Tobias Smollett fu un medico e autore i cui romanzi esplorarono spesso le vite della gente comune con un'arguzia tagliente e satirica. Le sue narrative picaresche, che presentano frequentemente viaggi e incontri con un cast eterogeneo di personaggi, offrono una rappresentazione vivida e spesso umoristica della società del XVIII secolo. Il lavoro di Smollett è caratterizzato dalla sua prosa robusta, dall'acuta osservazione sociale e da una miscela distintiva di commedia e pathos. La sua eredità letteraria, ammirata anche da scrittori successivi, risiede nella sua rappresentazione schietta della natura umana e delle complessità del mondo.
This book is a faithful reproduction of the original work, preserving its content and style. It offers readers an opportunity to engage with the text as it was initially presented, maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original publication. The reproduction aims to provide a clear and accessible version for contemporary readers, allowing them to appreciate the historical significance and context of the work.
The narrative follows Peregrine Pickle, an egotistical dandy whose life is marked by a series of misadventures, from his troubled upbringing to his eventual redemption and marriage. Smollett's comic lens critiques 18th-century European society, juxtaposing the genteel with the common. The introduction offers insights into the novel's history and critical reception, while the text reflects the original 1751 edition, enhanced by illustrations from notable artists. A comprehensive textual apparatus concludes the work, enriching the reading experience.
In 1763, Tobias Smollett set sail from Folkestone to Boulogne. He would not return to England for two years, during which time he travelled extensively through much of France and Italy. This title presents a revealing portrait of 18th century Europe at a time when Marie Antoinette had just become queen of all France.
Roderick Random (1748), Smollett's first novel, is full of the dazzling vitality characteristics of all his work, as well as of his own life. Roderick is the boisterous and unprincipled hero who answers life's many misfortunes with a sledgehammer. Left penniless, he leaves his native Scotland for London and on the way meets Strap, and old schoolfellow. Together they undergo many adventures at the hands of scoundrels and rogues. Roderick qualifies as a surgeon's mate and is pressed as a common soldier on bord the man-of-war Thunder. In a tale of romance as well as adventure, Roderick also finds time to fall in love... Smollett drew on his own experiences as a surgeon's mate in the navy for the memorable scenes on board ship, and the novel combines documentary realism with great humour and panache. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
William Thackeray called it "the most laughable story that has ever been written since the goodly art of novel-writing began." As a group of travellers visit places in England and Scotland, they provide through satire and wit a vivid and detailed picture of the contemporary social and political scene.
The hero of "Ferdinand Count Fathom" (1753) is a monster of treachery and fraud. Fate and coincidence play a large part in his picaresque progress through England and Europe, and much of the narrative is written in a mock-heroic style.
