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William Makepeace Thackeray ( ; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was an English novelist and illustrator. He is known for his
satirical Satire is a genre of the visual arts, visual, literature, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently Nonfiction, non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ...
works, particularly his 1847–1848 novel '' Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portrait of British society, and the 1844 novel ''
The Luck of Barry Lyndon ''The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' is a picaresque novel by English author William Makepeace Thackeray, first published as a serial in '' Fraser's Magazine'' in 1844, about a member of the Irish gentry trying to become a member of the English ari ...
'', which was adapted for a 1975 film by
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American filmmaker and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick filmography, his films were nearly all adaptations of novels or sho ...
. Thackeray was born in
Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...
,
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
, and was sent to England after his father's death in 1815. He studied at various schools and briefly attended
Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...
, before leaving to travel Europe. Thackeray squandered much of his inheritance on gambling and unsuccessful newspapers. He turned to journalism to support his family, primarily working for ''
Fraser's Magazine ''Fraser's Magazine for Town and Country'' was a general and literary journal published in London from 1830 to 1882, which initially took a strong Tory line in politics. It was founded by Hugh Fraser and William Maginn in 1830 and loosely direc ...
'', ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'', and '' Punch''. His wife Isabella suffered from mental illness. Thackeray gained fame with his novel ''Vanity Fair'' and produced several other notable works. He unsuccessfully ran for Parliament in 1857 and edited the ''
Cornhill Magazine ''The Cornhill Magazine'' (1860–1975) was a monthly Victorian literature, Victorian magazine and literary journal named after the street address of the founding publisher Smith, Elder & Co. at 65 Cornhill, London, Cornhill in London.Laurel ...
'' in 1860. Thackeray's health declined due to excessive eating, drinking, and lack of exercise. He died from a stroke at the age of fifty-two. Thackeray began as a satirist and parodist, gaining popularity through works that showcased his fondness for roguish characters. Thackeray's early works were marked by savage attacks on
high society High society, sometimes simply Society, is the behavior and lifestyle of people with the highest levels of wealth, power, fame and social status. It includes their related affiliations, social events and practices. Upscale social clubs were open ...
, military prowess, marriage, and
hypocrisy Hypocrisy is the practice of feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not. The word "hypocrisy" entered the English language ''c.'' 1200 with the meaning "the sin of pretending to virtue or goodness". Today, "hypocrisy" ofte ...
, often written under various pseudonyms. His writing career began with satirical sketches like ''The Yellowplush Papers''. Thackeray's later novels, such as ''Pendennis'' and ''The Newcomes'', reflected a mellowing in his tone, focusing on the
coming of age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
of characters and critical portrayals of society. During the
Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...
, Thackeray was ranked second to
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
but is now primarily known for ''Vanity Fair''.


Biography


Early life

Thackeray, an only child, was born in
Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...
,
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
, where his father, Richmond Thackeray (1 September 1781 – 13 September 1815), was secretary to the Board of Revenue in the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
. His mother, Anne Becher (1792–1864), was the second daughter of Harriet Becher and John Harman Becher, who was also a secretary (writer) for the East India Company. His father was a grandson of Thomas Thackeray (1693–1760), headmaster of
Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...
. Richmond died in 1815, which caused Anne to send her son to England that same year, while she remained in India. The ship on which he travelled made a short stopover at
Saint Helena Saint Helena (, ) is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory. Saint Helena is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km ...
, where the imprisoned
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
was pointed out to him. Once in England, he was educated at schools in
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
and
Chiswick Chiswick ( ) is a district in West London, split between the London Borough of Hounslow, London Boroughs of Hounslow and London Borough of Ealing, Ealing. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist Wi ...
, and then at
Charterhouse School Charterhouse is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charter ...
, where he overlapped with John Leech. Thackeray disliked Charterhouse, and parodied it in his fiction as "Slaughterhouse". Nevertheless, Thackeray was honoured in the Charterhouse Chapel with a monument after his death.


College education

Illness in his last year at Charterhouse, during which he reportedly grew to his full height of , postponed his matriculation at
Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...
, until February 1829. Never very keen on academic studies, Thackeray left Cambridge in 1830, but some of his earliest published writing appeared in two university periodicals, ''The Snob'' and ''The Gownsman''. Thackeray then travelled for some time on
Continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous mainland of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by som ...
, visiting Paris and
Weimar Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...
, where he met
Johann Wolfgang Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on literary, political, and philosoph ...
. He returned to England and began to study law at the
Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to Call to the bar, call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple (with whi ...
, but soon gave that up. On reaching age 21, he came into his inheritance from his father, but he squandered much of it on gambling and on funding two unsuccessful newspapers, ''The National Standard'' and ''The Constitutional'', for which he had hoped to write. He also lost a good part of his fortune in the collapse of two Indian banks. Forced to consider a profession to support himself, he turned first to art, which he studied in Paris, but did not pursue it, except in later years as the illustrator of some of his own novels and other writings.


