Read for The Literary Life Podcast: 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge.

16. A Book by A Minor Author

I had not heard of Peacock until I picked up this book. I wonder if Jane Austen's work (Northanger Abbey) is a play on this, since it also deals with satirizing romantics and gothic enthusiasts. In some sense, this pokes as much fun at The Sorrows of Young Werther, as it is The Addams' Family of its day.

I must admit that I love gothic literature, but this short novel was equal parts funny and truthful. The digs at Kantian philosophy and the commentary on women's education were poignant observations of the age.

As I guessed, there's sort of a feminist subplot in the novel, as one of the male characters is disappointed on love and tries to convince his son that all women are the same, the son then complains about the inequality of women, but does not live up to the standard he has set and then proceeds to blame women for their fickleness

Spoiler

when he was to blame instead, because his fickleness made him fall in love with women instantly, without ever being able to renounce his former lover.

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The contrast between the two young women is also classic of romantic authors, and though by names it's clear where the author's sympathies lie, both make an honorable choice in the end. Recommendable and very funny to those tired of the love triangle trope,

Spoiler

because the women are not having it

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