Published in 1771, Henry Mackenzie’s
The Man of Feelingquickly became one of the most popular novels of its time. The popularity of Oliver Goldsmith’s
The Vicar of Wakefield(1766),
The Deserted Village(1768), and Laurence Sterne’s
A Sentimental Journey(1768) attests to the fact that readers of the late 1760s were drawn toward texts that played upon their emotions, often by portraying scenes of human suffering alleviated by the good deeds of characters who sympathized with the distresses of others. Mackenzie’s
The Man of Feelingproved to be perfectly suited to its time and remains a vital text for those interested in the development of the sentimental novel or in the literary trends of the Age of Sensibility.
The Man of Feeling is a loosely plotted series of episodes, most of
2516 words
Citation: Owen, Jim. "The Man of Feeling". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 December 2010 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=10061, accessed 25 November 2024.]
