Is Castle Rackrent an elegy for or a satire of the landlord class?

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Student I.D. 0200853

Module Tutor: Dr E. Barry

Is Castle Rackrent an elegy for or a satire of the landlord class?

Maria Edgeworth’s novel depicting the family history of the Rackrents is widely regarded as the definitive work of Irish regional prose fiction, giving a mystical character to a location and heritage, a technique that would follow in The Absentee and Scott’s Waverly. It is noticeable that Edgeworth has decided to take on the narrative voice of ‘Old’ Thady Quirk, the retainer of the Family Rackrent. Not only has Edgeworth opted to alter her gender for the purposes of relating this tale, but she places responsibility for the history on the shoulders of a subordinate, solely on a servant’s view to give us an overview of the character of a noble family. This use of a traditional Irish figure, the long suffering but unswervingly loyal servant dedicated to the wellbeing of those he serves, allows Edgeworth to escape the restrictions placed on her by her own upbringing, and create a certain ambiguity in our response to Thady, and indeed the Rackrents. I hope to show that whilst this may cloud our interpretation of the goals of the text slightly, Edgeworth uses him as a tool to present us with both a laudation of the traditions that the ascendancy represent whilst still highlighting inherent faults. In fact often these vices, drinking, excess and poor management increase the charm of the characters and give them that mythic status attributed to them by Old Thady. Despite the obvious preference that Thady expresses for the aristocracy, he presents a far more impartial view than one might think. Since Thady appears a simple man, the masters he serves either live up to the ideal laid down by their forebears, or they fail in this regard, but in each case it is in Thady’s judgements that we can seek a degree of objective assessment of Edgeworth’s own feelings towards the landlord classes. What Thady himself represents is another matter, since his native wit and unfailing loyalty seems unrealistic when shown opposite the shrewd and calculating figure of his son, but it their markedly different viewpoint only serve to highlight their similarity, if Thady were not so enamoured of his masters, it is more than possible that he would take up the mantle of his son’s attack on them.

Edgeworth’s own background makes her eminently suitable for the task of writing this novel, and it is interesting that in the case of Castle Rackrent, the focus appears to be on the narrative and empathetic qualities of the characters rather than an implied moral message. If we take her earlier works, The Parent’s Assistant and Early Lessons, then we can observe a clear didactic quality that may stem from her father’s influence. Since this text was written in his company, but without his aid it is easy to see that a desire to focus on the characters rather than morals may have arisen, and it is this that provides the compelling quality of what is in effect, a family history. In Castle Rackrent Edgeworth has created an instantly appealing family of characters, even if it does not share the close bond to the people under its care that her own family experienced. There is a clear distinction between the bond between her family and the tenants of Edgeworthstown, and the incredibly lax attitude taken by the Rackrents. Maria was required to serve as her father’s agent with regard to the estate and household, and as such was aware of the temperaments of both peasants and landlords, giving her all the information she required to complete an accurate portrayal of the relationship and environment. It is unlikely however that the basis for the rambunctious and often insensitive Rackrent family is to be found in her own history.

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The inconsistency with which the appearance and value of the landlords begins with the tales of Sir Patrick and his excess. That this story may be well known to the Irish, or indeed to anyone even remotely familiar with Irish folklore, is irrelevant, it is not intended as an historical document. Instead it implies a backbone of Irish heritage that I believe Edgeworth seeks to maintain. “When Ireland loses her identity by an union with Great Britain, she will look back with a smile of good-humoured complacency, on the Sir Kits and Sir Condys of her former existence.” It is ...

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