The Rogue in the Development of Thackeray’s Theory and Practice of Satire

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• m HQGUB IH MB W W B W m M T OF m O K B M t ’ 8 TOGHY AID mAQTItm OF SAUXBB

ilerl© Jugene Lundrall

A d isse r ta tio n submitted in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t of the requirements for th© degree o f Doctor o f fhllosophy, in the Department of Bngltah in the Graduate C ollege of the State Universi ty o f Iowa Jane 1950

ProQuest N um ber: 10991970

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rt^ so L9b>& o-o p. *-

To P ro fe sso r Joseph S . Baker and P ro fe sso r F red erick A* McDowell

£ a? (H

il

ta b lb o f Q o m m m

Chapter

page

In tr o d u e tio n . • « • • • < I

. . . . . .

Backgrounda o f th e L it e r a r y Hogue . . . . . . . Main Stream and D e v ia tio n s . . . . . . . . O rig in s o f the L it e r a r y Hogue • • • . A n ti-h ero ism and L o w -life . . . . . . ................... . Anti-Homantio . . . . . . The Hogue As Servant . . . . . . . . She Hogue In B n g llsh F i c t i o n . . . . . . . Boguery • • • « ................................ . • . Hoguery in the H espeotable C l a s s e s ................................ . . . . The Criminal in E n g lish f l o t l o n . . . Summary and Conclusion . . . . . . .

II

III

Hariy N ineteenth Century Hogue L ite r a tu r e

X 6 6

7 9 13 16 23 27 30 33 40

. . .

44

Cockney Hogue f l o t l o n ...................... The Criminal Biography . . . . . . . . . . The Gony-eatdhtng Pamphlet . . . . . . . . The P icaresque Novel . . . . .

44 51 55 58

french Hogue L ite r a tu r e

........................................... 65

........................... 65 I n tr o d u c tio n The fren ch F ashionable Hogue . . . . . . . 66 The I n t e r e s t i n g Criminal . . . . . . . . . 71 The Use o f the Bogue in S a t ir e . . . . . . 75 I n tr o d u c tio n .......................................... 75 The S o c ia l "Good* in S a t i r e . . . . . 77 S a tir e * a Broad f i e l d o f O bservation .......................... 31 S a t i r e A True Mirror o f S o c ie t y . . . 84 S a t i r e , the Denying S p i r i t . . . . . 36 Conclusion ...................... 90

ill

Chapter I?

page Yellow plush to C a t h e r i n e ........................................

»

93

Yellowpluah: The P icaresque Hogue . . . » 93 I n tr o d u c tio n 93 Thaokeray* a F i r s t Hogue . ......................... 95 Thackeray's Hogue and the T r a d i t i o n ..............................................97 Yellowpluah a s Instrument fo r S a tir e • ....................... .... « • « • 105 Y ellow plush a® Object o f S a t ir e . « « 107 Hie "Bespeotahl®** Man a® Subject for S a t ir e . . . . . . 114 Three Hogue®: Oahagan, Stubbs, Cox • * « » 1S1 V

Catherine: The Hogue and C r i m i n a l ...............................131 Thaokeray'a C r itic is m o f Bewgate F i c t i o n . . . . .................................................131 The Hogues. Brook and M a csh a n e...................... 139 l i v i n g on nothing A te a r * ............................... 144 O a lg e n a te in , the T itle d Scoundrel . . . . 146 Hogues Are Born, Hot Made . . . . . . . . 150 Thackeray* ® F i r s t Female Hogue . . . . . . 155 Summary • . . . . . . . . 161

VI

Hogues P receding Barry Lyndon . . . . . . . . .

164

I n tr o d u c tio n . . . . . .............................................164 Captain Hook, Black logger • * ..................... 165 P o l i t i c a l and S o c ia l i n t r ig u e r s • • « • • 171 The B usiness Hogue . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 The Lome s t i o Hogue ............................... 188 VII

Barry Lyndon, "The Summing Op”

. . . . . . . .

I n t r o d u c t i o n ...................... The Character, Barry Lyndon, As the *9uaw o f Bar H e r Hogues « . . . Boguo Types i n Barry . ...................... F am iliar Themes and S u b jects • . • *

iv

196 196 198 198 200

page

Chapter

Barry and O rig in a l Sin . • • • * • • 809 L e v e ls o f S a t ir e . • . burleagued or parodied what he regarded m u n r e a l i s t i c n o v e ls.

leg en d & | Jthe &M3& tiurlaiiiiuas Bukos' Outhou

1 *Archers Bebecoa and Bowena r e a l i s t i c a l l y c o r r e c t s the

ending o f Ivanhoe; and Barbazure punctures the m edieval romances o f G* P* B# James#

In such works as t h e s e , and

in many o t h e r s , Thackeray takes h i s stand w ith those who i n s i s t th a t a poker i s a poker and n o th in g e l s e .

