The Luck of Barry Lyndon · Theme
Class and Pedigree
How The Luck of Barry Lyndon develops Class and Pedigree.
The book satirizes the obsession with noble birth and genealogy, as Barry fabricates his lineage to gain entry into high society, while the aristocracy is portrayed as corrupt and gullible.
Where it surfaces
- My Pedigree and Family—Undergo the Influence of the Tender Passion
Barry's extensive boast about his noble lineage and the family's lost estates underscores the importance of birth and social standing.
- II: I Show Myself to Be a Man of Spirit
Barry proudly displays his father's sword and pistols, emphasizing his family's noble lineage and gentlemanly status.
- IV: In Which Barry Takes a Near View of Military Glory
Barry's disdain for low company and his pride in his Barry lineage contrast with his forced association with common soldiers, highlighting class tensions.
- VI: The Crimp Wagon—Military Episodes
Barry is concerned about his social degradation as a private soldier, noting that no one from his acquaintance will witness his shame. The Prussian army's dismissal of non-noble officers in peacetime also touches on class.
- Barry Leads a Garrison Life, and Finds Many Friends There
Barry's pride in his gentlemanly birth contrasts with his role as a servant; he emphasizes his breeding to gain favor and maintain self-respect.
- Barry's Adieu to Military Profession
The Chevalier laments the loss of the Barry family lands and the decline of their noble lineage.
- IX: I Appear in a Manner Becoming My Name and Lineage
Barry asserts that play is an institution of chivalry, a privilege of gentlemen, and contrasts it with middle-class shopkeeper cant.
- More Runs of Luck
Barry emphasizes his own lineage (Ballybarry, King Brian Boru) while dismissing German nobility, yet relies on marriage to rise.
- XV: I Pay Court to My Lady Lyndon
Barry asserts his noble blood against Lord George's claims of superior lineage; class distinctions are central to the rivalry.
- I Provide Nobly for My Family
Barry's obsession with titles, coats of arms, and social recognition underscores the importance of class in 18th-century society.
- I Appear as an Ornament of English Society
Barry boasts of his royal Irish ancestry and uses his son's name (Bryan Lyndon) to claim lineage, while his mother emphasizes the Barry blood.
- Conclusion
Barry's pride in his son's noble lineage and his own fall from high status to a pauper's grave highlight the fragility of class and pedigree.
