Castle Rackrent

About this book

Old Thady Quirk, a faithful servant, tells the history of the Rackrent family, the Irish landlords he has served for generations: Sir Patrick, who drank himself to death; Sir Murtagh, a miser who loved lawsuits; Sir Kit, a gambler who kept his wife locked in her room for seven years; and good-natured, spendthrift Sir Condy, who loses everything. Thady admires them all, but his simple account reveals their folly and cruelty, and the estate ends up in the hands of his own son, Jason, a clever attorney.

Context and significance

Maria Edgeworth (1768–1849) published the short novel in 1800, with a glossary explaining Irish customs to English readers. It is often called the first regional novel in English, and Walter Scott said that Edgeworth's Irish portraits inspired him to write about Scotland in Waverley.

About the author