Pendennis

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This article relates to the novel titled Pendennis. For the castle in Cornwall, England, see Pendennis Castle.

Pendennis (1848–1850) is a novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray. It is set in 19th century England, particularly in London. The main hero is a young English gentleman Arthur Pendennis who is born in the country and sets out for London to seek his place in life and society. In line with other Thackeray's works, most notably Vanity Fair, Pendennis offers an insightful and satiric picture of human character and aristocratic society. The masterful characters include the snobbish Major Pendennis and the tipsy Captain Costigan. Miss Amory and Sir Clavering are somewhat reminiscent of Becky Sharp and Sir Pitt from Vanity Fair.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Arthur Pendennis (Pen), the only son of a prosperous country apothecary, now deceased, lives in the village Fairoaks with his mother Helen and Helen's adopted daughter Laura. The Pendennises derive from an ancient English family, and Arthur's uncle Major Pendennis, despite his relatively small income, is a well-known and respectable character in the choicest society in London. Being eighteen years of age, Arthur falls in love with a beautiful and accomplished actress, Miss Fotheringay, who is several years his senior and matches him neither in birth nor education. Miss Fotheringay's father, the scheming Irish alcoholic Captain Costigan, thinks that Arthur possesses a large fortune and is trying to arrange a marriage between him and his daughter Emily. Major Pendennis, who is summoned to Fairoaks from London by Helen, rescues his nephew from an unwelcome marriage with the help of his diplomatic skills. He assures Costigan that his nephew is not rich and the match becomes dissolved.

Arthur, still in love with Emily, soon leaves his mother and Laura to study in St Boniface's college in Oxbridge. At Oxbridge, Pen begins to live an extravagant life unsutable for his modest income, and after a brilliant academic start he contracts a great quantity of debts and even fails at his final examination. Remorseful and shamed by Major Pendennis, Arthur returns home, where he is easily forgiven by his mother, who pays off his debts partly with the help of Laura's savings. Pen returns to Oxbridge, retakes the exam, obtains a degree and returns to Fairoaks.

At the same time a large, formerly abandoned house in the neighbourhood receives his new tenants — the Clavering family. The family consists of Sir Francis Clavering, a little unsightly baronet and a Member of Parliament addicted to gambling; his immensely rich wife Lady Clavering who earned her fortune in India; and Lady Clavering's young daughter from the first marriage, a clever and beautiful Blanche Amory and a very young Master Francis, the child from Sir Clavering and Lady Clavering's marriage. The members of Pendennis family become regular guests at the Claverings' house and Arthur is infatuated with poetic and musical Miss Amory. They exchange a number of romantic letters, but the relationship lacks seriousness on both sides. Besides, Arthur is pressed by his mother to propose to Laura whom he regards more as a sister than as a lover. Arthur accomplishes his mother's wish, but Laura, who loves him, nevertheless rejects the proposal not feeling it morally right to marry with a man who does not propose on his own will.

Finally, Pen sets out for London, not without small financial help by Laura. In London, Arthur meets his snobbish uncle, Major Pendennis, who uses his influence to introduce his nephew to a distinguished London club and the London aristocratic society. Pen also meets his old Oxbridge comrade Henry Focker, an heir to a large fortune of his father. George Warrington, a poor but intelligent journalist, with whom Pen takes lodgings in an unfashionable but cheap district, becomes Pen's intimate friend. Warrington introduces him to several publishers and literary persons and soon Pen, in great need of money, publishes his first verses and articles in a newspaper. Pen's reputation begins to grow and he publishes his first novel which he bases on the story of his love to Miss Fotheringay and Miss Amory. Arthur also learns that Miss Fotheringay is now married to a senile but doting Sir Charles.

Meanwhile the Clavering family is established in London and astonishes the neighbouring aristocracy by their wealth. Major Pendennis, Arthur, Warrington and Henry Foker often visit the Claverings' house in London. Henry Foker, who is not possessed of a brilliant metal faculties, instantly falls in love with Miss Amory who regards him with a deference but also a condescention. Henry cannot propose to Miss Amory because of his former engagement to his dull and insensitive cousin Miss Ann. Miss Amory also wins the respect and admiration of the Major, now thinking about marrying her with his nephew.