Marriage and children

Thackeray's years of semi-idleness ended on 20 August 1836, when he married Isabella Gethin Shawe (1816–1894), second daughter of Isabella Creagh Shawe and Matthew Shawe, a colonel who had died after distinguished service, primarily in India. The Thackerays had three children, all daughters: Anne Isabella (1837–1919), Jane (who died at eight months old), and Harriet Marian (1840–1875), who married Sir 
Leslie Stephen Sir Leslie Stephen (28 November 1832 – 22 February 1904) was an English author, critic, historian, biographer, mountaineer, and an Ethical Culture, Ethical movement activist. He was also the father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell and the ...
, editor, biographer and philosopher.


Professional journalist

Thackeray now began "writing for his life", as he put it, turning to journalism in an effort to support his young family. He primarily worked for ''
Fraser's Magazine ''Fraser's Magazine for Town and Country'' was a general and literary journal published in London from 1830 to 1882, which initially took a strong Tory line in politics. It was founded by Hugh Fraser and William Maginn in 1830 and loosely direc ...
'', a sharp-witted and sharp-tongued
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
publication for which he produced art criticism, short fictional sketches, and two longer fictional works, ''
Catherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
'' and ''
The Luck of Barry Lyndon ''The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' is a picaresque novel by English author William Makepeace Thackeray, first published as a serial in '' Fraser's Magazine'' in 1844, about a member of the Irish gentry trying to become a member of the English ari ...
''. Between 1837 and 1840, he also reviewed books for ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
''. He was also a regular contributor to ''
The Morning Chronicle ''The Morning Chronicle'' was a newspaper founded in 1769 in London. It was notable for having been the first steady employer of essayist William Hazlitt as a political reporter and the first steady employer of Charles Dickens as a journalist. It ...
'' and ''The Foreign Quarterly Review''. Later, through his connection to the illustrator John Leech, he began writing for the newly created magazine '' Punch'', in which he published ''The Snob Papers'', later collected as '' The Book of Snobs''. This work popularised the modern meaning of the word "snob". Thackeray was a regular contributor to ''Punch'' between 1843 and 1854.


Mental decline of his wife and romantic relationships

In Thackeray's personal life, his wife Isabella succumbed to depression after the birth of their third child in 1840. Finding that he could get no work done at home, he spent more and more time away, until September 1840, when he realised how grave his wife's condition was. Struck by guilt, he set out with his wife to Ireland. During the crossing, she threw herself from a water-closet into the sea, but she was pulled from the waters. They fled back home after a four-week battle with her mother. From November 1840 to February 1842, Isabella was in and out of professional care, as her condition waxed and waned. She eventually deteriorated into a permanent state of detachment from reality. Thackeray desperately sought cures for her, but nothing worked, and she ended up in two different asylums in or near Paris until 1845, after which Thackeray took her back to England, where he installed her with a Mrs. Bakewell at Camberwell. Isabella outlived her husband by 30 years, in the end being cared for by a family named Thompson in
Leigh-on-Sea Leigh-on-Sea (), commonly referred to simply as Leigh, is a List of towns in England, town and civil parish within the city of Southend-on-Sea, located in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. In 2011 it had a population of 22,509. Geograph ...
at Southend, until her death in 1894. After his wife's illness, Thackeray never established another permanent relationship. He did pursue other women, however, in particular Mrs.  Jane Brookfield and Sally Baxter. In 1851, Mr. Brookfield barred Thackeray from further visits or correspondence with Jane. Baxter, an American twenty years Thackeray's junior whom he met during a lecture tour in New York City in 1852, married another man in 1855.


Anti-Irish works for Punch

In the early 1840s, Thackeray had some success with two travel books, ''The Paris Sketch Book'' and ''The Irish Sketch Book'', the latter marked by its hostility towards
Irish Catholics Irish Catholics () are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland, defined by their adherence to Catholic Christianity and their shared Irish ethnic, linguistic, and cultural heritage.The term distinguishes Catholics of Irish descent, particul ...
. However, as the book appealed to
anti-Irish sentiment Anti-Irish sentiment, also Hibernophobia, is bigotry against the Irish people or individuals. It can include hatred, oppression, persecution, as well as simple discrimination. Generally, it could be bigotry against people from the island of Ire ...
in Britain at the time, Thackeray was given the job of being ''Punch'''s Irish expert, often under the pseudonym Hibernis Hibernior ("more Irish than the Irish"). Thackeray became responsible for creating ''Punch'''s notoriously hostile and negative depictions of the Irish during the
Great Irish Famine The Great Famine, also known as the Great Hunger ( ), the Famine and the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of mass starvation and disease in Ireland lasting from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a historical social crisis and had a major impact o ...
of 1845 to 1851.


