The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow
This collection of essays satirizes the social conventions and hypocrisies of late Victorian England through a series of humorous anecdotes and witty observations. The author presents himself as an idle fellow who spends his days lounging in bed, indulging in trivial pursuits, and mocking the societal norms that govern everyday life.
By Jerome K. Jerome · First published 1886 · Genre: Humor, Essay, Satire · 14 chapters · 48,041 words
First lines
Now, this is a subject on which I flatter myself I really am _au fait_. The gentleman who, when I was young, bathed me at wisdom's font for nine guineas a term -- no extras -- used to say he never knew a boy who could do less work in more time; and I remember my poor grandmother once incidentally observing, in the course of an instruction upon the use of the Prayer-book, that it was highly improbable that I should ever do much that I ought not to do, but that she felt convinced beyond a doubt that I should leave undone pretty well everything that I ought to do.
What this Textopian page supports
The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow is listed on Textopian as an essay by Jerome K. Jerome, dated 1886 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Jerome K. Jerome
- Date: 1886 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Essay, Satire, Non-fiction, Literary
- Length: 48,041 words
- Structure: 14 chapters, 431 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow by Jerome K. Jerome
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow?
- How does this essay by Jerome K. Jerome fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Humor — The book primarily employs wit and comedic observations about everyday life.
- Essay — It consists of a series of essays reflecting on various topics, showcasing personal thoughts and experiences.
- Satire — The work critiques societal norms and behaviors through humorous exaggeration.
- Non-fiction — The content is based on real-life experiences and reflections rather than fictional narratives.
Tags
Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Philosophy · Literary Fiction · Comedy of Manners · Wit · Intellectualism · Cynicism · Skepticism · Absurdity · Irony
Contents
- On being Idle
- On being in Love
- On being in the Blues
- On being Hard up
- On Vanity and Vanities
- On Getting on in the World
- On the Weather
- On Cats and Dogs
- On being Shy
- On Babies
- On Eating and Drinking
- On Furnished Apartments
- On Dress and Deportment
- On Memory