And i n

denying the v a l i d i t y o f the romantie p o in t o f view, in a ffir m in g th© f i n a l importance o f the a c t u a l w orld, and

18* Thackeray u r g e s the rea d er, " i f he Is c u rio u s about m atters o f low l i f e , to go to the r e a l so u rc e, which i s open t o him • « • se e • • # u n co n sc io u s, h o n e s t, blackguard HATUBl? in f a c t * • •" "Horae Oatnachlanae," F r a se r 1a Magazine. A p r il, 1859, p# 408# Mthe s t a p l e Is human n a t u r e , which d o e s, to be s u r e , sometimes form m onsters, b u t the world i s n ot peopled w ith such; nor should the world o f f i c t i o n produce them, e x c e p t In a very sm all p r o p o r tio n , i f i t would aim a t copying nature*" I b id # , p# 4 2 4 . Of D ick en s, he w r o te, "I qu arrel with h i s Art in many r e s p e c t s ; whieh I don't th in k r e p r e s e n t s Mature duly « * • I hold • * # that the Art of Hovels i s t o r e p r e se n t Maturej to convey as s t r o n g l y as p o s s i b l e the sen tim en t o f r e a l i t y * # . a c o a t i s a c oa t and a poker a poker * and must b© nothing e l s e according to my e t h i c s , n o t an embroidered t u n i c , nor a g r e a t r e d -h o t instrum ent l i k e the Pantomime weapon*” The l e t t e r s and P r iv a te Papers o f William ilakeneaoe rKaokSray. in a l e t t e r to David Masson, dated 6 May 1861.

16 19 In ab ju rin g c a n t , ®hamf and humbug, he r e p e a ls an a r t i s t i c s e n s i b i l i t y a l l i e d c l o s e l y to that o f the c r e a to r s o f the f i r s t p ic a re sq u e f l o t l o n # ffla S a e m M a.#r.»#B..ti As c o n c e iv e d i n Spain and matured in France, the p ic a re sq u e n o v e l f e a t u r e d the a n t i - h e r o , in whose biography or autobiography th e p e r s o n a l i t i e s , t r a d e s , and occu p atio n s 20 o f a v a r i e t y o f master® were s a t i r i z e d # This s h i f t i n g m a ste r-ser v a n t r e l a t i o n s h i p la perhaps the most d i s t i n c t i v e fe a tu r e o f the p ic a re sq u e t a l e ,

However, in much rogue

f i c t i o n , th Is element was by no means c o n s ta n t.

In the

Soman Oomiuue ( \

V a n ity," can we conclude that h© s e e s a l l mankind sh a rin g

( \ i n a common f a u l t «** a u n iv e r s a l i n a b i l i t y to r e f r a i n from ) \

pursuing w o r t h le s s o b j e c t s under th© i l l u s i o n th a t t h e ir v a lu e i s g r e a t? th e f a c t s .

j

This seems to be a v a l id c o n c lu sio n from ^

I f s o , can w© n o t say that t h i s i n a b i l i t y t o

278* Van!tv F a ir , the p en u ltim a te s e n te n c e . 27 9 . Becky f e e l s t h i s emptiness a f t e r a c h ie v in g one o f her " v a n it i e s ," *-» to be accepted in the h ig h e s t s o c i a l c i r c l e s o f London. She succeeds* su c c e s s e x c i t e s , e l a t e s , then bores her* "fhe poor woman was yawning in s p i r i t . * I wish I were out o f i t , * she said to h e r s e l f . ” Van!tv F a ir « oh. 51, p. 490.

zm know w o r th le s s n e s s as w o r th le s s n e s s d e r iv e s from an i n ­ h e ren t and p o s i t i v e d i s p o s i t i o n towards i t ?

Are n o t the

p eop le In f a u l t y F a ir im p lie s ted In o r i g i n a l s i n 9 t o o , p o s s e s s e d o f an inborn i n c l i n a t i o n for w o r t h le s s n e s s , as t h e rogue for e v i l and v u lg a r ity ?

y {

f

T h is, to o , seems a v a lid

e o n o lu s io n from the f a c t s 3 and i t p o i n t s to a fu r th e r and most important r e l a t i o n s h i p between Vanity Fair and Thackeray* e e a r l i e r rogue f la t te n *

An e s s e n t i a l fe a tu r e

o f Thackeray*e rogues had been th e apparent I n e v i t a b i l i t y o f t h e ir c h o ic e s - - they oould be t r u s te d n e a r ly always t o / Choose e v i l or v u lg a r it y -

So, t o o , an e s s e n t i a l f e a t u r e

o f the p eop le o f Vanity Fair i s that they oan be t r u s te d n e a r ly alw ays t o choose the w o r th less th in g .

Beoky chooses

a goal o f " fiv e thousand i n the Three per G e n t s . B o b b i n ohooses Amelia, Amelia chooses George, lord Steyne chooses ^ Beoky and an i l l i c i t lo v e i n t r i g u e .

Bach g r a v i t a t e s t o h i s

or her w o r t h le s s o b je c t as n a t u r a l l y as th e rogue leaned to h i s or her model o f e v i l or vulgar conduct.