Status as a celebrity and lecture tours

Thackeray achieved more recognition with his ''Snob Papers'' (serialised 1846/7, published in book form in 1848), but the work that really established his fame was the novel ''Vanity Fair'', which first appeared in serialised instalments beginning in January 1847. Even before ''Vanity Fair'' completed its serial run, Thackeray had become a
celebrity Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group due to the attention given to them by mass media. The word is also used to refer to famous individuals. A person may attain celebrity status by having great w ...
, sought after by the very lords and ladies whom he satirised. They hailed him as the equal of
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
. He remained "at the top of the tree", as he put it, for the rest of his life, during which he produced several large novels, notably ''
Pendennis ''The History of Pendennis: His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and His Greatest Enemy'' (1848–50) is a novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray. It is set in 19th-century England, particularly in London. The main ...
'', ''
The Newcomes ''The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family'' is a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1854 and 1855. Publication ''The Newcomes'' was published serially over about two years, as Thackeray himself says in one of t ...
'', and '' The History of Henry Esmond'', despite various illnesses, including a near-fatal one that struck him in 1849 in the middle of writing ''Pendennis''. He twice visited the United States on lecture tours during this period. Longtime
Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...
journalist B.P. Poore described Thackeray on one of those tours:
The citizens of Washington enjoyed a rare treat when Thackeray came to deliver his lectures on the English essayists, wits, and humorists of the eighteenth century. Accustomed to the spread-eagle style of oratory too prevalent at the Capitol, they were delighted with the pleasing voice and easy manner of the burly, gray-haired, rosy-cheeked Briton, who made no gestures, but stood most of the time with his hands in his pockets, as if he were talking with friends at a cozy fireside.
Thackeray also gave lectures in London on the English humorists of the eighteenth century, and on the first four
Hanoverian The adjective Hanoverian is used to describe: * British monarchs or supporters of the House of Hanover, the dynasty which ruled the United Kingdom from 1714 to 1901 * things relating to; ** Electorate of Hanover ** Kingdom of Hanover ** Province of ...
monarchs. The latter series was published in book form in 1861 as ''The Four Georges: Sketches of Manners, Morals, Court, and Town Life ''.


Failed candidate for the Liberal Party

In July 1857, Thackeray stood unsuccessfully as a Liberal for the city of Oxford in Parliament. Although not the most fiery agitator, Thackeray was always a decided liberal in his politics, and he promised to vote for the ballot in extension of the suffrage and was ready to accept triennial parliaments. He was narrowly beaten by Cardwell, who received 1,070 votes, as against 1,005 for Thackeray.


Magazine editor

In 1860, Thackeray became editor of the newly established ''
Cornhill Magazine ''The Cornhill Magazine'' (1860–1975) was a monthly Victorian literature, Victorian magazine and literary journal named after the street address of the founding publisher Smith, Elder & Co. at 65 Cornhill, London, Cornhill in London.Laurel ...
'', but he was never comfortable in the role, preferring to contribute to the magazine as the writer of a column called "Roundabout Papers".


Health problems

Thackeray's health worsened during the 1850s, and he was plagued by a recurring stricture of the urethra that laid him up for days at a time. He also felt that he had lost much of his creative impetus. He worsened matters by excessive eating and drinking and avoiding exercise, though he enjoyed riding (he kept a horse). He has been described as "the greatest literary glutton who ever lived". His main activity apart from writing was "gutting and gorging". He could not break his addiction to spicy peppers, further ruining his digestion.


Death and funeral

On 23 December 1863, after returning from dining out and before dressing for bed, he suffered a stroke. He was found dead in his bed the following morning. His death at the age of fifty-two was unexpected and shocked his family, his friends and the reading public. An estimated 7,000 people attended his funeral at
Kensington Gardens Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, are among the Royal Parks of London. The gardens are shared by the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and sit immediately to the west of Hyde Pa ...
. He was buried on 29 December at
Kensal Green Cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of North Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in P ...
, and a memorial bust sculpted by
Marochetti Baron Pietro Carlo Giovanni Battista Marochetti (14 January 1805 – 29 December 1867) was an Italian-born French sculptor who worked in France, Italy and Britain. He completed many public sculptures, often in a neo-classical style, plus re ...
can be found in
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
.


