This book is a political comedy from the 19th century, so there are definitely ideals that do not mesh with a current understanding of political correctness. Midway through the book, a conversation takes place between Glenthorn agent, the Scottish M’Loed, and Irishman Hardcastle. Even though neither one of the men is English, a telling conversation between them has Hardcastle proclaiming to “keep the Irishman ignorant, and you keep em quiet,” boasting to the others that since he was Irish he could speak “with confidence in the matter.” The audience of Edgeworth’s novel would not be the Irish people, but British. By having the Irishman arguing for no education of his people, it reinforces the British ideal of oppression the Irish people in order to control them better. A critique of the novel could definitely be that Edgeworth deals mainly with her elite raised Glenthorn, and his Irish counterpart Christy Donoghoe seems a mess in comparison. From a historical context, this could seen unfair to the entire nation to have both culture represented by such opposites. However, from a literary standpoint, it is fair to see the contrast as the ultimate contrast in nature vs.
This book is a political comedy from the 19th century, so there are definitely ideals that do not mesh with a current understanding of political correctness. Midway through the book, a conversation takes place between Glenthorn agent, the Scottish M’Loed, and Irishman Hardcastle. Even though neither one of the men is English, a telling conversation between them has Hardcastle proclaiming to “keep the Irishman ignorant, and you keep em quiet,” boasting to the others that since he was Irish he could speak “with confidence in the matter.” The audience of Edgeworth’s novel would not be the Irish people, but British. By having the Irishman arguing for no education of his people, it reinforces the British ideal of oppression the Irish people in order to control them better. A critique of the novel could definitely be that Edgeworth deals mainly with her elite raised Glenthorn, and his Irish counterpart Christy Donoghoe seems a mess in comparison. From a historical context, this could seen unfair to the entire nation to have both culture represented by such opposites. However, from a literary standpoint, it is fair to see the contrast as the ultimate contrast in nature vs.