Les mémoires d'un valet de pied by William Makepeace Thackeray
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"Les mémoires d'un valet de pied" by William Makepeace Thackeray is a satirical novel written in the mid-19th century. The story is told from the perspective of John-Herbert-Sigismond-Fitz-Roy de la Pluche, a footman who provides a humorous and critical view of the social dynamics surrounding the English aristocracy and those who serve them. The narrative sets the stage for an exploration of class distinctions, social ambitions, and the absurdities of human behavior.
At the start of the novel, the protagonist introduces himself with a flourish, joking about his grand names and obscure parentage. He recounts his childhood and the chaotic life lived under the care of his mother, ultimately leading him to become a footman. The chapter presents his first master, Frédéric Altamont, and paints a picture of the household dynamics, particularly involving Mary Shum, the beautiful but troubled daughter of the landlord. Tensions arise from family disputes, jealousy between sisters, and the peculiarities of Altamont’s hidden life, hinting at the mysteries yet to unfold in their social interactions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Thackeray, William Makepeace, 1811-1863 |
|---|---|
| Translator | Hughes, William L. (William Little), 1822-1887 |
| Title | Les mémoires d'un valet de pied |
| Original Publication | France: A. Bourdilliat et Cie, 1859. |
| Note | Appears to be translated selections from the pieces first published in Fraser's magazine, 1837-1840, under title: The Yellowplush correspondence. Several collections were later published under various titles: The Yellowplush correspondence; The Yellowplush papers; Memoirs of Mr. Charles J. Yellowplush. |
| Credits | Laurent Vogel and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica)) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 78.8 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | French |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | Didactic fiction |
| Subject | Humorous stories |
| Subject | England -- Fiction |
| Subject | Master and servant -- Fiction |
| Subject | Household employees -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 72982 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-72982-4 |
| Release Date | Feb 18, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 548 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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