Works

* ''The Yellowplush Papers'' (1837) * ''
Catherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
'' (1839–1840) * ''
A Shabby Genteel Story ''A Shabby Genteel Story'' is an early and unfinished novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. It was first printed among other stories and sketches in his collection '' Miscellanies.'' A note in '' Miscellanies'' by Thackeray, dated 10 April 1857 ...
'' (1840) * ''The Paris Sketchbook'' (1840) * ''Second Funeral of Napoleon'' (1841) * ''The Irish Sketchbook'' (1842) * ''
The Luck of Barry Lyndon ''The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' is a picaresque novel by English author William Makepeace Thackeray, first published as a serial in '' Fraser's Magazine'' in 1844, about a member of the Irish gentry trying to become a member of the English ari ...
'' (1844) * ''Notes of a Journey from Cornhill to Grand Cairo'' (1846) * '' Mrs. Perkins's Ball'' (1846), under the name M. A. Titmarsh * ''Stray Papers: Being Stories, Reviews, Verses, and Sketches'' (1821–1847) * '' The Book of Snobs'' (1846–1848) * '' Vanity Fair'' (1847–1848) * ''
Pendennis ''The History of Pendennis: His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and His Greatest Enemy'' (1848–50) is a novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray. It is set in 19th-century England, particularly in London. The main ...
'' (1848–1850) * ''Rebecca and Rowena'' (1850) (a parody sequel to "
Ivanhoe ''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' ( ) by Walter Scott is a historical novel published in three volumes, in December 1819, as one of the Waverley novels. It marked a shift away from Scott's prior practice of setting stories in Scotland and in the more ...
") * ''
Men's Wives It contains three satirical stories which portray unhappy marriages and exploitation of one partner by the other. ''Men's Wives'' ( 1852) is a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. External links * Men's wivesat internet archive Th ...
'' (1852) * '' The History of Henry Esmond'' (1852) * ''The English Humorists of the Eighteenth Century'' (1853) * ''
The Newcomes ''The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family'' is a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1854 and 1855. Publication ''The Newcomes'' was published serially over about two years, as Thackeray himself says in one of t ...
'' (1854–1855) * ''
The Rose and the Ring ''The Rose and The Ring'' is a satirical work of fantasy fiction written by William Makepeace Thackeray, originally published on Christmas in 1854, though the first edition is dated 1855. It criticises, to some extent, the attitudes of the monar ...
'' (1854–1855) * '' The Virginians'' (1857–1859) * ''Lovel the Widower'' (1860) * ''Four Georges'' (1860–1861) * ''
The Adventures of Philip ''The Adventures of Philip on his Way Through the World: Shewing Who Robbed Him, Who Helped Him, and Who Passed Him By'' is the final novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray, originally published in 1861–1862. It was the last n ...
'' (1861–1862) * ''Roundabout Papers'' (1863) * ''Denis Duval'' (1864) * ''Ballads'' (1869) * ''Burlesques'' (1869) * ''The Orphan of Pimlico'' (1876) Thackeray began as a satirist and parodist, writing works that displayed a sneaking fondness for roguish upstarts, such as Becky Sharp in '' Vanity Fair'' and the title characters of ''
The Luck of Barry Lyndon ''The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' is a picaresque novel by English author William Makepeace Thackeray, first published as a serial in '' Fraser's Magazine'' in 1844, about a member of the Irish gentry trying to become a member of the English ari ...
'' and ''
Catherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
''. In his earliest works, written under such pseudonyms as Charles James Yellowplush, Michael Angelo Titmarsh and George Savage Fitz-Boodle, he tended towards savagery in his attacks on high society, military prowess, the institution of marriage and hypocrisy. One of his earliest works, "Timbuctoo" (1829), contains a burlesque upon the subject set for the Cambridge Chancellor's Medal for English Verse. (The contest was won by
Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's ...
with a poem of the same title, "Timbuctoo".) Thackeray's writing career really began with a series of satirical sketches now usually known as ''The Yellowplush Papers'', which appeared in ''Fraser's Magazine'' beginning in 1837. These were adapted for
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...
in 2009, with
Adam Buxton Adam Offord Buxton (born 7 June 1969) is an English actor, comedian and podcaster. With the filmmaker Joe Cornish, he is part of the comedy duo Adam and Joe. They presented the Channel 4 television series '' The Adam and Joe Show'' (1996–200 ...
playing Charles Yellowplush. Between May 1839 and February 1840 ''Fraser's'' published the work sometimes considered Thackeray's first novel, ''
Catherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
''. Originally intended as a satire of the
Newgate Newgate was one of the historic seven gates of the London Wall around the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. Newgate lay on the west side of the wall and the road issuing from it headed over the River Fleet to Mid ...
school of
crime fiction Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives or fiction that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professiona ...
, it ended up being more of a
picaresque The picaresque novel (Spanish: ''picaresca'', from ''pícaro'', for ' rogue' or 'rascal') is a genre of prose fiction. It depicts the adventures of a roguish but appealing hero, usually of low social class, who lives by his wits in a corrupt ...
tale. He also began work, never finished, on the novel later published as ''
A Shabby Genteel Story ''A Shabby Genteel Story'' is an early and unfinished novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. It was first printed among other stories and sketches in his collection '' Miscellanies.'' A note in '' Miscellanies'' by Thackeray, dated 10 April 1857 ...
''. Along with ''The Luck of Barry Lyndon'', Thackeray is probably best known now for ''Vanity Fair''. Literary theorist Kornelije Kvas wrote that "the meteoric rise of the heroine of ''Vanity Fair'' Rebecca Sharp is a satirical presentation of the striving for profit, power, and social recognition of the new middle class. Old and new members of the middle class strive to emulate the lifestyle of the higher class (noblemen and landowners), and thereby to increase their material possessions and to own luxury objects. In ''Vanity Fair'', one can observe a greater degree of violation of moral values among members of the new middle class, for the decline of morality is proportionate to the degree of closeness of the individual to the market and its laws." In contrast, his large novels from the period after ''Vanity Fair'', which were once described by
Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...
as examples of "loose baggy monsters", have largely faded from view, perhaps because they reflect a mellowing in Thackeray, who had become so successful with his satires on society that he seemed to lose his zest for attacking it. These later works include ''
Pendennis ''The History of Pendennis: His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and His Greatest Enemy'' (1848–50) is a novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray. It is set in 19th-century England, particularly in London. The main ...
'', a
Bildungsroman In literary criticism, a bildungsroman () is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth and change of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood (coming of age). The term comes from the German words ('formation' or 'edu ...
depicting the
coming of age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
of Arthur Pendennis, an alter ego of Thackeray, who also features as the narrator of two later novels, ''
The Newcomes ''The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family'' is a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1854 and 1855. Publication ''The Newcomes'' was published serially over about two years, as Thackeray himself says in one of t ...
'' and ''
The Adventures of Philip ''The Adventures of Philip on his Way Through the World: Shewing Who Robbed Him, Who Helped Him, and Who Passed Him By'' is the final novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray, originally published in 1861–1862. It was the last n ...
''. ''The Newcomes'' is noteworthy for its critical portrayal of the "marriage market", while ''Philip'' is known for its semi-autobiographical depiction of Thackeray's early life, in which he partially regains some of his early satirical power. Also notable among the later novels is '' The History of Henry Esmond'', in which Thackeray tried to write a novel in the style of the eighteenth century, a period that held great appeal for him. About this novel, there have been found evident analogies—in the fundamental structure of the plot; in the psychological outlines of the main characters; in frequent episodes; and in the use of metaphors—to
Ippolito Nievo Ippolito Nievo (; 30 November 1831 – 4 March 1861) was an Italians, Italian writer, journalist and patriot. His ''Confessions of an Italian'' is widely considered the most important novel about the Italian ''Italian unification, Risorgimento'' ...
's ''Confessions of an Italian''. Nievo wrote his novel during his stay in Milan where, in the "Ambrosiana" library, ''The History of Henry Esmond'' was available, just published. Not only ''Esmond'' but also ''Barry Lyndon'' and ''Catherine'' are set in that period, as is the sequel to ''Esmond'', '' The Virginians'', which is set partially in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
and includes
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
as a character who nearly kills one of the protagonists in a duel.