In t h i s

important m atter we see a phase of Thackeray’ s development a s a s a t i r i s t along n path unbroken s i n c e The Tellow plush Oorresnondenoe. h is f i r s t f i c t i o n . 1880 W© have e a r l i e r noted the development in

2 8 0. See a b ove, ch. ? , pp. 146-50.

zm Thackeray1® work o f th© t i t l e d scoun drel from Leuceaoe tod lo r d Qraba t o Count G a lg e n s te in and S ir Charles Lyndon to a completed p o r t r a i t i n Lord Steyn e.

The moat important

f e a t u r e in t h i s e v o lu tio n was a growing s e n s u a l i t y in the c h a r a c te r , a t r a i t n ot in e v id en ce In the "wioked aristo-* c r a ts " o f The Ifellow plush OorreBPondenoe* hut p r e se n t in C a lg e n s t e in , im portant in S ir Charles Lyndon, and now in Lord Steyn© dominating an e n t i r e p e r s o n a l i t y .

And i t i s

i n t e r e s t i n g to note that Beoky*s h ig h ly a t t r a c t i v e s e x u a l i t y i s her most dangerous weapon in her a s s a u l t upon the s o c i a l h e i g h t s , the more dangerous “b ecause she has the c l a s s i c r o g u e 's c o o l detachment from emotional in volvem en ts.

This

detachment p erm its her to e x e r c i s e her charm upon th o se who can b e s t serve her ends, without ever b e tra y in g her in to an u n p rofItab 1 e pas s i on. Thackeray's c h o ic e o f names for h ie c h a r a cter s has fr e q u e n tly been commented upon, but none deserves g r e a t e r commendation than h i s ch oice o f Steyne, homonymic w ith " s t a in ” for h i s t i t l e d scoun drel in V an ity F a ir . This Lord shows the corrupt moral " s t a in ” o f s e n s u a l i t y whioh spreads throughout h i s c h a r a cter , m a n ife stin g I t s e l f in e r u p tio n s o f e v i l or u g ly conduct, p a r t i c u la r ly in h is i n t r i g u e w ith Becky.

Thackeray a l s o shows him s u f f e r in g

N I \ (

J

860

the earn® punishment which s e n s u a l i t y had hrought upon G a lg e n s te ln

an I n a b i l i t y t o f e e l a p p e t it e s and d e s i r e s

w h ile p o s s e s s e d o f u n lim ited means to s a t i s f y them. The s a t i r e ; o f Lord Steyne 1® b a s i c a l l y th e same as Thackeray*a s a t i r e o f h i s e a r l i e r a r i s t o c r a t s .

He i s a

r e s p e o te d (and s o , ’’’rep ea ta b le " ) man who does not know th a t h i s conduct makes him a rogue. b e f it ® a rogue i s p a s t doubt.

That h i s conduct

While he does not out purses

or mark c a r d s, he cheats h i s fa m ily , in t r ig u e s to s t e a l another m an *s.w ife, and i s g e n e r a lly corrupt and d is h o n e s t. Y e t, he s e e s h i m s e l f , n ot as a ro gu e, but as a p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l le a d e r o f th e a r is t o c r a c y o f Bngland.

Again we

fin d Thackeray showing the in c o n g r u ity o f conduct out o f harmony with s o c i a l s t a t u s .

From hi® e a r l i e r treatm ent o f

f a s h io n a b le rogues who gambled or sw indled fo r a l i v i n g , Thackeray draws fo r the e s s e n t i a l fe a tu r e s o f Lord Steyne. Th© way a more g en era l s a t i r e i s r e f r a c t e d from Thackeray's s a t i r e of an in d iv id u a l i s a lso shown in the long r o l l - c a l l o f honors and d i g n i t i e s l i s t e d in Lord S te y n e ’ 3 o b itu a r y . the Most Honourable George Gustavus, Marquis o f S te y n e , Bari o f Gaunt and o f Gaunt C a s t le , in the Peerage o f I r e la n d , Viscount H ellborough, Baron B it c h le y and G r i l ls b y , a Knight o f the Most l o b l e Order o f the G arter, o f th e Golden

261

F le e c e o f Sp ain, o f th e H ussion Order o f S a in t l i o h o l a s o f the F ir at G la ss, o f the fur lei ah Order o f t h e CSresoent, f i r s t lo rd o f th e Powder O lo s e t and Groom of the Back S t a i r s , Colonel o f th e Gaunt or B egen t’ a Own Regiment o f M i l i t i a , a t r u s t e e o f the B r i t i s h Museum, an Elder Brother o f the P r i n i t y House, a Governor o f th e White f r i a r s , and D . C . l . , , • .281 Here i s a man whom we know t o he " s ta in e d ’* d eep ly in h ie moral c h a r a c te r , a schemer, a s e n s u a l i s t , a s t e a l e r o f other men’ s w iv e s ,

l e t , upon t h i s scoundrel s o c i e t y has

heaped th e se im p ressiv e honors*

Why?

