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Catherine: A Story
Written as a deliberate critique of popular crime fiction that romanticized criminals, Thackeray based his story on Catherine Hayes, a real eighteenth-century woman executed for murdering her husband.
"Catherine: A Story" by William Makepeace Thackeray is a novel. Written as a deliberate critique of popular crime fiction that romanticized criminals, Thackeray based his story on Catherine Hayes, a real eighteenth-century woman executed for murdering her husband.
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Read a passage
At that famous period of history, when the seventeenth century (after a deal of quarrelling, king-killing, reforming, republicanising, restoring, re-restoring, play-writing, sermon-writing, Oliver-Cromwellising, Stuartising, and Orangising, to be sure) had sunk into its grave, giving place to the lusty eighteenth; when Mr. Isaac Newton was a tutor of Trinity, and Mr. Joseph Addison Commissioner of Appeals; when the presiding genius that watched over the destinies of the French nation had played out all the best cards in his hand, and his adversaries began to pour in their trumps; when there were two kings in Spain employed perpetually in running away from one another; when there was a queen in England, with such rogues for Ministers as have never been seen, no, not in our own day; and a General, of whom it may be severely argued, whether he was the meanest miser or the greatest hero in the world; when Mrs. Masham had not yet put Madam Marlborough's nose out of joint; when people had their ears cut off for writing very meek political pamphlets; and very large full-bottomed wigs were just beginning to be worn with powder; and the face of Louis the Great, as his was handed in to him behind the bed-curtains, was, when issuing thence, observed to look longer, older, and more dismal daily....
Contents
- 01Advertisement
- 02Chapter I. Introducing to the Reader the Chief Personage of This Narrative.
- 03Chapter II. In Which Are Depicted the Pleasures of a Sentimental Attachment.
- 04Chapter III. In Which a Narcotic Is Administered, and a Great Deal of Genteel Society Depicted.
- 05Chapter IV. In Which Mrs. Catherine Becomes an Honest Woman Again.
- 06Chapter V. Contains Mr. Brock's Autobiography, and Other Matters.
- 07Chapter VI. Adventures of the Ambassador, Mr. Macshane.
- 08Chapter VII. Which Embraces a Period of Seven Years.
- 09Chapter VIII. Enumerates the Accomplishments of Master Thomas Billings—Introduces Brock as Doctor Wood—And Announces the Execution of Ensign Macshane.
- 10Chapter IX. Interview Between Count Galgenstein and Master Thomas Billings, When He Informs the Count of His Parentage.
- 11Chapter X. Showing How Galgenstein and Mrs. Cat Recognise Each Other in Marylebone Gardens—And How the Count Drives Her Home in His Carriage.
- 12Chapter XI. Of Some Domestic Quarrels, and the Consequence Thereof.
- 13Chapter XII. Treats of Love, and Prepares for Death.
- 14Chapter XIII. Being a Preparation for the End.
- 15Chapter the Last.
- 16Another Last Chapter.
About this edition
- Author
- William Makepeace Thackeray
- Language
- English
- Era
- Modern (c. 1800–1945)
- Reading level
- Intermediate: some philosophy helps
- Formats
- EPUB, PDF
- Length
- 139 pages
- This edition
- Modern Philosophers
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