Castle Rackrent, A Hibernian Tale

Castle Rackrent is a novel written by Maria Edgeworth and published in 1801. The book is set in Ireland and tells the story of the Rackrent family, an Anglo-Irish family who hold a large estate in the country. The novel is written in a satirical style and is a commentary on the manners and customs of the Irish gentry in the late 18th century.The story is narrated by Thady Quirk, a loyal servant of the Rackrent family, who recounts the history of the family and their estate. Through Thady’s eyes, we see the decline of the family’s fortunes and their eventual downfall, as they are unable to manage their estate and fall into debt.The novel is notable for its portrayal of the Irish gentry and their relationship with their tenants. Edgeworth uses the story of the Rackrent family to comment on the wider issues of Irish society, including the relationship between the English and Irish, and the effects of the Penal Laws on the Catholic population.Overall, Castle Rackrent is a witty and insightful novel that provides a unique perspective on the history and culture of Ireland in the 18th century.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world’s literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.