Sir Clavering is beset by a new character, Colonel Altamont, who extorts great sums of money from the baronet. Altamont is in a possession of a certain secret regarding Clavering's past and uses this information to live an extravagant life at Clavering's expense. He is assisted in his financial proceedings by his long-time partner and friend Captain Strong. The wealthy Lady Clavering who regularly supplies her husband with money, is exasperated at Sir Claverings great expenses. Rumours grow in the society that if Sir Clavering does not stop gambling and frittering away his wife's money, the Claverings will be ruined. At one point, Major Pendennis recognises Colonel Altamont and understands his secret. Now he is more than anxious to marry Pen with Blanche. He ingratiates himself with Lady Clavering, becomes her informal financial advisor and wins over her to bestow a great fortune upon Blanche as her dowry. Soon Sir Clavering loses a tremendous sum of money at the races and hides from his wife and his creditors in a small dirty hotel. Through Sir Francis, Captain Strong becomes familiar with Altamont and also suspects his secret.

Meanwhile by accident Arthur meets an attractive young girl Fanny Bolton, a poor and uneducated daughter of an inn-keeper. She instantly falls in love with Arthur who is also impressed with girl's appearance and kindness. Pen's former countryman Huxter slanders Arthur in a letter home, and it becomes known to Helen and Laura that Arthur has an affair with a girl of low station. In order to stay away from this dangerous connection, Pen locks himself up in his apartment and contracts a deadly fever, during which Fanny nurses him. Pen's critical condition becomes known at home, and his mother, Laura and Major Pendennis arrive to look after him. Fanny is unceremoniously banished from Pen's house since everybody thinks that Arthur had an indecent relationship with her. After a long struggle, Arthur is recovered and departs on a foreign journey with his mother, Laura and Warrington to better his condition. Warrington falls in love with Laura who also regards him with great affection, but he is unable to propose to her owing to his early catastrophic marriage. Helen's suspicion of Arthur's connection with the poor Fanny seriously undermines her health. Laura is also deceived in her suspicion. Pen discovers that Helen treated Fanny badly during his illness and has a row with his mother, after which becomes known that no indecency has taken place. Helen's health is nevertheless too much shaken and she dies soon after.

Arthur comes in a possession of his property of 500 pounds a year, leases his estate at Fairoaks and departs to London. Laura remains to live with her old acquaintance and protector, the strict Lady Rockminster. Arthur, who is recovered from his physical and romantic illness, sends a small sum of money to Fanny thanking her for her attention to him in the course of his malady. Later in the novel, Fanny marries Huxter.

Major Pendennis almost finishes his preparations for the match between Arthur and Blanche. He meets Sir Clavering and threatens to divulge his secret if the latter does not retire and leave his place in Parliament to Arthur. Sir Calvering has no choice and he consents. The secret is that Colonel Altamont is the first husband of Lady Clavering who is not dead, as everybody believes. His being alive signifies that the marriage between Sir Clavering and Lady Clavering is illegitimate. But Altamont cannot reveal himself since he is in fact a runaway convict. This secret is overheard by Major Pendennis' valet Morgan who is set upon extorting money from the Major, Arthur, Altamont, the baronet and the Lady Clavering.

Arthur does not suspect the reason why Sir Clavering steps down from the House of Commons in his favour. He is resigned to have Blanche as his wife, and Blanche is also satisfied to have Arthur for a husband as a Member of Parliament. They do not love each other but succumb to Major Pendennises' opinion that the best matches are not those based on love. They are formally engaged. Morgan, who has collected a decent amount of money after many years in the service with the Major, quits the service and blackmails the Major. Nonetheless, Major comes up victorious in a great scene in which he uses his knowledge of Morgan's many small robberies for which Morgan may go to jail. Morgan does not give up and tries to extort money from Arthur, revealing the secret of the Clavering family to him.

Having realized the gravity of his situation, Arthur decides to relinquish his claim for Miss Amory's fortune and take her with only a small dowry which was originally set on her by her mother prior to Major Pendennis' solicitations. He also decides to refuse his place in Parliament as it was procured almost by blackmail. He relates the secret to Laura and Warrington and tells his decision to the Major. The Major is furious and implores Arthur to marry Blanche on advantageous terms. But Arthur is adamant. He writes to Blanche, who by this time knows about the secret as well, and informs her of his decision without, however, giving exact reasons for it. Presently, Henry Focker's father dies, his cousin runs away with a middle-aged clergyman, and Henry, being free and rich, makes proposition to his belowed Miss Amory. Blanche rejects Arthur in consequence of his new terms, and Arthur is happy to disengage himself from this marriage. He instantly proposes to Laura whom he has been greatly admiring all the time and is accepted.

The secret of the Clavering family finally becomes known to everybody and Henry Foker also withdraws his proposition to Blanche. From the final pages of the novel we learn that Altamon escapes abroad, Arthur marries Laura, is reconciled with his uncle, and enjoys the increase in his fortune due to the fortunate construction of a railroad through his territories. Blanche departs to France and marries in Paris. The baronet dies soon and Arthur naturally succeeds to Clavering's seat in Parliament as the most representative member of his country town.

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