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About Thomas Love Peacock | Primary Sources | Secondary Sources | Questions? | About This Page |
Thomas Love Peacock was born in 1785. He began his literary career by writing poems,
but soon turned to satire and began writing novels. By the time of his death in 1866,
he had composed a total of seven satirical novels. These novels usually have very
little to offer in the way of plot, but rather usually just consist of people who go places and talk about issues of the day.
The first novel Peacock wrote was Headlong Hall. This novel takes place at a country estate owned by Squire Headlong, who invites some friends to stay with him, and they sit around and discuss philosophy and other topics.
This novel was followed by Melincourt, which is Peacock's longest novel. The star of this novel is 21 year old Anthelia Melincourt, who falls in love with Sylvan Forester, but is kidnapped by Lord Anophel Achthar. She is eventually rescued by Forester and his friend Sir Oran Hautton.
The third of Peacock's novels was Nightmare Abbey, which is considered his best novel. It is based on the poet Shelley's relationship with two women, Harriet Westbrook and Mary Godwin, and is a satire of the Gothic novel.
Maid Marion, Peacock's fourth novel, is a story about the famous Robin Hood.
The fifth novel Peacock wrote was The Misfortunes of Elphin, which is about Celtic legends of King Arthur and other heroes.
Crochet Castle, Peacock's sixth novel, is about a house party at Crochet Castle, where the romance of Lady Clarinda Bossnowl and Captain Fitzchrome, as well as the romance of Susannah Touchandgo and Mr. Chainmail takes place.
Gryll Grange was Peacock's seventh and last novel, and the plot is similar to that of Melincourt. The heroine is Morgana Gryll, who is a wealthy heiress. She becomes entangled in a love triangle involving Miss Niphet, Lord Curryfin, and Mr. Falconer.
Peacock, Thomas Love. Crochet Castle, Headlong Hall, Maid Marion, and Nightmare Abbey. 4 Vols. Pennsylvania: Wildside Press, 2002-2003.
These four novels by Thomas Love Peacock have just recently been individually issued by Wildside Press, so the other three novels may be forthcoming in the next few months.
Peacock, Thomas Love. The Letters of Thomas Love Peacock. Ed. Nicholas A.
Joukovsky. 2 Vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2001.
This book includes over 330 letters written by, to, or about Thomas Love Peacock.
Peacock, Thomas Love. Memoirs of Shelley and Other Essays and Reviews. Ed.
Howard Mills. New York: New York University Press, 1970.
This compilation of the essays of Thomas Love Peacock includes his "Four Ages of Poetry," as well as his "Memoirs of Shelley."
Peacock, Thomas Love. The Works of Thomas Love Peacock. 10 Vols. New York:
AMS Press, 1967.
This is the most recent complete edition of the works of Thomas Love Peacock.
Burns, Bryan. The Novels of Thomas Love Peacock. London: Croom Helm, 1985.
This book contains a chapter for each of Thomas Love Peacock's novels. Each chapter discusses aspects of Peacock's writing that the author believes have been left out until now.
Mulvihill, James. Thomas Love Peacock. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1987.
This book is about Thomas Love Peacock's life, and includes thoughts about his novels. These thoughts are given separately for each novel, and include how the novel fit into Peacock's overall writing and life.
Prance, Claude A. The Characters in the Novels of Thomas Love Peacock (1785-1866):
With Bibliographical Lists. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 1992.
This book contains an alphabetical listing of the over 240 characters that appear in Thomas Love Peacock's novels, a specific listing of the book and chapter where each character can be found, a listing of the poems and songs in Peacock's novels and plays, an alphabetical listing of the characters in Peacock's plays and fragments, and a bibliography covering over 450 items by and about Peacock published from 1800-1990.
Sage, Lorna, ed. Peacock: The Satirical Novels: A Casebook. London: Macmillan, 1976.
This book combines a large selection of essays by and about Thomas Love Peacock. The first part contains essays by Peacock and Percy Shelley. The second part contains essays by contemporaries of Peacock such as W. M. Thackeray, William Hazlitt, and Leigh Hunt. The third part contains essays by twentieth century critics such as Virginia Woolf, L. Conrad Hartley, and Northrop Frye.
The Thomas Love Peacock Page. 3 Feb. 2002. Peter J. Large. 12 Nov. 2003
http://www.horkstow.free-online.co.uk/Lit/Peacock.html.
Contains a brief biography of Thomas Love Peacock, as well as a bibliography of works written by Peacock.
The Thomas Love Peacock Society. 2003. The Thomas Love Peacock Society. 12
Nov. 2003 http://www.thomaslovepeacock.net .
Contains the full text of most of Thomas Love Peacock's novels, much of his verse, and a few miscellaneous works, as well as a list of links to other sites and information about Peacock.
Send me your questions about Thomas Love Peacock, and I will do my best to answer them.
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