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What experiences does Arthur Pendennis have in Pendennis?
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William Makepeace Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray, detail of an oil painting by Samuel Laurence; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
In the semiautobiographical novel Pendennis, William Makepeace Thackeray traces the development of the protagonist, Arthur Pendennis, as he navigates his youth and early adulthood.
The experiences of Arthur Pendennis include:
- His first love affair.12
- His time as a student at Oxbridge University.12
- His professional life working as a journalist in London.12
Thackeray presents Arthur as a "much-tempted young man" throughout these various stages of his life. The character also appears in two of Thackeray’s later works, The Newcomes and The Adventures of Philip.21