Hot, s u r e ly , because

he i s in h i s conduct a rogue, and in hie ch a racter a depraved b e a s t . Phis i s what lo rd Steyne a c t u a l l y i s , the b u t hardly^reason s o c i e t y has oho sen to so honor him. Why, then?

Because s o c i e t y , l i k e any o f Thackeray*s r o g u e s,

sim ply does n ot know good from e v i l , and l i k e a l l the people V a n ity F a i r - ta k e s w o r th le ssn e ss to be the most valued of th in g s.

Only out o f ignorance o f the r e a l nature o f

the c r e a tu r e whom i t i s honoring oould s o c i e t y so honor him.

S o c i e t y ’ s a d m ir a tio n s, th e n , are s a t i r i z e d because

t h e y are wasted on a rogue who appears to i t u t t e r l y r esp ec ta b le .

In t h i s way, the s a t i r e d ir e c te d a t Lord

Steyne i s r e f r a c t e d upon th e s o c i e t y vfoich had honored him, another in s ta n c e o f the presen ce in Vanity .Fair o f a fe a tu r e

281* Vanity F a ir , p. 685.

262 Of Thackeray* a e a r l i e r s a t i r i c praatiQ©* Perhaps the most d i f f i c u l t t o se e o f Thackeray*a e a r l i e r formulas for s a t i r e i n V anity Pair i s the g e n e r a l one* a p p l ic a b l e to a l l h is e a r l i e r rogues* which says; This rogue i s s a t i r i s e d because he I® an impostor who b e l i e v e s h i s imposture and assumes th a t s o c i e t y a l s o b e lie v e s it*

the s a t i r e o f Becky h e r s e l f can p a r t i a l l y

be s e e n In term s of t h i s formula#

She c e r t a i n l y I s an

impostor* being a palpable rogue im it a t in g g e n te e l* or r e s p e c t a b le * conduct*

And she c e r t a i n l y doe® b e l i e v e th a t

t h i s i s a l l ( b e s id e s money) th a t i s req u ired to prove her g e n t i l i t y or r e s p e c t a b i l i t y *

But she i s always aware o f

her p art in th e game sh e i s playing* and she never assumes t h a t © ooiety w i l l b e l i e v e i n her imposture*

She i s always

on her guard* whereas most o f Thackeray's e a r l i e r rogues were l e s s wary, a f a t a l r e s u l t o f th e ir complete s e l f-asBtiranoe. But i f the gen eral formula does not f i t too w e l l t h e c h i e f rogue In V anity F a i r . i t does f i t w e ll some o f the r e s p e c t a b l e and g e n t e e l people*

Lord Steyne i s

a s s u r e d ly an impostor who b e l ie v e s in h i s imposture and who assumes th a t the world w i l l a l s o b e l ie v e it *

I t Is

u n thinkable th a t he should aver doubt h i s r ig h t to h i s high

MB

s o c i a l s t a t u s or s o c i e t y * s acceptance o f I t .

S im ila r ly

w ith th e r e s p e c t a b l e p e o p le o f Queen *8 Orawley.

I f Beoky)

haa read them t r u l y * t h e i r v ir t u e s are shams, and th ey are p a s sin g o f f a s tru e r e s p e c t a b i l i t y conduct which r e s u l t s I j o n ly from th e p o s s e s s io n o f a f a t hank a cco u n t, n o t from, any i n t r i n s i c worth* l e t th e f a c t th a t our g e n e ra l formula fo r s a t i r e o f the rogue s u i t e b e t t e r th® subordinate c h a r a c te r , the g e n t e e l and r e s p e c t a b l e i n d iv id u a l, rath er than the main c h a r a c te r , the p a lp a b le rogue, Beoky, on ly proves fu rth er th a t Thackeray adapts to the m iddle and upper c l a s s e s f e a t u r e s o f h i s e a r l i e r p r a c t ic e ag a w r ite r o f rogue fic tio n . Conclusion I t would be a le n g th y d is c u s s io n indeed th a t proposed to exh au st a l l the complex a s p e c t s o f fhackeray*s s a t i r e in Vanity ffa ir .

Our p r e se n t purpose i s served by

showing th a t important f e a t u r e s o f that s a t i r e d e r iv e from h i s e a r l i e r w r i t i n g s and by n o tin g how in gome in s ta n c e s he m o d ifie s the use or a p p lic a t io n o f those f e a t u r e s to s u i t hi@ s u b j e c t . f n p r e se n tin g Beoky, Thackeray i s c a r e fu l to

£64

I d e n t i f y hex by marks which had d is tin g u is h e d h i s e a r l ie r p a lp a b le rogues*

Of comparable l o w - l i f e o r ig i n s and vulgar

r e a r i n g , an I l l e g i t i m a t e c h i l d , and a servant a t the o u t s e t , Becky comes before us a s a p a ten t rogue, born, n ot made, to %

sin *

Her n a tu r a l p r e d i l e c t i o n for e v i l accounts fo r her

subsequent career* "Mving on nothing a y e a r 1* c laim s Thackeray's s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n , a s u b j e c t for s a t i r i c comment which he f i r s t broached In C ath erin e*

