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| isbn = <!--N/A, reprint: ISBN 1-4191-1381-X-->
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'''''Confessions of a Thug''''' is an [[English novel]] written by [[Philip Meadows Taylor]] in [[1839 in literature|1839]] based on the [[Thuggee]] cult in [[British India]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Poovey|first=Mary|date=2004-01-01|title=Ambiguity and Historicism: Interpreting Confessions of a Thug|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/narrative/v012/12.1poovey.html|journal=Narrative|volume=12|issue=1|pages=3–21|doi=10.1353/nar.2003.0025|issn=1538-974X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfsite.com/05a/ct80.htm|title=The SF Site Featured Review: Confessions of a Thug|website=www.sfsite.com|access-date=2016-04-02}}</ref> Ameer Ali, the fictional [[anti-hero]] [[protagonist]] of ''Confessions of a Thug'',<ref>{{citation|title=The Confessions of a Thug|first=Meadows|last=Taylor|journal=The American Journal of Sociology|volume=24|issue=1|date=July 1918|page=115|doi=10.1086/212883}}</ref> is a composite of multiple real-life thugs: Feringhea, Ameer Alee, and Aman Subahdar. Feringhea was a jamadar, or captain, and led many expeditions before turning into a prolific informer for the British.<ref>Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Report on the depredations committed by the thug gangs of upper and central India, from the cold season of 1836-37, down to their gradual suppression, under the operation of the measures adopted against them by the supreme government, in the year 1839. Calcutta: G.H. Huttmann. Pages vi, 5-8, 17, 24-26, 42, 46, 49, 61, 64, 67, 75, 110.</ref> The historical Ameer Alee, who provided the fictional character's name, was a low-ranking thug mentioned only twice by [[William Henry Sleeman|Sleeman]] in his definitive work.<ref>Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Page 63.</ref> Finally, Aman Subahdar was described by Sleeman as "the foremost thug of his day," but died before the events of the novel conclude. One scene in the novel, in which a thug band led by Ameer Ali suffers a misfortune, is lifted almost word-for-word from Sleeman's book. In the historical version, Aman Subahdar led the expedition. <ref>Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Page 386.</ref> Further, Feringhea and Aman Subahdar were cousins but no such comparable character exists in the novel.
'''''Confessions of a Thug''''' is an [[English novel]] written by [[Philip Meadows Taylor]] in [[1839 in literature|1839]] based on the [[Thuggee]] cult in [[British India]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Poovey|first=Mary|date=2004-01-01|title=Ambiguity and Historicism: Interpreting Confessions of a Thug|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/narrative/v012/12.1poovey.html|journal=Narrative|volume=12|issue=1|pages=3–21|doi=10.1353/nar.2003.0025|issn=1538-974X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfsite.com/05a/ct80.htm|title=The SF Site Featured Review: Confessions of a Thug|website=www.sfsite.com|access-date=2016-04-02}}</ref> It was a best-seller in 19th-century [[Britain]], becoming the [[British Empire]]'s most sensational [[Ethnofiction|ethnographic fiction]] in the first half of the 19th century; among its avid readers included [[Queen Victoria]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Pal-Lapinski|first=Piya|title=The Exotic Woman in Nineteenth-century British Fiction and Culture: A Reconsideration|date=2005|publisher=[[University Press of New England]]|isbn=9781584654292|page=31|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q9LoOD_u5GAC&pg=PA31|language=en}}</ref> It became one of the best-selling [[crime novel]]s of the 19th century, and was the most influential [[novel]] about [[Indian subcontinent|India]] prior to [[Rudyard Kipling]]'s ''[[Kim (novel)|Kim]]'' (1901).<ref>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=Philip Meadows|authorlink=Philip Meadows Taylor|title=Confessions of a Thug|date=1998|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=9780192880215|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Confessions_of_a_Thug.html?id=KX0fAQAAIAAJ|language=en}}</ref> The novel's popularity established the word "[[wiktionary:thug|thug]]" in the [[English language]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rushby|first1=Kevin|title=The myth and mystery of the oriental criminal|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/jan/18/featuresreviews.guardianreview19|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=18 January 2003}}</ref>

''Confessions of a Thug'' became a bestseller in 19th century Britain.


