The Panjandrum by Anthony Trollope
The Panjandrum is a novel by Anthony Trollope that was first published in 1879. The story follows the life of John Caldwell, a successful businessman who has made his fortune through his own hard work and determination. However, as he becomes more successful, he finds himself struggling with the weight of his own ambition and the expectations placed upon him by society. The novel explores themes of class, status, and the pressure to conform to societal norms, as well as the consequences of pursuing power and wealth at any cost. Through John Caldwell's journey, Trollope raises questions about the nature of success and happiness, and whether it is possible to achieve one without sacrificing the other. Overall, The Panjandrum is a thought-provoking and timely novel that continues to resonate with readers today.
By Anthony Trollope · First published 1889 · Genre: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction · 22,247 words
First lines
We hardly feel certain that we are justified in giving the following little story to the public as an Editor's Tale, because at the time to which it refers, and during the circumstances with which it deals, no editorial power was, in fact, within our grasp. As the reader will perceive, the ambition and the hopes, and something of a promise of the privileges, were there; but the absolute chair was not mounted for us. The great we was not, in truth, ours to use. And, indeed, the interval between the thing we then so cordially desired, and the thing as it has since come to exist, was one of so many years, that there can be no right on our part to connect the two periods. We shall, therefore, tell our story, as might any ordinary individual, in the first person singular, and speak of such sparks of editorship as did fly up around us as having created but a dim coruscation, and as having been quite insufficient to justify the delicious plural.
What this Textopian page supports
The Panjandrum is listed on Textopian as a short story by Anthony Trollope, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Anthony Trollope
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Social Criticism
- Length: 22,247 words
- Structure: 1 section, 166 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Panjandrum by Anthony Trollope
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Panjandrum?
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Genres
- Fiction — The Panjandrum is a work of fiction as it tells a made up story.
- Literary Fiction — The book falls under literary fiction due to its focus on character development, themes, and use of language.
- Historical Fiction — The novel is considered historical fiction as it is set in an historical period and deals with events and social conditions of that time.
- Social Criticism — The book critiques and analyzes societal norms and behaviors.
Tags
satire · politics · society · humor · Victorian · class · bureaucracy · character study · narrative · irony · social commentary · English literature