rackrent

Reading Caste Rackrent was a touch unbearable. The paragraphs which lasted more than two pages, the sentences lasting almost as long as the paragraphs, the archaic language … it was all a bit much. Reading which lent itself comfortably to neither silent reading nor to reading aloud.
Anyways, there was a story in there, and I can’t say I found that story all too compelling. I’ll admit, it was amusing at times. The ridiculous degree to which the Rackrent estate was in disarray was comical, as was good ol’ Thady’s pathetically loyal interpretation of the events.
Jason, Thady’s son and Sir Condy’s financial nemesis, is more of a villain than a hero to me. My reading of the story might not be entirely accurate (the unorthodox language and format ensured that), but as far as my understanding is concerned, Jason was a coldly logical investor looking to capitalize off the misfortune of the bone-headed-but-golden-hearted Sir Condy. It seems clear that Condy had a good heart and a terrible way with managing financial decisions; the way Jason seemed so ready and eager to swoop in and capitalize from Condy’s downfall was distasteful to me.
Thady as a narrator was a little tough to take. His tendency to refer to his humble, honest qualities made it clear these qualities most likely did not exist. His unwaivering loyalty to the Rackrent estate, even in the face of financial and social blunders, calls into question his motive for viewing and presenting the Rackrents in such a forgiving iight. He seemed unwilling to admit any wrong on behalf of any of the Rackrents or their clear misdoings. Ultimately this made Thady come across as a somewhat sniveling hanger-on loyalist to a stumbling, failing estate family.
I can’t say I picked up on any of the social, historical, or political over- or –undertones that were apparently contained within the text. I was too busy struggling with the sentences composed of thirty to fifty separate thought snippets, tied together with commas galore. I genuinely struggled my way through the text , having to stop every two or three pages to attempt to render into modern English what I had just read. Upon investigating the terms “1798 Uprising” and “Act of Union,” I came across little which seemed to relate to the novel itself. This is frustrating; I feel as if I were supposed to get more out of the story than just the reward having of completed it, difficult writing considered.
It was interesting, however, to do a little research on the novel itself. Apparently “Castle Rackrent” was the first book o utilize a narrator who’s account is neither accurate nor unbiased. This certainly defines old Thady, as his rose-(I should say Rackrent!)-colored glasses saw little of the goings-on of the Rackrent Estate in anything close to an objective manner. Obviously the preface alludes to the subjective nature of Thady’s narrative, and the benefit to such a skewed report. It paints the picture of life in those times in an intimate, accurate way, and in that regard presents an even more honest account than a dry, factual history of the Rackrent family affairs.

All in all, “Castle Rackrent” was a relatively frustrating first read here in an Introduction to the Irish Novel. I trust future books will be more directly informative and enlightening. Until then … thank you and goodnight.