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
This book is a tale of [[Crime fiction|crime]] and retribution in India, beginning in the late 18th century and ending in 1832. The story lays bare the practices of the Thugs, or deceivers as they were called, who murdered travellers for money and valuables. This work was originally published in 1839 and reprinted in 1873.
The plot revolves around a fictional [[anti-hero]] [[protagonist]], Ameer Ali.<ref name="Taylor">{{citation|title=The Confessions of a Thug|first=Meadows|last=Taylor|journal=The American Journal of Sociology|volume=24|issue=1|date=July 1918|page=115|doi=10.1086/212883}}</ref> This book is a tale of [[Crime fiction|crime]] and retribution in India, beginning in the late 18th century and ending in 1832. The story lays bare the practices of the [[Thuggee|Thugs]], or "deceivers" as they were called, who murdered travellers for money and valuables. This work was originally published in 1839 and reprinted in 1873.


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
Line 33: Line 31:
* Ganesha: A prominent thug of Ismail's generation. He serves as Ameer Ali's antagonist in the second half of the story.
* Ganesha: A prominent thug of Ismail's generation. He serves as Ameer Ali's antagonist in the second half of the story.
* Cheetoo: A prominent leader of [[Pindaris|pindari]] expeditions. Ameer Ali and several thugs join him as mercenary soldiers.
* Cheetoo: A prominent leader of [[Pindaris|pindari]] expeditions. Ameer Ali and several thugs join him as mercenary soldiers.

== Historicity ==
Ameer Ali, the fictional anti-hero protagonist of ''Confessions of a Thug'',<ref name="Taylor"/> is a composite of multiple real-life thugs: Feringhea, Ameer Alee, and Aman Subahdar. Feringhea was a jamadar, or captain, and led many expeditions before turning into a prolific informer for the British.<ref>Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Report on the depredations committed by the thug gangs of upper and central India, from the cold season of 1836-37, down to their gradual suppression, under the operation of the measures adopted against them by the supreme government, in the year 1839. Calcutta: G.H. Huttmann. Pages vi, 5-8, 17, 24-26, 42, 46, 49, 61, 64, 67, 75, 110.</ref> The historical Ameer Alee, who provided the fictional character's name, was a low-ranking thug mentioned only twice by [[William Henry Sleeman|Sleeman]] in his definitive work.<ref>Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Page 63.</ref> Finally, Aman Subahdar was described by Sleeman as "the foremost thug of his day," but died before the events of the novel conclude. One scene in the novel, in which a thug band led by Ameer Ali suffers a misfortune, is lifted almost word-for-word from Sleeman's book. In the historical version, Aman Subahdar led the expedition.<ref>Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Page 386.</ref> Further, Feringhea and Aman Subahdar were cousins but no such comparable character exists in the novel.


== Film adaptation ==
== Film adaptation ==
{{Main|Thugs of Hindostan}}
{{Main|Thugs of Hindostan}}


A [[Bollywood]] film is being made based on this novel, entitled ''[[Thugs of Hindostan]]''. It stars [[Amitabh Bachchan]], [[Aamir Khan]], [[Katrina Kaif]] and [[Fatima Sana Shaikh]] in lead roles, and is being directed by [[Vijay Krishna Acharya]]. It is being produced by [[Aditya Chopra]], under the [[Yash Raj Films]] production banner. Filming began in [[Malta]] in June 2017 and the film is scheduled to release during Diwali 2018.
A [[Bollywood]] film is being made based on this novel, entitled ''[[Thugs of Hindostan]]''. It stars [[Aamir Khan]], [[Amitabh Bachchan]] and [[Fatima Sana Shaikh]] in lead roles, with [[Katrina Kaif]] in a supporting role.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sarkar|first=Suparno|title=Fatima Sana Shaikh plays lead in Thugs of Hindostan|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/aamir-khan-reveals-fatima-sana-shaikh-plays-lead-thugs-hindostan-katrina-kaif-upset-photos-745495|work=[[International Business Times]]|date=13 October 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Thugs of Hindostan Cast|url=https://timesofmovie.com/movies/thugs-of-hindostan/|publisher=timesofmovie.com}}</ref> It being directed by [[Vijay Krishna Acharya]], and produced by [[Aditya Chopra]], under the [[Yash Raj Films]] production banner. Filming began in [[Malta]] in June 2017 and the film is scheduled to release during [[Diwali]] in 2018. [[Arijit Singh]] will sing the titular song which will be composed by [[Himesh Reshammiya]].
Arijit Singh will sing the titular song which will be composed by Himesh Reshammiya.