Family


Parents

Thackeray's father, Richmond Thackeray, was born at
South Mimms South Mimms is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of South Mimms and Ridge, in the borough of Hertsmere in Hertfordshire in the East of England. It is a small settlement located near the junction of the M25 motorway with the ...
and went to India in 1798 at age sixteen as a writer (civil servant) with the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
. Richmond's father's name was also William Makepeace Thackeray. Richmond fathered a daughter, Sarah Redfield, in 1804 with Charlotte Sophia Rudd, his possibly Eurasian mistress, and both mother and daughter were named in his will. Such liaisons were common among gentlemen of the East India Company, and it formed no bar to his later courting and marrying William's mother. Thackeray's mother, Anne Becher (born 1792), was "one of the reigning beauties of the day" and a daughter of John Harmon Becher, Collector of the
South 24 Parganas district South 24 Parganas (Pron: pɔrɡɔnɔs; abbr. 24 PGS (S)), or sometimes South Twenty Four Parganas and Dakshin 24 Parganas, is a district in the Indian state of West Bengal, headquartered in Alipore previously, with its Zilla Parishad now in ...
(d. Calcutta, 1800), of an old Bengal civilian family "noted for the tenderness of its women". Anne Becher, her sister Harriet and their widowed mother, also Harriet, had been sent back to India by her authoritarian guardian grandmother, Ann Becher, in 1809 on the ''Earl Howe''. Anne's grandmother had told her that the man she loved, Henry Carmichael-Smyth, an ensign in the
Bengal Engineers The Bengal Engineer Group (BEG) (informally the Bengal Sappers or Bengal Engineers) is a military engineering regiment in the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The unit was originally part of the Bengal Army of the East India Company's Ben ...
whom she met at an Assembly Ball in 1807 in
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
, had died, while he was told that Anne was no longer interested in him. Neither of these assertions was true. Though Carmichael-Smyth was from a distinguished Scottish military family, Anne's grandmother went to extreme lengths to prevent their marriage. Surviving family letters state that she wanted a better match for her granddaughter. Anne Becher and Richmond Thackeray were married in Calcutta on 13 October 1810. Their only child, William, was born on 18 July 1811. There is a fine miniature portrait of Anne Becher Thackeray and William Makepeace Thackeray, aged about two, done in Madras by
George Chinnery George Chinnery (; 5 January 1774 – 30 May 1852) was an English painter who spent most of his life in Asia, especially India and Northern and southern China, southern China. Early life Chinnery was born in London, where he studied a ...
. Anne's family's deception was unexpectedly revealed in 1812, when Richmond Thackeray unwittingly invited the supposedly dead Carmichael-Smyth to dinner. Five years later, after Richmond had died of a fever on 13 September 1815, Anne married Henry Carmichael-Smyth, on 13 March 1817. The couple moved to England in 1820, after having sent William off to school there more than three years earlier. The separation from his mother had a traumatic effect on the young Thackeray, which he discussed in his essay "On Letts's Diary" in ''The Roundabout Papers''.


Descendants

Thackeray is an ancestor of the British financier Ryan Williams, and is the great-great-great-grandfather of the British comedian
Al Murray Alastair James Hay Murray (born 10 May 1968) is an English comedian. After graduating from the University of Oxford, Murray's comedy career began by working with Harry Hill for BBC Radio 4. He regularly performed at the Edinburgh Festival Frin ...
and author Joanna Nadin.