Here he I n v e s t ig a t e s i t

f u l l y , showing t h i s way o f l i f e to be a r o g u e 's way, demanding the c o n sta n t p r a c t ic e o f the r o g u e 's t y p i c a l a c t o f th ie v er y * Becky, a s the " a n t i- h e r o in e ,” shows a c lo s e r l i k e n e s s to the rogue se rv a n ts o f c l a s s i c p icaresq ue f i c t i o n than any o f Thackeray's e a r l i e r r o g u e s, — she p o s s e s s e s a se n se o f humor, g r e a t s t o r e s o f w i t , and knows ) t r u l y h e r s e l f as sh e i s and s o c i e t y as i t l a .

This i s a

J

departure from Thackeray's usual p r a c t ic e of creating a rogue who i s fo o le d as to th® i n t r i n s i c worth both o f h im s e lf and o f s o c ie t y * Becky's progress from poverty towards a com­ p e te n c e , a " p rogress” th a t l a r g e l y determines the s tr u c tu r e

266

o f p ic a re sq u e f i c t i o n , a l s o marks c l e a r l y th© s t a g e s o f t h i s sto r y *

Her d e s ir e fo r a m id d le * cla ss competence

e n l i v e n s th e s t o r y at th e se va riou s s t a g e s , causing freq u en t s h i f t s o f s i t u a t i o n and s t a t u s , not by any changes in m a ste r s, hut by her own am bitions and by the s o c i a l p r e s s u r e s aroused a g a in s t her* The " v a n i t i e s ” o f Vanity F air are e s s e n t i a l l y th e same a s the o b je c t s Thackeray's rogues admired and pursued*

Like th ese l a t t e r , the people o f VanlIv f a i r

pursue w o r th le s s o b j e c t s under the i l l u s i o n th a t th e s e are") ) / so v a lu a b le as to be worth a l l pains to a t t a i n them* j The e a r l i e r formulas o f s a t i r e , w ith some ad ju stm en t, f i t w e ll th© in c o n g r u it ie s o f l i f e w ith which Thackeray i s concerned i n Yanltv f a i r *

We fin d the s o c i a l

frame o f r e f e r e n c e to be the same, w ith the rogue being s a t i r i s e d fo r b e l ie v i n g that money a lo n e w i l l make her r e sp e c ta b le * and th© "respectable" man b ein g s a t i r i s e d for n o t knowing th a t h i s conduct makes him a rogue.

In a d d it io n , }

a marked f e a t u r e o f the s a t i r e o f V anity Fair i s i t s g r ea t c o m p le x ity , the r e s u l t of each l e v e l o f s a t i r e in the novel b ein g im p lic a te d i n the r e s t , and a l l emerging from Thackeray's s a t i r e o f the in d iv id u a l c h a r a c te r s.

{

This

d i f f u s i o n o f s a t i r e from th© in d iv id u a l to s o c i e t y a t la rg e

2M

or to humanity a s a whole la a ls o a f e a t u r e o f Thackeray's e a r l i e r work c a r r ie d over from an a p p l ic a t io n to the l o w - l i f e rogue to the more r ea p eo ta b le c l a s s e s . N o t a b le , to o , i s Thackeray's com pletion in Yanlt.v 2 &JU? o f the p o r t r a i t o f the t i t l e d scoundrel whose moral

" s t a i n ” i s s e n s u a lit y *

In s a t i r i z i n g lo rd Steyne according

to the formula a p p lic a b le to the "respectab le" man, Thackeray again d i f f u s e s s a t i r e from the corrupt nobleman to th e s o c i e t y which has admired him and honored him so fu lly .

Steyne i s s o c i e t y ' s " va n ity," Basio to th e c h a r a c t e r iz a tio n o f the people in

Vanity ffair i t th e ir in h eren t and p o s i t i v e i n c l i n a t i o n to / w o r t h l e s s n e s s , an as peat o f th e ir p e r s o n a l i t i e s they

( )

m a n ife st i n p u r s u it of " v a n it ie s ."

In t h i s t r a i t we can

se e an e x te n s io n to t h e middle and upper c l a s s e s o f Thackeray's concept of the rogue as being born in o r ig i n a l sin .

The r o g u e 's o r i g i n a l l y s i n f u l nature made h i s choice

o f e v i l or v u lg a r it y i n e v i t a b l e .

S im ila r ly , we fin d th©

people in Van!ty f a i r i n e v i t a b l y choosing " v a n it i e s ” or w o r t h le s s o b j e c t s , showing t h a t they, to o , have a n a t iv e d i s p o s i t i o n towards the bad under the i l l u s i o n th at they are choosin g the good.

867

'Phase are perhaps th e most important o f the feature® o f Thackeray1a e a r l ie r s a t i r e a s s o c i a t e d w ith the rogue which appear as s i g n i f i c a n t elem ents in the s a t i r e o f V anity F a i r .

