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History of Pendennis

In Pendennis, William Makepeace Thackeray skillfully shows the coming of age of Arthur Pendennis, a young gentleman trying to make his way in the world. Pen's difficulties in finding his place in the difficult maze of social obstacles are created to some extent by his being raised in the country and being from an ancient though impoverished family. We follow his course from the village in which he was raised via Oxbridge to London, meeting the most memorable characters, falling in and out of love, navigating the difficulties of society, and hopefully finally arriving at a happy end. - Summary by Carolin (10 hr 50 min)

Chapters

Dedication and Preface

Chapter I, Shows how First Love may interrupt Breakfast

Chapter II, A Pedigree and other Family Matters

Chapter III, In which Pendennis appears as a very young Man indeed

Chapter IV, Mrs. Haller

Chapter V, Mrs. Haller at Home

Chapter VI, Contains both Love and War

Chapter VII, In which the Major makes his Appearance

Chapter VIII, In which Pen is kept waiting at the Door, while the Reader is inf…

Chapter IX, In which the Major opens the Campaign

Chapter X, Facing the Enemy

Chapter XI, Negotiation

Chapter XII, In which a Shooting Match is proposed

Chapter XIII, A Crisis

Chapter XIV, In which Miss Fotheringay makes a new Engagement

Chapter XV, The happy Village

Chapter XVI, More Storms in the Puddle

Chapter XVII, Which concludes the first Part of this History

Chapter XVIII, Alma Mater

Chapter XIX, Pendennis of Boniface

Chapter XX, Rake’s Progress

Chapter XXI, Flight after Defeat

Chapter XXII, Prodigal’s Return

Chapter XXIII, New Faces

Chapter XXIV, A Little Innocent

Chapter XXV, Contains both Love and Jealousy

Chapter XXVI, A House full of Visitors

Chapter XXVII, Contains some Ball-practising

Chapter XXVIII, Which is both Quarrelsome and Sentimental

Chapter XXIX, Babylon

Chapter XXX, The Knights of the Temple

Chapter XXXI, Old and new Acquaintances

Chapter XXXII, In which the Printer’s Devil comes to the Door

Chapter XXXIII, Which is passed in the Neighbourhood of Ludgate Hill

Chapter XXXIV, In which the History still hovers about Fleet Street

Chapter XXXV, Dinner in the Row

Chapter XXXVI, The Pall Mall Gazette

Chapter XXXVII, Where Pen appears in Town and Country

Chapter XXXVIII, In which the Sylph reappears

Chapter XXXIX, Colonel Altamont appears and disappears

Chapter XL, Relates to Mr. Harry Foker’s Affairs

Chapter XLI, Carries the Reader both to Richmond and Greenwich

Chapter XLII, Contains a novel Incident

Chapter XLIII, Alsatia

Chapter XLIV, In which the Colonel narrates some of his Adventures

Chapter XLV, A Chapter of Conversations

Chapter XLVI, Miss Amory’s Partners

Chapter XLVII, Monseigneur s’amuse

Chapter XLVIII, A Visit of Politeness

Chapter XLIX, In Shepherd’s Inn

Chapter L, Or near the Temple Garden

Chapter LI, The happy Village again

Chapter LII, Which had very nearly been the last of the Story

Chapter LIII, A critical Chapter

Chapter LIV, Convalescence

Chapter LV, Fanny’s Occupation’s gone

Chapter LVI, In which Fanny engages a new Medical Man

Chapter LVII, Foreign Ground

Chapter LVIII, 'Fairoaks to let'

Chapter LIX, Old Friends

Chapter LX, Explanations

Chapter LXI, Conversations

Chapter LXII, The Way of the World

Chapter LXIII, Which accounts perhaps for Chapter LXI.

Chapter LXIV, Phyllis and Corydon

Chapter LXV, Temptation

Chapter LXVI, In which Pen begins his Canvass

Chapter LXVII, In which Pen begins to doubt about his Election

Chapter LXVIII, In which the Major is bidden to Stand and Deliver

Chapter LXIX, In which the Major neither yields his Money nor his Life

Chapter LXX, In which Pendennis counts his Eggs

Chapter LXXI, Fiat Justitia

Chapter LXXII, In which the Decks begin to clear

Chapter LXXIII, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Huxter

Chapter LXXIV, Shows how Arthur had better have taken a Return-ticket

Chapter LXXV, A Chapter of Match-making

Chapter LXXVI, Exeunt Omnes