140
3.
Works of women writers and female problems in their works. Sisters Bronte. Elizabeth Gaskell,
George Eliot.
1.
Periods of the literary career of William Thackeray. Humour in the works of William Thackeray.
M. Thackeray was one of the greatest representatives of the English Victorian age. Thackeray’s
novels focus on a vivid description of his contemporary society, the mode of life, manners and tastes of
aristocracy. Revealing their pride and tyranny, snobbishness, and selfishness, he demonstrates his broad
and analytical knowledge of human nature.
W.M. Thackeray was born in Calcutta, India, where his father
was a well-to-do English official. At the age of six, he was sent to
England to be educated. He studied at the Charterhouse school, and
then he passed on to Cambridge University. While a student, William
displayed his skill of drawing cartoons and writing verses, most of
them were parodies. But being an ambitious person he wanted to
achieve more and become an artist, so without graduating the
University and went to Germany, Italy and France to study art. In
Germany, he was introduced to Goethe, who deeply impressed him.
Thackeray returned to London in 1833, with the aim to complete his education, and began a law
course. Unfortunately, at that time, the Indian bank went bankrupt, and Thackeray lost the money invested
by his father to him. Not being able to continue his regular education, he had to earn a living. He was
equally talented in art and literature. Journalism became the most attractive occupation for him, and
throughout his whole life, Thackeray was a journalist. Up to 1854, he was a regular contributor to “Punch”,
and later he was the editor of “The Cornhill”. In 1836, Thackeray married Isabella Shawe, they had three
daughters. Thackeray’s married life was unhappy as his wife became ill after giving birth to the third child.
To the end of his life Thackeray did all he could to make her life comfortable working hard and bringing
himself down. Isabella outlived her husband by many years. Like Dickens, he drove himself to give readings
of his novels in London and in America. Moreover, his lectures on “The English Humourists” and “The Four
Georges” show him a master.
W. M. Thackeray was an author of many articles, essays, reviews and stories. But his first notable
work was “The Book of Snobs”, published in 1848. It was a collection of his magazine writings, where the
author criticized social pretentiousness. The book may be regarded as a prelude to the author’s
masterpiece “Vanity Fair”, which showed him at his best in a clear-sighted realism, a deep detestation of
insincerity, and a broad and powerful development of narrative. For one brilliant decade the bright yellow
shilling, numbers in which his novels were published became a feature of English life. In those years he
published “The History of Pendennis” (1850), “Henry Esmond” (1852), “The Newcomes” (1854), “The
Virginians” (1859) and “Denis Duwal”. Thackeray wrote in a colorful, lively style. His vocabulary is simple
and sentences clearly structured.
The novels “The History of Pendinnes” and “The Newcomes” are realistic; they show gradual
reconciliation of the author with reality. In the other novels, “Henry Esmond” and “The Virginians”
Thackeray turned to historical themes, which he treated with a realistic approach. Thackeray’s last novel
“Denis Duval” remained unfinished, for Thackeray died in 1863.
Thackeray’s literary work shows that he did not like people who were impressed by their birth or
rank. He hated cruelty and greed, and admired kindness.
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