Thomas Love Peacock is best remembered as one of the great satirists of the Romantic period. Early in his writing career he made use of the Arthurian legends, mainly for satire, amusement, and instruction.

   His first Arthurian story, "Satyrane; or, The Stranger in England," was written around 1811 or 1812, and completed in 1816. Satyrane refers to a character in Spenser's The Faerie Queen, one who is part beast, but has an innately virtuous will. This incomplete work is about a missionary stranded on an island after a shipwreck. "Satyrane" later became absorbed in another unfinished romance "Calidore," published in 1816. Like Satyrane, Calidore is a figure of courtesy from the Faerie Queen. Other Romantic writers had an interest in the Calidore figure such as John Keats and Robert Southey. Keats wrote an unfinished poem entitled "Calidore" during 1818. In Peacock's comic story, Calidore, on his way to London, arrives by boat on an island. He explains to some lounging travelers that he is following King Arthur's instructions for him to find a philosopher and a wife in London. In the next fragment he, and King Arthur's court, arrive on a deserted island. They are greeted by Greek gods and goddesses. With Arthur's instructions to enjoy himself on the island, Calidore becomes a reveler. This merging of different historical periods reflects Peacock's interest in opposing the Ancient and Modern worlds. Eventually Calidore gets to London. In a comic scene, he tries to exchange Arthurian gold coins for paper money. This tale, like his novels, illustrates Peacock's satirical approach to romances.

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   Thomas Love Peacock is best remembered as one of the great satirists of the Romantic period. Early in his writing career he made use of the Arthurian legends, mainly for satire, amusement, and instruction.

   His first Arthurian story, "Satyrane; or, The Stranger in England," was written around 1811 or 1812, and completed in 1816. Satyrane refers to a character in Spenser's The Faerie Queen, one who is part beast, but has an innately virtuous will. This incomplete work is about a missionary stranded on an island after a shipwreck. "Satyrane" later became absorbed in another unfinished romance "Calidore," published in 1816. Like Satyrane, Calidore is a figure of courtesy from the Faerie Queen. Other Romantic writers had an interest in the Calidore figure such as John Keats and Robert Southey. Keats wrote an unfinished poem entitled "Calidore" during 1818. In Peacock's comic story, Calidore, on his way to London, arrives by boat on an island. He explains to some lounging travelers that he is following King Arthur's instructions for him to find a philosopher and a wife in London. In the next fragment he, and King Arthur's court, arrive on a deserted island. They are greeted by Greek gods and goddesses. With Arthur's instructions to enjoy himself on the island, Calidore becomes a reveler. This merging of different historical periods reflects Peacock's interest in opposing the Ancient and Modern worlds. Eventually Calidore gets to London. In a comic scene, he tries to exchange Arthurian gold coins for paper money. This tale, like his novels, illustrates Peacock's satirical approach to romances.

   In 1814 Peacock published "Sir Hornbook; or, Childe Lancelot's Expedition, A Grammatico-Allegorical Ballad." His intention was to teach children "grammar without tears." "Sir Hornbeck" surveys parts of speech by representing them as characters of chivalric romance. This very popular book went through five editions in five years. Fifty years later it was published again and it regained its former popularity.

   His next Arthurian poem, "The Table Round; or King Arthur's Feast" was published in 1818. "The Table Round," a versified account of the kings of England, is a companion piece to its didactic Arthurian precedent "Sir Hornbook." Merlin transports Arthur from the Battle of Camlan to an island to await his return to rule over England. The poem opens with Arthur's question: "Say when shall the fates re-establish my reign, / And spread my round-table in Britain again?" Merlin estimates 370 years. Arthur then throws a party to pass the time. The guests at the table are the kings of England; the poem is a mnemonic device for children to learn the names of rulers and key historical facts.

   The publication of Peacock's next major work, a Robin Hood tale called Maid Marian, was delayed for four years because of his new marriage and position at the East India Company. Peacock first mentions it in his journal: "Could not read or write for scheming my romance. Rivers, castles, forests, abbies, monks, maids, kings, and banditti dancing before me like a masked ball" (VIII: 440). He further writes about his intentions to Percy Bysshe Shelley, "I am writing a Comic Romance of the Twelfth Century, which I shall make the vehicle of much oblique satire on all the oppressions that are done under the sun." Mrs. Gisborne, a friend of Mary Shelley's, wrote in her diary on November 29, 1818: "Peacock's Maid Marian I think a beautiful little thing, but it has not taken yet." The Monthly Magazine briefly commended it for its "quaint humour" (53:342). Late in 1822 Maid Marian appeared in the form of an opera at Covent Garden. Charles Kemble, an actor who admired Peacock's work, had consulted J.R. Planché to write a libretto based on Maid Marian. Although Planché also incorporated Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe and popular Robin Hood ballads, this opera was largely based upon Maid Marian. After copyright disagreements between Planché and Peacock's publisher, Edward Hookham, Peacock convinced Hookham that it was in his best interest to allow the opera to be performed. This revival led to belated, favorable reviews of Peacock's novel.

   A seven year lull occurred between Maid Marian and the next novel since Peacock had become the executor of Percy Bysshe Shelley's will. In 1829 Peacock published his fifth novel, a historical romance called The Misfortunes of Elphin. The Misfortunes of Elphin, an Arthurian tale set in Cambria, is like Maid Marian, a burlesque comedy. This novel reflects Peacock's interest in Welsh legends and history, perhaps encouraged by his marriage to a Welsh woman, Jane Gryffydh, in 1819. (Soon after, he learned Welsh and began reading Edward Burne-Jones' periodical Cambro-Britain, and the Mabinogian and Myvyrian Archiology of Wales. At the time, these two books were only in Welsh.) The novel opens with Elphin's father, King Gwythno, celebrating because he has left his friend, Seithenyn in charge of the perilous sea-wall. The sea wall collapses and destroys the kingdom, leaving Elphin the ruler. He marries Seithenyn's daughter, Angharad. They find floating down the river a baby whom they raise as Taliesin. Later in life, Taliesin seeks King Arthur's aid when Elphin is imprisoned by King Maelgon. Taliesin rescues Gwenyvar and returns her to Arthur; in return Arthur frees Elphin. In the interim, Taliesin proves himself to be England's greatest bard.

   Although a novel, the Misfortunes of Elphin has a great deal of poetry integrated within the narrative. In fact, Peacock's granddaughter, Edith Nicolls, argues that Peacock merely wrote the novel as a frame for his songs.

   Carl Dawson in his critical work His Fine Wit: A Study of Thomas Love Peacock (1970) argues that "Peacock's excessive references to civilization of his own day, his unwillingness, or inability, to sustain the historical illusions, his difficulties with extended narrative, all suggest that his real talents were not for this sort of fiction" (253). Although recent criticism has not been favorable, The Misfortunes of Elphin was received well by Peacock's contemporaries. In April of 1829, the Cambrian Quarterly reviewed it as "the most entertaining book, if not the best, that has yet been published on the ancient customs and traditions of Wales" (231). During the same month, the Westminster gave a less favorable review, prudishly criticizing Peacock: "It is not for the genuine satirist either directly or indirectly, to insinuate the superiority of half-barbaric states of existence, by partially adverting to the evils consequent on higher stages of civilization" (434). Despite the criticism, The Misfortunes of Elphin is an entertaining book and with it Peacock provides a lively satire of "progress."

Biography written by: Anne Zanzucchi
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