Ogres

Ogres by William Makepeace Thackeray

The work is a satirical essay in which the narrator, shifting mood as capriciously as a vowel, examines the figure of the ogre as both a literal and metaphoric monster. Initially, the discourse indulges in playful observations—detailing the daily routine of intellectual labor, meals, and small irritations—before delving into a broader social criticism. The term “ogre” is used to describe not only the traditional, fearsome brute of folklore with enormous teeth and violent appetites but also modern men who, despite their refined manners and genteel appearances, are intrinsically ruthless and predatory. Through vivid, often grotesque imagery, the narrator juxtaposes the crude, cannibalistic behavior of legendary ogres with the hidden brutality of contemporary society. The text paints a picture of individuals who, under a veneer of civility and politeness, perpetrate cruelty, fraud, and domestic tyranny. Their outward charm conceals a legacy of exploitation and moral decay; they dine with polite company by day while nurturing a dark, ogre-like nature in private. Employing ironic humor and biting wit, the essay critiques social hypocrisy, suggesting that the monstrous exists not only in distant myths but also in the refined circles of manners and business. The narration shifts effortlessly between absurd depictions of literal ogres roaming caverns and metaphorical ogres embedded within everyday institutions—banking, politics, and family life. In doing so, it warns that monstrosity is not confined to fairy tales but is a present, pervasive danger in the guise of respectable society. Ultimately, the work is a polemic against the moral shortcomings of its time, challenging readers to recognize the hidden ferocity behind seemingly benign facades.

By William Makepeace Thackeray · First published 1846 · Genre: Satire, Humorous Essay, Fantasy · 3,688 words

First lines

I dare say the reader has remarked that the upright and independent vowel, which stands in the vowel-list between E and O, has formed the subject of the main part of these essays. How does that vowel feel this morning? -- fresh, good-humored, and lively? The Roundabout lines, which fall from this pen, are correspondingly brisk and cheerful. Has anything, on the contrary, disagreed with the vowel? Has its rest been disturbed, or was yesterday's dinner too good, or yesterday's wine not good enough? Under such circumstances, a darkling, misanthropic tinge, no doubt, is cast upon the paper. The jokes, if attempted, are elaborate and dreary. The bitter temper breaks out. That sneering manner is adopted, which you know, and which exhibits itself so especially when the writer is speaking about women. A moody carelessness comes over him. He sees no good in anybody or thing: and treats gentlemen, ladies, history, and things in general, with a like gloomy flippancy. Agreed. When the vowel in question is in that mood, if you like airy gayety and tender gushing benevolence -- if you want to be satisfied with yourself and the rest of your fellow-beings; I recommend you, my dear creature, to go to some other shop in Cornhill, or turn to some other article. There are moods in the mind of the vowel of which we are speaking, when it is ill-conditioned and captious. Who always keeps good health, and good humor? Do not philosophers grumble? Are not sages sometimes out of temper? and do not angel-women go off in tantrums? To-day my mood is dark. I scowl as I dip my pen in the inkstand.

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Ogres is listed on Textopian as a short story by William Makepeace Thackeray, dated 1846 CE.

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satirical · social criticism · 19th century · ironic · allegorical · grotesque · parody · class commentary · wit · realism · exaggeration · social observation

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