Some o f h i s most important a t t i t u d e s ,

■ b eliefs, and methods are se en to grow out o f h i s e a r l ie r p r a c t i c e w ith rogue f i c t i o n and to seek in Vanltar F air t h e i r u lt im a te e x p r e s s io n .

In t h i s n o v e l there i s r e a l l y

l i t t l e t h a t has changed from the e a r l i e r work,

w© meet

s w in d le , and b e tr a y a s the company we have met a lr e a d y in J Thackeray's f i c t i o n . We can s a y that Thackeray'® development as a s a t i r i s t i s complete when he w r ite s Vanlty F a i r .

We can

a l s o say t h a t we have encountered everyth in g important th a t concerns t h e r o g u e 's p la c e i n that development.

Sever

again does Thackeray w r ite rogue f i c t i o n as he had during the f i r s t t e n years o f h i s c a r e e r .

Our problem, then,

becomes sim p ly t o lo o k i n some o f the n o v e ls a f t e r Vanity F air for e v id en ce o f the continuance o f some o f the ty p ic a l a t t i t u d e s , b e l i e f s , and methods which had appeared during Thackeray's ea rly career as a w r ite r o f rogue f i c t i o n .

269

Chapter IX

mn

sm a c k o f thb hogub A fter the Fair

I n tr o d u c tio n Chandler w rote th a t In i t s l a t e r s t a g e s o f development rogue l i t e r a t u r e more and more tended to l i v e 292 ap art from i t s o r i g i n s i n th© Spanish p icaresq u e novel* We f i n d a s im ila r circum stance in Xh&aksr&y's career*

A fter

w r i t i n g fo r ten y e a rs i n t h e f i e l d o f rogue l i t e r a t u r e , he turns to i n t e r e s t s other than the rogue*

But h i s knowledge

o f th e ways o f s a t i r e , gained in t h i s e a r ly p r a c t i c e , m a n ife sts i t s e l f © t i l l In the l a t e r work, l i v i n g apart from i t s o r i g i n s i n the rogue* Do demonstrate the truth o f t h i s in some o f the la te r n o v e ls,

p a r t i c u l a r l y in Phe lewoomes

w ill at

onoe confirm the im portant p lace w© a sc r ib e to the rogue in ifoaokeray's development; and in a d d it io n i t w i l l serve as a c o n c lu s io n to t h i s in v e s t ig a tio n *

Dhere are no g r e a t

numbers o f rogues In the n o v e ls a ft e r Vanity F a ir . and th o se we do f i n d , l i k e Charles Honeyman and B eatrix Esmond, t e l l

282. Chandler, Dhe l i t e r a t u r e o f Bogaery. p* 6*

269

l i t t l e 'beyond whet we have e a r l i e r learned o f Thackeray's trea tm en t o f th e rogue*

tiaAffifflnH Bo we fin d in PenAennia. Thackeray's n e x t n o v e l f a u l t y f a i r . evidenoe that important f e a t u r e s o f h i s e a r l i e r s a t i r e d e a lin g with th© rogue continue to l i v e apart from t h e i r o r i g i n s In the treatment o f the rogue?

Thackeray

h im s e lf in h i s p r e fa c e seems to deny that any r e l a t io n s h ip e x i s t s between the e a r l i e r and the l a t e r work*

He w r i t e s ,

f o r example, that he had proposed to h is p u b lish e r s an " e x c it in g plan" fo r Pendennis. but "from want o f experience" 283 o f h i s s u b j e c t , had l a i d i t aside# He d e c la r e s th a t "the manners o f r u f f i a n s and g a o l-b ir d s" are q u it e un fam iliar t o him, and th a t "to d e sc r ib e a r e a l r a s c a l , you must make 284 him so h o r r ib le th a t he would be too hideous to show*" Up to a p o i n t , we can accept Thackeray's a s s e r t i o n th a t he i s n o t equipped to d e p ic t " r u ffia n s and g a o l- b ir d s " and "real" r a s c a l s , — but only to a poin t# r e o a l l too w e l l that t h i s i s the w r ite r who created the "sm iling sco u n d rel," Lord Oraba, the v ic io u s crew o f

283* Pendennta. p* v i i l . 284* Loo* gjjfc*

We

270

Q a ih ey la g . and, above a l l , created th a t j* in c e o f r o g u e s , Barry lynd on.

Hot so l i g h t l y can we a llow Thao leer a y to

Beg o f f from h i s e a r l i e r p r a c tic e *

H© remains s t i l l the

c r e a to r o f more p o r t r a i t s in a ’’r o g u e 's g a l l e r y ” than any other comparable S n g lie h n o v e lis t * l o r can Thackeray deny, in t h e w r i t i n g o f Pen* a m i s . * h i s debt to h i s long exp erien ce as a w r ite r o f rogue fictio n *

His purpose

”an attem pt to d escrib e one o f « * *

the gentlem en o f our a g e, » - * no b e t t e r nor worse than 235 most educated men” -* i s one w ith which we are fa m ilia r in Thackeray's wbrk from h i s f i r s t f i c t i o n , The Yellow plush Correspondence.

