Diseases of Small Authorship
Diseases of Small Authorship is a novel written by George Eliot that explores the themes of ambition, failure, and redemption through the story of its protagonist, Tito Melema. The book follows Tito's journey from his humble beginnings as an orphan to his rise in society as a successful author, only to eventually face the consequences of his actions.
By George Eliot · First published 1859 · Genre: Satire, Social Commentary, Literary Criticism · 3,573 words
First lines
Particular callings, it is known, encourage particular diseases. There is a painter's colic: the Sheffield grinder falls a victim to the inhalation of steel dust: clergymen so often have a certain kind of sore throat that this otherwise secular ailment gets named after them. And perhaps, if we were to inquire, we should find a similar relation between certain moral ailments and these various occupations, though here in the case of clergymen there would be specific differences: the poor curate, equally with the rector, is liable to clergyman's sore throat, but he would probably be found free from the chronic moral ailments encouraged by the possession of glebe and those higher chances of preferment which follow on having a good position already. On the other hand, the poor curate might have severe attacks of calculating expectancy concerning parishioners' turkeys, cheeses, and fat geese, or of uneasy rivalry for the donations of clerical charities.
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Diseases of Small Authorship is listed on Textopian as a novel by George Eliot, dated 1859 CE.
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- Work type: Novel
- Author: George Eliot
- Date: 1859 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Social Commentary, Literary Criticism, Humor, Philosophical Fiction
- Length: 3,573 words
- Structure: 1 section, 37 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Similar titles
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- A Man Surprised At His Originality by George Eliot
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- The Angry Author His Farewell by G. K. Chesterton
Genres
- Satire — The work humorously critiques the pretensions and vanities of minor authors, using irony and exaggeration.
- Social Commentary — It provides insights into societal behaviors and the human condition, particularly focusing on the vanity and self-importance of individuals.
- Literary Criticism — The narrative includes reflections on literary production and the reception of authorship, critiquing both authors and critics.
- Humor — The text employs wit and comedic elements to entertain while delivering its critique.
Tags
literature · authorship · creativity · identity · individualism · self-expression · narrative · writing · artistic struggle · introspection · psychology · social commentary