Thomas Love Peacock, Melincourt

James Mulvihill (University of Alberta)
Download PDF Add to Bookshelf Report an Error

Thomas Love Peacock’s second novel,

Melincourt

(1817), continues the fictional format initiated by the earlier

Headlong Hall

but with some differences. Named for its country-house setting – this time an authentic medieval castle – this novel also gathers together a group of eccentric guests with diverse intellectual interests and obsessions. It boasts a similarly rudimentary plot connecting a series of debates and culminating in marriage. At the same time, this plot is developed at greater length than in any of Peacock’s other novels and is considerably more ambulatory – covering, in fact, a considerable amount of ground once the novel’s action gets started.

Melincourt

is also the most politically engaged of Peacock’s novels. Where

Headlong Hall

and

Nightmare Abbey

are…

1157 words

Citation: Mulvihill, James. "Melincourt". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 March 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=21394, accessed 19 March 2024.]

21394 Melincourt 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

Save this article

If you need to create a new bookshelf to save this article in, please make sure that you are logged in, then go to your 'Account' here

Leave Feedback

The Literary Encyclopedia is a living community of scholars. We welcome comments which will help us improve.