There, t o o , he had attempted to d e sc r ib e

t h e a c t u a l gentlem en o f the period r e f l o a t e d as i n a mirror by the r o gu e*servan t*s vulgar i m i t a t i o n .

The d if f e r e n c e i s

th a t h e r e , as l a t e r in The Hewoomes. we en cou n ter, n o t the r e f l e c t i o n , but th e p a lp a b le c r e a tu r e h i m s e l f — the gentlem an. Thackeray's method in d e sc r ib in g t h i s gentleman shows a s i g n i f i c a n t r e l a t i o n s h i p w ith hi© e a r l i e r work, p a r t i c u l a r l y w ith V anity F a i r , which ha© been shown to d e r iv e in i t s most important fe a tu r e s from Thackeray's rogue

285. Pendennls. p* v i i l .

271

flotlon. e d u c a tio n ,

In £8BiSBBli we find a s t o r y o f a gentlem an’ s t h i s e d u c a tio n i© p ic tu r e d as a p ro g ress from

Ignorance to knowledge in Arthur Fendennla's growth to m a tu r ity ,

This scheme o f showing s u c c e s s i v e s t a g e s In a

gentlem an*s a c t u a l ed u cation in the a c tu a l world u n i f i e s and informs the n o v e l. I s t h i s scheme r e l a t e d t o Thackeray*s e a r l i e r rogue f i c t i o n ?

In a moat e s s e n t i a l r e s p e c t , i t can he

shown to derive from the e a r l i e r work*

fo r Arthur’ s

ed u c a tio n a t each sta g e i s a matter o f a cq u irin g , a t the c o s t o f much pain and g r i e f , a new knowledge o f h im s e lf and o f th e r e a l worth o f o b j e c t s i n the a c t u a l w orld.

The

o b j e c t s he pursues are e s s e n t i a l l y "v a n ! t i e s , ** in the sen se which Thackeray g iv e s to th e word i n Vanity f a i r , a se n s e d e r iv in g u l t i m a t e l y fro® h i s e a r lie r p r e s e n ta tio n of rogu es in sim ila r p u rsu it o f w o r th less o b j e c t s under s im ila r d e lu sio n s a® t o t h e ir v a lu e .

A rthur's p u r s u i t s ,

— o f "the fath er in gay," of fanny B olton , o f l i t e r a r y fame, o f p o l i t i c a l p r e s t i g e , o f a w o r ld ly m arriage, -** in each c a s e end w ith the knowledge acquired th a t he has deluded h im s e lf a s t o the r e a l valu e o f the o b je c t pursued.

The

r e f l e c t i o n th a t come® to him a f t e r h is a f f a i r w ith Fanny Bolton dem onstrates the nature o f h is e d u c a tio n .

m What could have made him s o h ot and eager about her h u t a few weeks hack? Hot her w i t , n o t her b reed in g , n o t her beauty -»*■* H eading. Haw York, H. Y* , 1936. 1 8 . Dawson, W. j „ , M % e Makers o f E n g lish F ic t io n . Flem ing H, B e v e S X ^ o . ; I e w “ o F k y f W .

X9# 2!12 fle ld # E* M- » iaS M . a& tfttiajgm is. UsSmJm Hal&SS* London, 1937.

8 ° . Dodds, John W., fflm im a g * A U n iv e r s ity P re ss; Hew York, H. Y ., 1941. 8 1 . S i l l s , G eo ffrey

U .,

Oxford

Thaokaray. Sew York, H. Y ., 1933.

82* B lto n , O liv e r , Bio kens and Thao ker a y . Hew York, H. Y*, 1984* 2 3 . B s c o t t , f . H. S . , S o c ia l Transformat Iona of the V ic to r ia n Age. Bond on, 1897 * 2 4 . B v e r e tt, C harles O. P o e t p , Oomedy, 3B5L M iZ» Houghton, M if f lin and C o ., B oston, M ass., 1896. 8 8 . F elhlem an, James, In P r a ise o f Comedy. The MacMillan C o., Hew York, I . Y ., 1939. 2 6 . F t lo n , A u gu stin , g ^ H fh S ta g e , B e im A& Account o f the V ic to r la n ffraroa. Dodd. Mead, and C o., lew York, 2 7 . F o r s te r , B. M ., A spects o f the H ovel. Hew York, H. Y ., 1927. 8 8 . F o r sy th e , Bofcert S . , A lo b j e Bake, Cambridge U n iv e r s ity Pres®, Cambridge; M ass., 1988* 2 9 . Fox, Halph, The Hovel and the P e o p le . London, 1937.

