Thomas Love Peacock, Headlong Hall

James Mulvihill (University of Alberta)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.06: English Writing and Culture of the Romantic Period, 1789-1837.
Vol. editors: Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Daniel Robinson (Widener University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1816

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel
Satire

Resources

Thomas Love Peacock's first novel, Headlong Hall, sets the pattern for his other novels of talk. It features a country-house, the titular Headlong Hall, populated by a diverse set of characters, each embodying a particular intellectual obsession and each tirelessly advocating his or her ideas in the frequent debates on which the novel turns – debates that are often learned, sometimes absurd, but always spirited. Plot is rudimentary, frequently depending on slapstick relieved by a love interest or two, with marriage providing a comic resolution. While highly eclectic intellectually, the typical Peacock novel is unified by some idea that runs through the novel's debates.

Headlong Hall turns on the idea of …

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2369 words

Citation: Mulvihill, James. "Headlong Hall". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 June 2006 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=9865, accessed 25 November 2024.]

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