Reputation and legacy

During the Victorian era Thackeray was ranked second only to
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
, but he is now much less widely read and is known almost exclusively for ''Vanity Fair''. The novel has become a fixture in university courses, and has been repeatedly adapted for the cinema and television. In Thackeray's own day some commentators, such as
Anthony Trollope Anthony Trollope ( ; 24 April 1815 – 6 December 1882) was an English novelist and civil servant of the Victorian era. Among the best-known of his 47 novels are two series of six novels each collectively known as the ''Chronicles of Barsetshire ...
, ranked his ''History of Henry Esmond'' as his greatest work, perhaps because it expressed Victorian values of duty and earnestness, as did some of his other later novels. It is perhaps for this reason that they have not survived as well as ''Vanity Fair'', which satirises those values. Thackeray saw himself as writing in the realistic tradition, and distinguished his work from the exaggerations and
sentimentality Sentimentality originally indicated the reliance on feelings as a guide to truth, but in current usage the term commonly connotes a reliance on shallow, uncomplicated emotions at the expense of reason. Sentimentalism in philosophy is a view in ...
of Dickens. Some later commentators have accepted this self-evaluation and seen him as a realist, but others note his inclination to use eighteenth-century narrative techniques, such as digressions and direct addresses to the reader, and argue that through them he frequently disrupts the illusion of reality. The school of
Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...
, with its emphasis on maintaining that illusion, marked a break with Thackeray's techniques.
Charlotte Brontë Charlotte Nicholls (; 21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855), commonly known as Charlotte Brontë (, commonly ), was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë family, Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novel ...
dedicated the second edition of ''
Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The firs ...
'' to Thackeray. In 1887 the
Royal Society of Arts The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a learned society that champions innovation and progress across a multitude of sectors by fostering creativity, s ...
unveiled a
blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...
to commemorate Thackeray at the house at 2 Palace Green, London, that had been built for him in the 1860s. It is now the location of the Israeli Embassy. Thackeray's former home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, is now a restaurant named after the author. Thackeray was also a member of the Albion Lodge of the
Ancient Order of Druids The Ancient Order of Druids (AOD) is the oldest neo-druid order in the world. It was formed in London, England, in 1781. Its motto is ''Dieu, Notre Pays et Roy'' (old) and ''Justice, Philanthropy and Brotherly Love''. History 28 November 1781, ...
at Oxford.


Connection to

Balasaheb Thackeray Bal Thackeray (; 23 January 1926 – 17 November 2012), also known as Balasaheb Thackeray, was an Indian cartoonist and politician who founded the original Shiv Sena, a far-right, a pro-Marathi and a Hindu nationalist party active mainly in th ...

Indian popular
Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...
politician
Bal Thackeray Bal Thackeray (; 23 January 1926 – 17 November 2012), also known as Balasaheb Thackeray, was an Indian cartoonist and politician who founded the original Shiv Sena, a far-right, a pro- Marathi and a Hindu nationalist party active mainly in ...
's father
Keshav Sitaram Thackeray Keshav Sitaram Thackeray (17 September 1885 – 20 November 1973; Keshav Sitaram Panvelkar, also known as Keshav Sitaram Thakre and Keshav Sitaram Dhodapkar, but commonly known by his pen name Prabodhankar Thackeray), was an Indian social refor ...
was an admirer of William; Keshav later changed his surname from Panvelkar to "Thackeray".


In popular culture

* Thackeray is portrayed by
Michael Palin Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. He received the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, BAFTA Fellowship in 2013 and was knig ...
in the 2018 ITV television series '' Vanity Fair''. *
Miles Jupp Miles Hugh Barrett Jupp (born 8 September 1979) is an English actor and comedian. He began his career as a stand-up comedian before playing the role of the inventor Archie in the children's television series ''Balamory''. He also played John Dugg ...
plays Thackeray in the 2017 film '' The Man Who Invented Christmas''. * Jonathan Keeble plays Thackery in the 2016 BBC audio drama ''Charlotte Brontë in Babylon''. * A quote from Thackeray appears in episode 7 of ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure''. Will Anthonio Zeppeli's first name is possibly a reference to the English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray, who was quoted upon Zeppeli's death: "To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best." * Thackeray's quote "Mother is the name for God" appears in the 1994 movie ''The Crow''. * Thackeray's "The Colonel" was mentioned by
Anne Frank Annelies Marie Frank (, ; 12 June 1929 – February or March 1945)Research by The Anne Frank House in 2015 revealed that Frank may have died in February 1945 rather than in March, as Dutch authorities had long assumed"New research sheds new li ...
in ''
The Diary of a Young Girl ''The Diary of a Young Girl'', commonly referred to as ''The Diary of Anne Frank'', is a book of the writings from the Dutch language, Dutch-language diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Neth ...
''.