306

30* (O rego, J o se p h ), ThaokorayanaE B otes and A n ecd otes. Loudon, 1876*

U t e Ml Ssmlkm SU&» *•»

8X*

York,

38* J e r r o ld , H a lte r , In tro d u o tio n to Va n ity Fa i r . George B aintsfcury, e d i t o r , The J e f f erson W e e s , S t. L ou ie, Mo*, 1910* 33* Johnson, C harles Flum ptre, The E arly W ritin gs o f ja,fegIM.M, $ a 2 M E S Z 7 ® llt o t S to ck , London, 34* Las V ergnas, H. W., £ . M. Thao^raj.: LjHoame, l e F en seu r. Jji Romanoler. Champion, F a r is , 1932* 36* L eacock, Steph en , Humor and Humanity. Henry H o lt and C o ., Hew York, I* Y*, 1938® 36* L *E strange, A lfred Guy, H isto r y o f E n g lish Humour. 2 v o ls * , F u rst and 11aokei t , London, 18 78. 3 7 • ?he L e tte r s and F rig a te Papers o f W illiam Makepeace Thackeray. 4 v o l s . , Cordon $U Hay, e d i t o r / Oxford u n iv e r s ity Pres®, London, 1945* 3 8 . L i l l y , W illiam S . , Four S n a il eh Humour la t a o f the O eslu o :. ^Ohn i S r a y , London, 1895. 3 9 . Moki H o p , Alan Hugald, E n g lish L iter a t ur e from Dry den to Burns. A ppleton-C entury-*urofts,4 I n c . , new York, 4 0 . M e l v il l e , L ew is, (pseudonym o f Benjamin, Lewis S .) The L ife o f H i11lam Makepeace Thackeray. 2 v o ls * , H utchinson and Co*, London, 1899* 41.

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4 2 . M eredith, George, An 2saay on Comedy and The Uses o f Ifce Comic S p i r i t . Lane Cooper, e d i t o r , Modern Htudents L ib rary, Charles Scribner*© Sons, Hew York, N. Y ., 1906. 4 3 . M eriv a le, Herman 0 . , and M a r sia ls, S ir Frank T ., L ife o f w. M. Thacker a y . London, 1091.

007

44* More, P aul B lm er, In trod u otIon to I m i ty g a l l , The Modern Student® lib r a r y . Oha x le s Scribner* s S on s, lew York* H. Y . , 1917* 46* Pai-roefc, John, Oomeay, George H. Doran C o., lew York, M« Y . , 1980. 46 •

' i i t B l ^ y k a a a ^ ^ f l o a 1 0 * l 0 n ~ H o u g h to n

4 7 . P h illip s , Walter 0 ., MMSM, ISSifi., 2 2 i SailifiSL. j fr * 1: | ° a'i tMw1” ' u n iv ersity P ress, Hew 48* P r i e s t l y , John Boynton, E n glish Humour. Longmans, Green and C o., London, 19$Q. 4 9 . Q u ill er-Couoh. S ir A rthur. D ickens and Other Y ie to r ia n s .

Hew York, I* Y ., 1926*

6 0 . B a le ig h , W alter, The E n g lish H ovelr Charles Scrib n er*s S on s, Hew York, H. Y« , 1 9 1 1 *

61. B1 ta b le , Hester S . , t e t te r s o f Anns HI ta b le . Hew York, H. Y ., 1984. 6 2 . S a in tsb u r y , George, fB ie C o lle c te d .Essays and Papers o f Georae S a in tsb u ry . in four volum es, v o l. 2 , J* M* Dent and Sons, L td ., London, 63.

_____, A C on sid eration o f Thaokeray. Oxfor & tfni v e r si t y hce® a , iond on, I93TT

5 4 . ................... ..... _ _ w w% m m & M ie l, »• P. Dutton and Co. , Ifew York, H. Y ., 1913* 55.

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fla'ate In

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6 7 . S c h e v e ll, Budolph, C ervan tes. D u ffie ld and C o., Hew York, H. Y ., 1 9U I

808

68, S c o t t , Clement, The MSB!,, Y esterd ay mad Today. In two volum es, 7'o l . 2 , MacMillan "and Co• , L tT ,, London, 1899, 69.

K S Id

M 52221’

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, Thaokeray,

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67. T h r a ll, Miriam, B ate11 tons Fraper1,®, Hoi York®* a

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jfenuscr.tPM 94. Arnold, Carolyn T ., " C h aracterization In Thaokeray and F ie ld in g ," unpublished M asters T h e sis, S ta te U n iv e r sity o f Iowa, 1944. 9 8 . G u lliv e r , Harold S ., "Thackeray’ s L iter a ry A pprentice­ s h i p , ” unpublished Ph. D. d is s e r t a t io n , Yale H n iv e r sity , 1934. Later p r iv a te ly p u b lish ed , V a ld o sta , G eorgia.

*3X1

96 , B unt, K ellogg' W* ,' " fh aofcer® /r C ontrast o f th e Snob ®nd th e (Jentlem an," unpublished B u D* d ls s e r t a t lo n . S ta te U n i v e r s i t y o f low®, 1942* 9 7 . J o n e s, J u a n ita , "Hie Pheory o f Comie Drama in England b e fo r e 1626 , n unpublished Ph* D. d i s s e r t a t i o n , S ta te U n iv e r s ity o f Iowa, 1942*