After more than ten years of thoughtful planning, Michael Tippett (1905-1998) summed up his musical, political, spiritual and philosophical beliefs in his first oratorio, "A Child of Our Time" (1941). Representing the emergence of a new level of confidence and musical maturity for Tippett, the oratorio has become the composer's most widely known and performed work. However, the complexity of both the music and the libretto has led to misinterpretations of Tippett's original intentions by performers and audiences alike. Accordingly, the primary purpose of this dissertation is to offer the most comprehensive possible discussion of Tippett's oratorio---its genesis, its musical and textual content, and the roles of the different influences that shaped it. This result will be achieved by discussing the background of the oratorio (Chapter 1), the genesis and elaboration of the libretto (Chapter 2), the influence of the Jungian philosophy (Chapter 3), the role and influence of the African-American spirituals (Chapter 4), Tippett's integration of musical influences (Chapter 5), and, finally, the work's formal scheme, motivic unity, and tonal organization (Chapters 6, 7 and 8). [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]