Books to Consult—Biographical and Harry Furniss's editions of the novels (introductions). Melvill: Life of Thackeray. Merivale and Marzials: Life of Thackeray. Chesterton: Thackeray. Riding: Thackeray's London.
V—DICKENS
1. The Man and the Author—His early life of hardship and the material it furnished him. Reminiscences in David Copperfield. Newspaper life and Sketches by Boz. Origin of this name. The launching of Pickwick. Growing fame. Marriage. Trips to America. Dickens as actor and reader. Home at Gad's Hill. Grave in Westminster Abbey.
2. The Humor and Pathos of Dickens—Pickwick as a type of pure humor. The grotesque, illustrated by Quilp, Squeers, Uriah Heep. The farcical, as illustrated by Micawber, Pecksniff, and Sarah Gamp. Pathos in Tiny Tim, Paul Dombey, and Little Nell. Reading from Bardell vs. Pickwick, and the death of Little Nell (Old Curiosity Shop).
3. Dickens as a Humanitarian—Little Dorrit and prison reform. Bleak House and the law's delay. Nicholas Nickleby and poor schools. Oliver Twist and youthful criminals.
4. His Greatest Novel: David Copperfield—Discuss the plot and the chief characters. Notice the individuality of the women: Mrs. Copperfield, Miss Murdstone, Betsy Trotwood, Peggotty, Little Emily, Dora, and Agnes.
Books to Consult—Forster: Life of Dickens. Letters of Charles Dickens. G. K. Chesterton: Charles Dickens. Gissing: Charles Dickens.
A paper comparing Dickens and Thackeray may be added to this program, for Dombey and Son, Dickens's sixth successful novel, appeared the same year as Vanity Fair, Thackeray's first. There might be a paper on The Names of Dickens's Characters, and Where He Got Them.
VI—TROLLOPE
1. His Life—Son of the novelist Frances M. Trollope. Unhappy life at Winchester and Harrow. In the postal service. (See The Three Clerks for the examination of Charley Tudor—Trollope's own experience.) Post-office surveys in Ireland. Travels on post-office business. Material thus gathered. His forty novels. First good novel, The Warden. The idea of it suggested while wandering about Salisbury Cathedral. Popularity and large earnings.