Robert Surtees - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Robert Surtees (1805-1864) was a distinguished English novelist and sporting writer who revolutionized the genre of hunting literature and provided an invaluable chronicle of Victorian sporting life. Known for his vivid portrayal of rural England and its hunting traditions, Surtees created the immortal character of John Jorrocks, a cockney grocer turned Master of Foxhounds, whose adventures would later influence writers like Charles Dickens and shape the Victorian literary landscape.
First emerging in the literary scene during the 1830s, Surtees began his career as a contributor to the New Sporting Magazine, eventually becoming its editor in 1831. This period coincided with significant social changes in England, as the Industrial Revolution transformed traditional rural life and hunting culture adapted to an increasingly modern world. His earliest works appeared under various pseudonyms, including "The Yorkshire Tutor" and "The Gentleman in Black," creating an air of mystery that initially surrounded his authorship.
Surtees' literary genius lay in his ability to blend acute social satire with authentic sporting knowledge, creating works that transcended mere hunting narratives to become sophisticated commentaries on Victorian society. His most celebrated works, including "Jorrocks's Jaunts and Jollities" (1838) and "Handley Cross" (1843), featured illustrations by John Leech, forming a powerful collaboration that established a new standard for sporting literature. The character of Jorrocks, with his malapropisms and mercantile background, represented the emerging middle class's attempt to integrate into traditionally aristocratic pursuits, reflecting broader social tensions of the era.
The legacy of Surtees extends far beyond his immediate context, influencing generations of writers and maintaining relevance in contemporary discussions of class, rural tradition, and social mobility. His works continue to provide invaluable insights into Victorian sporting culture while offering modern readers a window into a vanished world. Critical appreciation of Surtees has grown in recent decades, as scholars recognize his sophisticated use of humor to address serious social issues. His unique blend of realism and satire raises intriguing questions about the relationship between sport, class, and English identity that remain pertinent today.