List of works


Series

Arthur Pendennis #'' The History of Henry Esmond'' (1852) – #'' The Virginians'' (1857–1859) – #''
Pendennis ''The History of Pendennis: His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and His Greatest Enemy'' (1848–50) is a novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray. It is set in 19th-century England, particularly in London. The main ...
'' (1848–1850) – #''
The Newcomes ''The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family'' is a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1854 and 1855. Publication ''The Newcomes'' was published serially over about two years, as Thackeray himself says in one of t ...
'' (1854–1855) – #''
A Shabby Genteel Story ''A Shabby Genteel Story'' is an early and unfinished novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. It was first printed among other stories and sketches in his collection '' Miscellanies.'' A note in '' Miscellanies'' by Thackeray, dated 10 April 1857 ...
'' (Unfinished) (1840) – #''
The Adventures of Philip ''The Adventures of Philip on his Way Through the World: Shewing Who Robbed Him, Who Helped Him, and Who Passed Him By'' is the final novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray, originally published in 1861–1862. It was the last n ...
'' (1861–1862) – The Christmas Books of Mr M. A. Titmarsh
Thackeray wrote and illustrated five Christmas books as "by Mr M. A. Titmarsh". They were collected under the pseudonymous title and his real name no later than 1868 by Smith, Elder & Co. ''The Rose and the Ring'' was dated 1855 in its first edition, published for Christmas 1854. # '' Mrs. Perkins's Ball'' (1846), as by M. A. Titmarsh # ''Our Street'' # ''Doctor Birch and His Young Friends'' # ''The Kickleburys on the Rhine'' (Christmas 1850) – "a new picture book, drawn and written by Mr M. A. Titmarsh" # ''
The Rose and the Ring ''The Rose and The Ring'' is a satirical work of fantasy fiction written by William Makepeace Thackeray, originally published on Christmas in 1854, though the first edition is dated 1855. It criticises, to some extent, the attitudes of the monar ...
'' (Christmas 1854) –


Novels

* ''
Catherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
'' (1839–1840) – (originally credited to "Ikey Solomons, Esq. Junior") *''
The Luck of Barry Lyndon ''The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' is a picaresque novel by English author William Makepeace Thackeray, first published as a serial in '' Fraser's Magazine'' in 1844, about a member of the Irish gentry trying to become a member of the English ari ...
'' (1844) – * '' Vanity Fair'' (1847–1848) – * ''
Men's Wives It contains three satirical stories which portray unhappy marriages and exploitation of one partner by the other. ''Men's Wives'' ( 1852) is a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. External links * Men's wivesat internet archive Th ...
'' (1852) – * '' Lovel the Widower'' * '' Denis Duval'' (unfinished) (1864) –


Novellas

* ''Elizabeth Brownbridge'' * ''Sultan Stork'' * ''Little Spitz'' * ''The Yellowplush Papers'' (1837) – * ''The Professor'', loosely based on the life of
Edward Dando Edward Dando ( – 28 August 1832) was a thief who came to public notice in Britain because of his unusual habit of overeating at food stalls and inns, and then revealing that he had no money to pay. Although the fare he consumed was varied, he ...
* ''Miss Löwe'' * ''The Tremendous Adventures of Major Gahagan'' * ''The Fatal Boots'' * ''Cox’s Diary'' * ''The Bedford-Row Conspiracy'' * ''The History of Samuel Titmarsh and the Great Hoggarty Diamond'' * ''The Fitz-Boodle Papers'' * ''The Diary of C. Jeames de la Pluche, Esq. with his letters'' * ''A Legend of the Rhine'' * ''A Little Dinner at Timmins's'' * '' Rebecca and Rowena'' (1850), a parodic sequel to ''
Ivanhoe ''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' ( ) by Walter Scott is a historical novel published in three volumes, in December 1819, as one of the Waverley novels. It marked a shift away from Scott's prior practice of setting stories in Scotland and in the more ...
'' – * ''Bluebeard's Ghost''


Sketches and satires

* ''The Irish Sketchbook'' (2 Volumes) (1843) – * '' The Book of Snobs'' (1846–1848), which popularised that term – * Flore et Zephyr * Roundabout Papers * Some Roundabout Papers *
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
in France * Character Sketches * Sketches and Travels in London * Mr. Brown's Letters * The Proser * Miscellanies


Play

* ''The Wolves and the Lamb''


Travel writing

* ''Notes of a Journey from Cornhill to Grand Cairo'' (1846), under the name Mr M. A. Titmarsh. * ''The Paris Sketchbook'' (1840), featuring Roger Bontemps * ''The Little Travels and Roadside Sketches'' (1840)


Other non-fiction

* ''The English Humorists of the 18th Century'' (1853) * ''Four Georges'' (1860–1861) – * ''Roundabout Papers'' (1863) * ''The Orphan of Pimlico'' (1876) * ''Sketches and Travels in London'' * ''Stray Papers: Being Stories, Reviews, Verses, and Sketches'' (1821–1847) * ''Literary Essays'' * ''The English Humorists of the 18th century: a series of lectures'' (1867) * ''Ballads'' * ''Miscellanies'' * ''Stories'' * ''Burlesques'' * ''Character Sketches'' * ''Critical Reviews'' * ''Second Funeral of Napoleon''


Poems

* ''The Pigtail'' * ''The Mahogany Tree'' (1847)


See also

* ''
Barry Lyndon ''Barry Lyndon'' is a 1975 epic historical drama film written, directed, and produced by Stanley Kubrick, based on the 1844 novel '' The Luck of Barry Lyndon'' by William Makepeace Thackeray. Narrated by Michael Hordern, and starring Ryan O'N ...
'', the 1975 film adaptation by
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American filmmaker and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick filmography, his films were nearly all adaptations of novels or sho ...
* ''
The Rose and the Ring ''The Rose and The Ring'' is a satirical work of fantasy fiction written by William Makepeace Thackeray, originally published on Christmas in 1854, though the first edition is dated 1855. It criticises, to some extent, the attitudes of the monar ...
'', the 1986 film adaptation by
Jerzy Gruza Jerzy is the Polish version of the masculine given name George. The most common nickname for Jerzy is Jurek (), which may also be used as an official first name. Occasionally the nickname Jerzyk may be used, which means "swift" in Polish. People ...


