Why did Victorian readers consider William Makepeace Thackeray a rival to Charles Dickens?

During the Victorian era, William Makepeace Thackeray was considered the only true rival to Charles Dickens because he was a highly successful professional author whose work resonated deeply with the middle classes. While Dickens was famous for his distinct style, Thackeray offered a different approach to fiction that many readers found equally compelling.1

Thackeray’s status as a rival was rooted in several key factors:

• Realism vs. Melodrama: Unlike Dickens, who often utilized exaggerated characterization and melodramatic plots, Thackeray preferred to depict life as it was. He focused on subtle portrayals of human behavior, social hypocrisy, and the complexities of emotion.1
• Literary Technique: Thackeray was a master of narrative, dialogue, and commentary. His prose was noted for its lucidity and spontaneity, making his novels ideal for the popular Victorian tradition of reading aloud during family evenings.1
• Professional Stature: Both authors were giants of the era. Thackeray’s masterpiece, Vanity Fair, utilized the same monthly serial publication format popularized by Dickens, cementing his place as a central figure in the competitive landscape of 19th-century literature.2

Though they were once friendly rivals, their relationship eventually soured, most notably during the 1858 "Garrick Club Affair".3