The Rose and the Ring

work by Thackeray

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July 13, 2026

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The Rose and the Ring is a Christmas book by William Makepeace Thackeray, published in 1855. It is a fairy tale that satirizes the conventions of royal courts and romantic comedies. The story follows Princess Angelica, who is in love with Prince Giglio, but he is in love with Princess Ida. Through a series of magical events involving a rose and a ring, the characters learn about love, jealousy, and forgiveness. The work is known for its wit and charming illustrations, characteristic of Thackeray's style.1

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children’s literature
From T.W. to Alice (1712?–1865)
…William Makepeace Thackeray’s “fireside pantomime” The Rose and the Ring (1855) were signs of a changing climate, even though the Grimm-like directness of the first is partly neutralized by Ruskin’s moralistic bent and the gaiety of the second is spoiled by a laborious, parodic slyness. More important than these fairy…
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…William Makepeace Thackeray’s “fireside pantomime” The Rose and the Ring (1855) were signs of a changing climate, even though the Grimm-like directness of the first is partly neutralized by Ruskin’s moralistic bent and the gaiety of the second is spoiled by a laborious, parodic slyness. More important than these fairy…
Read More

William Makepeace Thackeray
Early writings
The Rose and the Ring, Thackeray’s Christmas book for 1855, remains excellent entertainment, as do some of his verses; like many good prose writers, he had a facility in writing light verse and ballads.
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The Rose and the Ring, Thackeray’s Christmas book for 1855, remains excellent entertainment, as do some of his verses; like many good prose writers, he had a facility in writing light verse and ballads.
Read More