Writing the Prizefight : Pierce Egan's Boxiana World

273 Pages·2013·2.492 MB·English

by  Egan, Pierce, Snowdon, David, Egan, Pierce

W
This book focuses on the literary contribution made r
i
t
by the pugilistic writing of Pierce Egan (c. 1772–1849), in
g
identifying the elements that rendered Egan’s style distinctive
t
h
and examining the ways his writing invigorated the sporting e

P
narrative. In particular, the author analyses Egan’s blend r
i
z
of inventive imagery and linguistic exuberance within the e
f
commentaries of the Boxiana series (1812–29). The book ig
h
explores the metropolitan and sporting jargon used by the diverse t
:

range of characters that inhabited Egan’s ‘Pugilistic Hemisphere’ P
i
e
and looks at Egan’s exploitation of prizefighting’s theatricality. r
c
e
Another significant theme is the role of pugilistic reporting in
E
perpetuating stereotypical notions relating to British national g
a
n
identity, military readiness and morality. Consideration of
’s

Egan’s metropolitan rambles is complemented by discussion B
o
of the heterogeneity, spectacle and social dynamics of the prize x
i
a
ring and its reportage. The book traces Egan’s impact during n
a
the nineteenth century and, importantly, evaluates his influence W
on the subsequent development of sporting journalism. o
r
l
d

Writing Prizefi ght
d the

a
v
david snowdon completed his PhD at Newcastle University in i
d
2008. He was employed as academic tutor at Sunderland University,
s
where he lectured on Victorian literature. He continues, in an n
o Pierce Egan’s Boxiana World
independent capacity, to undertake further scholarly research and
w
to maintain Eganesque multimedia resources including a website, d
www.pierce-egan.co.uk. o
n
David Snowdon
ISBN 978-3-0343-0990-5
PETER LANG
www.peterlang.com
W
This book focuses on the literary contribution made r
i
t
by the pugilistic writing of Pierce Egan (c. 1772–1849), in
g
identifying the elements that rendered Egan’s style distinctive
t
h
and examining the ways his writing invigorated the sporting e

P
narrative. In particular, the author analyses Egan’s blend r
i
z
of inventive imagery and linguistic exuberance within the e
f
commentaries of the Boxiana series (1812–29). The book ig
h
explores the metropolitan and sporting jargon used by the diverse t
:

range of characters that inhabited Egan’s ‘Pugilistic Hemisphere’ P
i
e
and looks at Egan’s exploitation of prizefighting’s theatricality. r
c
e
Another significant theme is the role of pugilistic reporting in
E
perpetuating stereotypical notions relating to British national g
a
n
identity, military readiness and morality. Consideration of
’s

Egan’s metropolitan rambles is complemented by discussion B
o
of the heterogeneity, spectacle and social dynamics of the prize x
i
a
ring and its reportage. The book traces Egan’s impact during n
a
the nineteenth century and, importantly, evaluates his influence W
on the subsequent development of sporting journalism. o
r
l
d

Writing Prizefi ght
d the

a
v
david snowdon completed his PhD at Newcastle University in i
d
2008. He was employed as academic tutor at Sunderland University,
s
where he lectured on Victorian literature. He continues, in an n
o Pierce Egan’s Boxiana World
independent capacity, to undertake further scholarly research and
w
to maintain Eganesque multimedia resources including a website, d
www.pierce-egan.co.uk. o
n
David Snowdon
PETER LANG
www.peterlang.com
Writing the Prizefight

Writing the Prizefight
Pierce Egan’s Boxiana World
David Snowdon
PETER LANG
Oxford • Bern • Berlin • Bruxelles • Frankfurt am Main • New York • Wien
Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie;
detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Snowdon, David.
Writing the Prizefight : Pierce Egan’s Boxiana World / David Snowdon.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-3-0343-0990-5 (alk. paper)
1. Egan, Pierce, 1772-1849--Criticism and interpretation. 2. Boxing stories--History and
criticism. 3. Sports stories--History and criticism. I. Title.
PR4649.E45Z88 2013
824’.7--dc23
2013016671
Cover image: ‘Thomas Belcher’ (London: 1811), by Thomas Douglas Guest
© Trustees of the British Museum.
isbn 978-3-0343-0990-5 (print)
Isbn 978-3-0353-0485-5 (eBook)
Peter Lang AG, International Academic Publishers, Bern 2013
Hochfeldstrasse 32, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
[email protected], www.peterlang.com, www.peterlang.net
All rights reserved.
All parts of this publication are protected by copyright.
Any utilisation outside the strict limits of the copyright law, without the
permission of the publisher, is forbidden and liable to prosecution.
This applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microfilming,
and storage and processing in electronic retrieval systems.
Printed in Germany
Contents
List of Short Titles ix
Chapter 1
The Rise in Popularity of Pugilism and its Reporting 1
In this Corner, Introducing Pierce Egan and the ‘Boxiana Style’ 15
Pugilistic Interest Peaks and Declines 26
Aspects of Egan to Consider 28
Chapter 2
Flash!: The Language of the Metropolis and the Prize Ring 35
Linguistic Factors: Authenticity and Illicitness 38
Fancy Connection: The Metropolitan Slang of Life in London 43
Early Boxiana Volumes 48
Sports Talk: Reported Speech 60
Egan’s Sporting Newspapers and New Series Boxiana 65
Post-Boxiana Series 68
Chapter 3
Sporting Theatre: Spectacle and Social Dynamics 71
Drama Boxiana: Accentuating Spectacle in Pugilistic Af fairs 75
Social Conf licts 85
Dif ferent Perspectives on the Performance 94
The Arts, and Further Classical Connections 103
Racial Neutrality: Boxiana’s Pugilistic Unity 110
The Human Equivalent of the Cockpit 115
Theatricality, and Re-packaging the Sport for Wider Appeal 118
vi
Chapter 4
The Nation – Military and Moral 127
Transferring Sporting Attributes into Martial Combat 132
Native Enmities: Rivalry between Britons 153
Conciliation and Integrity v Revenge and Dissipation 162
Chapter 5
Enlivening Reality: The Egan Touch 179
The Boxiana Style in Political Satire and Parody 181
Boxiana Traces in Selected Nineteenth-Century Literature 192
A Watershed, and Eganesque Sports Reporting 208
Chapter 6
Post-Fight Observations 229
Appendix
Glossary of Nineteenth-Century Flash and Sporting Terms 237
Bibliography 249
Index 255
Pierce Egan (1821)
Artist: George Sharples. Engraving: Charles Turner.
© National Portrait Gallery, London
Egan alerted readers that prints of this portrait would be available for purchase: ‘On
Tuesday next will be published a LIKENESS of PIERCE EGAN, in his UPPER STORY,
asking HIMSELF a FEW QUESTIONS’ (Egan’s Life in London, and Sporting Guide,
17, 23 May 1824).