William Makepeace Thackeray

William Makepeace Thackeray
Jesse Harrison Whitehurst · Public domain · source
Name	William Makepeace Thackeray
Birth date	July 18, 1811
Birth place	Calcutta, British India
Death date	December 24, 1863
Death place	London, England

William Makepeace Thackeray was a renowned English novelist, Punch magazine contributor, and satirist, best known for his Vanity Fair series, which was illustrated by Richard Doyle and published in Cornhill Magazine. Thackeray's works often explored the lives of the British aristocracy and the Victorian era's social class system, as seen in the writings of Charles Dickens and Anthony Trollope. His literary career was influenced by the works of Henry Fielding, Tobias Smollett, and Laurence Sterne, and he was a contemporary of Elizabeth Gaskell, Wilkie Collins, and George Eliot. Thackeray's writing style was also shaped by his experiences at Charterhouse School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was acquainted with Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Arthur Henry Hallam.

● Early Life and Education

Thackeray was born in Calcutta, British India, to Richmond Thackeray and Anne Becher, and spent his early childhood in India before moving to England with his family. He was educated at Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey, and later attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied Classics and developed an interest in literature and art. During his time at Cambridge University, Thackeray was influenced by the works of William Shakespeare, John Milton, and Alexander Pope, and he became acquainted with notable figures such as Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Arthur Henry Hallam, and Edward FitzGerald. Thackeray's experiences at Cambridge University also introduced him to the works of French authors like Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Honoré de Balzac, which would later influence his writing style.

● Literary Career

Thackeray began his literary career as a contributor to Punch magazine, where he worked alongside Mark Lemon and Douglas Jerrold. He also wrote for other publications, including The Times, The Morning Chronicle, and Fraser's Magazine, and was a contemporary of notable writers like Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Wilkie Collins. Thackeray's early works, such as The Yellowplush Papers and The Luck of Barry Lyndon, were published in Fraser's Magazine and The Cornhill Magazine, and he later became known for his satirical writings on the British aristocracy and the Victorian era's social class system, as seen in the works of Jane Austen and George Eliot. Thackeray's literary career was also influenced by his friendships with notable figures like Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and he was a member of the Athenaeum Club and the Garrick Club.

● Major Works

Thackeray's most famous work is the Vanity Fair series, which was illustrated by Richard Doyle and published in Cornhill Magazine. The series follows the lives of Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley as they navigate the complexities of the British aristocracy and the Victorian era's social class system, and is considered one of the greatest novels of the Victorian era, alongside works like Oliver Twist and Great Expectations. Thackeray's other notable works include The History of Pendennis, The Newcomes, and The Virginians, which were published in The Cornhill Magazine and Fraser's Magazine, and explore themes of love, family, and social class, as seen in the works of Anthony Trollope and George Meredith. Thackeray's writing style was also influenced by his interest in history, particularly the works of Thomas Babington Macaulay and Thomas Carlyle, and he was a contemporary of notable historians like John Richard Green and Edward Augustus Freeman.

● Style and Influence

Thackeray's writing style was characterized by his use of satire and his critiques of the British aristocracy and the Victorian era's social class system, as seen in the works of Jonathan Swift and Henry Fielding. He was influenced by the works of French authors like Honoré de Balzac and Gustave Flaubert, and his writing style was also shaped by his interest in art and literature, particularly the works of William Shakespeare and John Milton. Thackeray's works have been compared to those of Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, and George Eliot, and he is considered one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era, alongside authors like Anthony Trollope and Wilkie Collins. Thackeray's influence can be seen in the works of later authors, such as E.M. Forster and Virginia Woolf, and his writing style continues to be studied by scholars and literary critics, including Raymond Williams and Terry Eagleton.

● Personal Life and Legacy

Thackeray married Isabella Gethin Shawe in 1836 and had three daughters, Anne Isabella, Jane, and Harriet. He was a close friend of notable figures like Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and was a member of the Athenaeum Club and the Garrick Club. Thackeray's legacy as a novelist and satirist continues to be celebrated, and his works remain widely read and studied today, particularly in institutions like University of Oxford and University of Cambridge. Thackeray's influence can be seen in the works of later authors, such as D.H. Lawrence and George Orwell, and his writing style continues to be admired for its wit, satire, and insight into the human condition, as seen in the works of Aldous Huxley and Evelyn Waugh. Category:English novelists