The Absentee (Worlds Classics) [Paperback]

Maria Edgeworth (Author), W. J. McCormack (Editor), Kim Walker (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Worlds Classics | Publication Date: December 1, 1988

Set in London, this novel describes the attitudes of an Irish landowning family towards their tenants, emphasizing the pernicious consequences for Ireland and for the wider world of absentee landownership. The book includes appendices showing how Edgeworth revised the text from the 1st edition, and Edgeworth's "Notes for essay on the genius and style of Burke". "The absentee" (1812) is the second of Maria Edgeworth's novels, the first being "Castle Rackrent" (1800) and is aimed at the general reader as well as for students of early 19th century English and Irish literature, of women's literature and on the historical and the regional novel.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'a welcome addition to the World's Classics series ... The editors give us a good text ... a useful essay on Edgeworth's revisions ... and a scholarly introduction' Michael Baron, English

About the Author

Dr W.J. McCormack is Secretary of the Irish Writers' Union. He is the author of Ascendency and Tradition in Anglo-Irish Literary History 1789-1939 (OUP 1985), and he has edited Trollope's The Eustace Diamonds for The World' Classics series. he also writes under the name Hugh Moxton. Dr Kim Walker is Assistant Lecturer in English at University College Dublin.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First Edition edition (December 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192816829
• ISBN-13: 978-0192816825
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,334,521 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anglo-Irish Look at Ireland, July 9, 2006

By 

Matthew Reznicek "Irish Literature Scholar, C... (Belfast, Northern Ireland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Absentee (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

Too often remembered solely as a British author, Maria Edgeworth's "The Absentee" provides a wonderful depiction of Ireland during the height of England's attempts to colonize Ireland through plantations. The historical problem with these estates was the often absence of the Lord. Edgeworth's novel reveals her Anglo-Irish stature. It depicts the Irish as either primitive and lacking ethics or as child-like and pure. Both of these reflect England's propaganda that was paired with the attempts at colonization.
Edgeworth's style reminds me very much of Jane Austen in that she focuses on the manners of the characters. In many ways, the characters resemble Austen's. The way Edgeworth depicts the individuals of Ireland, the way she represents the different class distinctions through the use of syntax and accents is deft. Edgeworth's novel is an invaluable tool for experiencing Ireland during its period of colonization. It combines the political, religious and economic aspects of Ireland. "The Absentee" demands an understanding of Irish history. It is a superb novel and highly enriching for anyone seeking a greater knowledge of Ireland.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Prominent Son, October 12, 2003

By 

P. Fan "Amaranth" (new york, ny United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Absentee (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

Duty, Loyalty, and Honor is the foremost part on his mind for our hero, Lord Colambre. To resolve his parents financial troubles and follies in London, he venture back to his homeland, Ireland, in disguise to investigate the agents who are governing his father's estate. Witnessing the corruption but also the beauty, he determine to bring those corrupter to justice and hope to stay in Ireland. And of course, there is a romance, but as you all know the hero always get his girl.