W.M. Thackeray : nostalgic satirist : a reappraisal of some aspects of his style

In this brief study, I have attempted to re-examine various critical issues raised by Thackeray's style, which seem to me unavoidable and which for convenience I have divided into these subjects: "Authorial Voice", "Satiric Method"'• "Stereotyping", "Time" and "Cynicism and Distance". I hope that the title: "Nostalgic Satirist" will be seen to have some meaning in view of the comments made in these chapters. The first of these concentrates predominantly on Thackeray's habit of commenting in asides, a habit much criticised and which I have attempted to defend in terms of the genre of Thackeray's works, which I take to be closer to the eighteenth century than to the Victorian era. I have attempted to explain his tendency towards towards rhetoric in terms of his self-conscioμs attitude, the special relationship he has with his reader, and in terms of his satiric method which is necessarily often rhetorical.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of English Language and Literature

Year dc:date.issued

1982

Author dc:creator

• Betts, Katharine Elinor

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Gillham, D G

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9889

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9889