Footnotes


References


Bibliography

* Aplin, John (ed), ''The Correspondence and Journals of the Thackeray Family'', 5 vols., Pickering & Chatto, 2011. * Aplin, John, ''The Inheritance of Genius – A Thackeray Family Biography, 1798–1875'', Lutterworth Press, 2010. * Aplin, John, ''Memory and Legacy – A Thackeray Family Biography, 1876–1919'', Lutterworth Press, 2011. * * Catalan, Zelma. ''The Politics of Irony in Thackeray’s Mature Fiction: Vanity Fair, Henry Esmond, The Newcomes.'' Sofia (Bulgaria), 2010, 250 pp. * Elwin, Malcolm. ''Thackeray: A Personality''. London: Jonathan Cape, 1932. * Goldfarb, Sheldon. ''Catherine: A Story (The Thackeray Edition)''. University of Michigan Press, 1999. * Ferris, Ina. ''William Makepeace Thackeray''. Boston: Twayne, 1983. * Forster, Margaret. ''William Makepeace Thackeray: Memoirs of Victorian Gentleman''. London: Secker & Warburg, 1978. * Jack, Adolphus Alfred
''Thackeray: A Study''
London: Macmillan, 1895. *
Melville, Lewis Lewis Saul Benjamin (pen name, Lewis Melville; 1874–1932) was an English author, born into a Jewish familyWilliam D. Rubinstein, Michael Jolles, Hilary L. Rubinstein, ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011 ...
. ''The Life of William Makepeace Thackeray''. London: Hutchinson & Co., 1899. * Monsarrat, Ann. ''An Uneasy Victorian: Thackeray the Man, 1811–1863''. London: Cassell, 1980. * Peters, Catherine. ''Thackeray: A Writer's Life''. Sutton Publishing, 1999. * Peters, Catherine. ''Thackeray’s Universe: Shifting Worlds of Imagination and Reality''. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. * Prawer, Siegbert S.: ''Breeches and Metaphysics: Thackeray's German Discourse''. Oxford: Legenda, 1997. * Prawer, Siegbert S.: ''Israel at Vanity Fair: Jews and Judaism in the Writings of W. M. Thackeray''. Leiden: Brill, 1992. * Prawer, Siegbert S.: ''W. M. Thackeray's European sketch books: a study of literary and graphic portraiture''. P. Lang, 2000. * Ray, Gordon N. ''Thackeray: The Uses of Adversity, 1811–1846''. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1955. * Ray, Gordon N. ''Thackeray: The Age of Wisdom, 1847–1863''. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1957. * Ritchie, H.T. ''Thackeray and His Daughter''. Harper and Brothers, 1924. * Rodríguez Espinosa, Marcos (1998) ''Traducción y recepción como procesos de mediación cultural: 'Vanity Fair' en España. '' Málaga: Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Málaga.'' * Shillingsburg, Peter. ''William Makepeace Thackeray: A Literary Life''. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2001. * Taylor, D. J. ''Thackeray''. London: Chatto & Windus, 1999. * Williams, Ioan M. ''Thackeray''. London: Evans, 1968.


External links

* * * Works by William Makepeace Thackeray in th
online library ARHEVE.org
and in the fre
ARHEVE app
* *
Works by Thackeray
a
eBooks @ Adelaide

Works by William Thackeray
a
Poeticous


* ttp://bartleby.com/268/4/19.html On Charity and Humor discourse on behalf of a charitable organisation
''Pegasus in Harness: Victorian Publishing and W. M. Thackeray'' by Peter L. Shillingsburg



"The Adventures of Thackeray on his way through the World: An online exhibition at the Houghton Library
* Archival material at * * William Makepeace Thackeray Collection. General Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University
Poems by William Makepeace Thackeray
a
English Poetry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thackeray, William Makepeace 1811 births 1863 deaths 19th-century English novelists 19th-century English journalists 19th-century English illustrators 19th-century English dramatists and playwrights Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery English Anglicans People educated at Charterhouse School Writers from Kolkata Anglo-Indian people Victorian novelists Novelists from London English male novelists
William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
Writers from British India Writers who illustrated their own writing Members of the Ancient Order of Druids 19th-century pseudonymous writers English satirical novelists Writers of historical fiction set in the early modern period English magazine editors English male journalists 19th-century English short story writers English male short story writers Victorian short story writers English literary critics English satirists English travel writers 19th-century English poets English male poets Victorian poets English publishers (people) English fantasy writers The Times journalists Punch (magazine) people Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates English columnists British humourous columnists