William Makepeace Thackeray issued in 24 installments what would become his most popular novel, first published between October 1853 and August 1855. In The Newcomes, Thackeray offered an uncomplimentary view of Victorian ideas of respectable marriages; hence, the meaningful subtitle for the novel.
While not so pointedly critical of arranged unions as later novels, such as those by George Meredith would be, Thackeray nevertheless gives readers pause as they consider the sometimes-tragic outcomes resulting from society’s harsh treatment of those short of money and pedigree, attacking class structure.
The novel opens with a fable of sorts that challenges readers to compare human existence to that of creatures common to cautionary tales, such as those presented by Aesop. Narrated by Arthur Pendennis, the “Overture” features an owl, ox, fox, frog, lambkin, wolf, crow, and donkey, all symbolizing villainies of human nature: “The fox is a flatterer; the frog is an emblem of impotence and envy; the wolf in sheep’s clothing, a bloodthirsty hypocrite, wearing the garb of innocence; the ass in the lion’s skin, a quack trying to terrify, by assuming the appearance of a forest monarch… the ox, a stupid commonplace; the only innocent being in the writer’s (stolen) apologue is a fool—the idiotic lamb, who does not know his own mother!”
Thackeray’s fable does double duty, attacking literary critics as well as human nature, and readers understand that the humor in the tale disguises sobering lessons. When the novel’s plot opens with the lament that “there was once a time when the sun used to shine brighter than it appears to do in this later half of the nineteenth century; when the zest of life was certainly keener,” they also understand that the author intends to find their era wanting.
Colonel Thomas Newcome represents all honorable gentlemen who come by their modest family fortunes honestly and who possess the best intentions for their children. They are also vulnerable, targets for certain members of their culture with a tendency to take advantage of the innocent.
The colonel’s son Clive, the novel’s protagonist, loves Ethel, a cousin whose father is the well-placed wealthy banker, Sir Brian Newcome. However, as indicated by the young lovers’ surnames, they are new to what becomes a game of high-society romance, and they soon find that love does not suffice for a match. Many family members illogically oppose the union, led by Ethel’s egoistic brother, Barnes, and her narrow-minded grandmother, the matriarch Countess of Kew.
While her love is strong, her constitution at that point is not, and Ethel capitulates to the family’s demand for a “good” marriage, engaging herself first to another cousin, Lord Kew, and then to the repulsive and cowardly Lord Farintosh. Before a marriage can occur, Ethel’s sense and strong character succeed in her canceling a union.
Unfortunately, in his grief over losing Ethel, Clive has allowed himself to be manipulated into an unfortunate, but culturally approved, union with Rosey Mackenzie, the vacuous daughter of the greedy widow Mackenzie, who dominates not only her daughter but all in her immediate circle. Her lust for the suffering and humiliation of others becomes frightfully clear when the colonel appears to lose the family fortune. She drives him into his grave with her infliction of guilt. His melodramatic death scene greatly appealed to Thackeray’s contemporary readers, who saw it as honor bested by false pride.
Thackeray chooses not to conclude his novel on such a sad note, and Clive’s fortunes gain miraculous restoration through the convenient discovery of a will. Rosey subsequently dies, in another plot twist of convenience, but one that proves satisfactory to readers still mourning the colonel’s demise. An independently wealthy widower, Clive is freed to pursue again his first love, Ethel.
Critics take issue with the second third of the novel, noting Thackeray’s obvious attempts to achieve the number of issues desired by his publishers by inserting unnecessary scenes. They also cite the characters of Mr. Honeyman, Lady Ann, and Mrs. Hobson Newsome as needlessly showcased, noting that the odious Barnes Newcome does not need further vilification to make Thackeray’s point. According to M. R. Ridley, plot contrivances such as having the colonel pitted against Clive in a political race remain just that—contrivances that distract from Thackeray’s “marriage market” theme.
And modern readers may find the conclusion that depends on wealth to achieve its happy end somewhat disheartening. Still, the novel remains popular with readers. In 1996, the University of Michigan Press continued its plans to produce the first scholarly edition of all Thackeray’s work by publishing The Newcomes in a new version. They touted its important position to feminist critics as representative of Thackeray’s overall sensitivity to the Victorian woman’s plight. Thackeray also used this novel to characterize his own abuses, including caning, as a young man in Britain’s educational institutions. Like many novelists, he viewed fiction as a vehicle for social change. The Newcomes remains readily accessible in print and electronic versions.
Bibliography
Peters, Catherine. Thackeray’s Universe: Shifting Worlds of Imagination and Reality. Boston: Faber and Faber, 1987.
Ridley, M. R. Introduction to The Newcomes by William Makepeace Thackeray. New York: Dutton, 1965, vii–xii.
Shillingsburg, Peter. William Makepeace Thackeray: A Literary Life. New York: Palgrave, 2001.
Categories: British Literature, Literature, Novel Analysis
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