Difference between revisions of "Pendennis (Thackeray, 1850)"
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*72 the structure is charmingly haphazard, almost metonymic - Mrs P mentions knowing the danger of premature engagements and this sets up a Ch VII, which gives little Laura's background (interrupting and building suspense for the resolution of Pen's engagement) | *72 the structure is charmingly haphazard, almost metonymic - Mrs P mentions knowing the danger of premature engagements and this sets up a Ch VII, which gives little Laura's background (interrupting and building suspense for the resolution of Pen's engagement) | ||
*103 the Major craftily convinces Costigan Pen has no money (which is true - 120) | *103 the Major craftily convinces Costigan Pen has no money (which is true - 120) | ||
| + | *141 "What a deal of grief, care, and other harmful excitement does a healthy dulness and cheerful insensibility avoid!" (Describing Fotheringay) | ||
==Theme Tracking== | ==Theme Tracking== | ||
Revision as of 16:47, 14 June 2017
Thackeray, William Makepeace. Pendennis. Pub. 1850. Ed. John Sutherland. Oxford: World's Classics, 1999.
Transpose notes from 1875 ed to Sutherland
Contents
General Notes
- interesting how much class makes a difference in development between pen and david
- also Thackeray isn't interested in childhood at all whereas for Dickens it's central to the first third of the book - pen is 16 when we start
- also difference in character: P is a rascal where D is just undisciplined
- 1850 preface interesting for acknowledgement of serialization pressures
- 13 young Arthur's idolization of his mother like Copperfield - though Mrs P seems more deserving of the "angel" title
- but her "idol worship" of his father and uncle cause problems - 14
- 14 "He had not got beyond the theory yet...prison-house"
- 56 really funny - Pen effuses while Ms F thinks about household chores
- 65 satirizing the "jolly old times" of travel by mail coach
- 72 the structure is charmingly haphazard, almost metonymic - Mrs P mentions knowing the danger of premature engagements and this sets up a Ch VII, which gives little Laura's background (interrupting and building suspense for the resolution of Pen's engagement)
- 103 the Major craftily convinces Costigan Pen has no money (which is true - 120)
- 141 "What a deal of grief, care, and other harmful excitement does a healthy dulness and cheerful insensibility avoid!" (Describing Fotheringay)
Theme Tracking
Reading and Writing
- 14 "He never read to improve himself out of school-hours, but, on the contrary, devoured all the novels, plays, and poetry on which he could lay his hands."
- 24 first writing - poetry in County Chronicle
- 26 Mr Smirke his tutor gives Pen an Elzevir Horace
- 68 Pen's "imaginative phrensy" with verse in his head and paper steven on his bed
- 84 the major encourages Pen to read in Debrett's every day
- 113 Emily rather indifferently parcels up Pen's letters when she decides it's over
- 134 the book club
Materiality
- 2 material description of the Major's correspondence and his "Hot newspaper"
Shakespeare References
- 24 "he read Shakespeare to his mother (which she said she liked, but didn't)"
- 33 Foker "Mrs Dropsicum, Bingley's mother in law, Great in Macbeth"
- 48 Ms Fotheringay prepping to be Ophelia when she and Pen meet, then P quizzes her on Hamlet and Kotzebue
- 55 Pen's fathers love of the bard, though he didn't much read the works
- 58 "He [Smirke] and Mrs. Pendennis brought books of Hamlet with them to follow the tragedy, as is the custom of honest country-folks who go to a playbin state."
