The Tithe-Proctor

William CarletonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 649K words
Chapters: 65

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. The Tithe-Proctor by William Carleton. Author: Carleton, William, 1794-1869. Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jun 7, 2005

Editor's review

The Tithe-Proctor is another of William Carleton's works set in Irish rural society, its title pointing directly to the controversial tithe system of the time and those who enforced it. Carleton excels at portraying local characters and class conflict in a realistic manner; this book revolves around the figure of the tithe-proctor, naturally carrying the tension of social contradiction and moral scrutiny, and is a literary sample for understanding the land and religious-economic issues of nineteenth-century Ireland. The Gutenberg edition is a free English e-book, complete in text and easy to search, suitable as material for cross-reading of literature and social history. When reading, pay attention to the author's handling of characters' speech and local customs; these details often reflect the spirit of the age more than the plot itself. The book is moderate in length, but the narrative pace is slow and the language bears the marks of its time; reading alongside background material on Irish history is recommended for a more solid gain.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers focused on Irish land, religious and economic history
Literary readers interested in nineteenth-century social-problem novels
Students needing public-domain English texts for coursework or papers
Readers who enjoy realistic style and are willing to read character dialogue closely

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer light entertainment and lack patience
Beginners unfamiliar with nineteenth-century English usage
Readers expecting a modern translation or a heavily annotated edition

Reading tips

First clarify the basic meaning of the tithe system, then read the conflict scenes in the text.
Excerpt the dialogue of the tithe-proctor and related characters to analyze class positions and tone.
Read against nineteenth-century Irish social history to avoid taking things out of context.
After finishing, write a brief map of character relationships to help grasp the narrative thread.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What does a tithe-proctor do?

The tithe was a tax collected by parish, mainly to maintain the church, and the tithe-proctor was responsible for actually collecting it. Because it involved land and religious affiliation, this role was often at the center of local conflict, and the novel uses this profession to present social tension.

How does this book relate to Carleton's other works?

Both books belong to Carleton's vein of writing set in Irish rural life and concern local characters and social institutions. They can be read comparatively to observe how the author handles different characters' situations and narrative angles within similar subject matter.

Is the e-edition suitable for academic citation?

The Gutenberg edition is a public-domain electronic text, usable for reading and general citation, but it usually lacks page numbers and scholarly annotation. For formal academic writing, it is advisable to check authoritative print editions and note the source and access date of the electronic text.

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About the author

William Carleton Author · Irish · 1794–1869

William Carleton (1794–1869) was an Irish novelist born to a farming family in Prillisk, County Tyrone. He made his name with Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, and Irish rural life remained the core of his writing. Novels such as Fardorougha the Miser and The Black Prophet depict poverty, land issues and famine in the Irish countryside with realistic detail and a critical eye. Drawing on the conflicts among peasants, landlords and local agents, his works combine folk observation with moral instruction and are often classed as inspirational and coming-of-age literature. He is a representative figure of nineteenth-century Irish regional fiction, and 20 of his works are held in this collection.