-of-the-new-order-of-things-catch-my-father-s-eye-on-every-side)

Author of several books seen at the bookstall, including 'The Sacrament of Divorce' and 'The Physics of Vicarious Existence.'

### [X: My Father, Fearing Recognition at Sunch’ston, Betakes Himself to the Neighbouring Town of Fairmead](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/erewhon_revisited_se/chapters/x-my-father-fearing-recognition-at-sunch-ston-betakes-himself-to-the-neighbouring-town-of-fairmead)

His pamphlet on vicarious life after death is read and reflected upon by my father.

### [President Gurgoyle’s Pamphlet “On the Physics of Vicarious Existence”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/erewhon_revisited_se/chapters/xi-president-gurgoyle-s-pamphlet-on-the-physics-of-vicarious-existence)

Author of the pamphlet 'On the Physics of Vicarious Existence'; reinterprets Higgs's teachings to argue for a posthumous life through influence, rejecting both bodily resurrection and complete death.

### [XV: The Temple Is Dedicated to My Father, and Certain Extracts Are Read from His Supposed Sayings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/erewhon_revisited_se/chapters/xv-the-temple-is-dedicated-to-my-father-and-certain-extracts-are-read-from-his-supposed-sayings)

Declares the temple dedicated to the contemplation of the Sunchild and the exposition of his teaching.

### [George and I Spend a Few Hours Together at the Statues, and Then Part—I Reach Home—Postscript](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/erewhon_revisited_se/chapters/xxviii-george-and-i-spend-a-few-hours-together-at-the-statues-and-then-part-i-reach-home-postscript)

Referred to as the King who interviews the characters and decides to let Sunchildism fade gradually.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/erewhon_revisited_se/characters/president_gurgoyle
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/erewhon_revisited_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/erewhon_revisited_se/characters