==See also==
==See also==
Line 45: Line 45:
*[[Thug Behram]]
*[[Thug Behram]]
*[[Ravi Belagere]]
*[[Ravi Belagere]]
*[[Reshme Rumalu]]


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 07:27, 11 December 2017

Confessions of a Thug
AuthorPhilip Meadows Taylor
Cover artistRichard Bentley
LanguageEnglish
GenreHistorical novel
Publication date
1839
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages552 pp

Confessions of a Thug is an English novel written by Philip Meadows Taylor in 1839 based on the Thuggee cult in British India.[1][2] It was a best-seller in 19th-century Britain, becoming the British Empire's most sensational ethnographic fiction in the first half of the 19th century; among its avid readers included Queen Victoria.[3] It became one of the best-selling crime novels of the 19th century, and was the most influential novel about India prior to Rudyard Kipling's Kim (1901).[4] The novel's popularity established the word "thug" in the English language.[5]

Plot

The plot revolves around a fictional anti-hero protagonist, Ameer Ali.[6] This book is a tale of crime and retribution in India, beginning in the late 18th century and ending in 1832. The story lays bare the practices of the Thugs, or "deceivers" as they were called, who murdered travellers for money and valuables. This work was originally published in 1839 and reprinted in 1873.

Characters

  • Ameer Ali: The novel's protagonist, a Pathan adopted and raised by a thug. After becoming a prominent jemadar, he and his father relocate to Jhalone and gain the confidence of the local ruler.
  • The Englishman: Ameer Ali's interlocutor and a stand-in for Phillip Meadows Taylor. His interviews of Ameer Ali provides a frame for the narrative of the novel. The Englishman describes the physical appearance of Ameer Ali in his imprisonment and will occasionally express moral outrage at some part of the tale, or otherwise offer criticism.
  • Ismail: The adopted father of Ameer Ali. A respected and high-ranking thug, he is childless and adopts Ameer Ali. During the first half of the story, Ismail and his family live in a small village near Nagpur.
  • Bhudrinath: A Hindu thug and early peer of Ameer Ali. He is an expert in the religious ceremonies of the thuggee cult.
  • Peer Khan: A Muslim thug and another close ally of Ameer Ali. He retires from thuggee to become a fakir.
  • Ganesha: A prominent thug of Ismail's generation. He serves as Ameer Ali's antagonist in the second half of the story.
  • Cheetoo: A prominent leader of pindari expeditions. Ameer Ali and several thugs join him as mercenary soldiers.

Historicity

Ameer Ali, the fictional anti-hero protagonist of Confessions of a Thug,[6] is a composite of multiple real-life thugs: Feringhea, Ameer Alee, and Aman Subahdar. Feringhea was a jamadar, or captain, and led many expeditions before turning into a prolific informer for the British.[7] The historical Ameer Alee, who provided the fictional character's name, was a low-ranking thug mentioned only twice by Sleeman in his definitive work.[8] Finally, Aman Subahdar was described by Sleeman as "the foremost thug of his day," but died before the events of the novel conclude. One scene in the novel, in which a thug band led by Ameer Ali suffers a misfortune, is lifted almost word-for-word from Sleeman's book. In the historical version, Aman Subahdar led the expedition.[9] Further, Feringhea and Aman Subahdar were cousins but no such comparable character exists in the novel.

Film adaptation

Main article: Thugs of Hindostan

A Bollywood film is being made based on this novel, entitled Thugs of Hindostan. It stars Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Fatima Sana Shaikh in lead roles, with Katrina Kaif in a supporting role.[10][11] It being directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, and produced by Aditya Chopra, under the Yash Raj Films production banner. Filming began in Malta in June 2017 and the film is scheduled to release during Diwali in 2018. Arijit Singh will sing the titular song which will be composed by Himesh Reshammiya.

See also

References

  1. ^ Poovey, Mary (2004-01-01). "Ambiguity and Historicism: Interpreting Confessions of a Thug". Narrative. 12 (1): 3–21. doi:10.1353/nar.2003.0025. ISSN 1538-974X.
  2. ^ "The SF Site Featured Review: Confessions of a Thug". www.sfsite.com. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  3. ^ Pal-Lapinski, Piya (2005). The Exotic Woman in Nineteenth-century British Fiction and Culture: A Reconsideration. University Press of New England. p. 31. ISBN 9781584654292.
  4. ^ Taylor, Philip Meadows (1998). Confessions of a Thug. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192880215.
  5. ^ Rushby, Kevin (18 January 2003). "The myth and mystery of the oriental criminal". The Guardian.
  6. ^ a b Taylor, Meadows (July 1918), "The Confessions of a Thug", The American Journal of Sociology, 24 (1): 115, doi:10.1086/212883
  7. ^ Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Report on the depredations committed by the thug gangs of upper and central India, from the cold season of 1836-37, down to their gradual suppression, under the operation of the measures adopted against them by the supreme government, in the year 1839. Calcutta: G.H. Huttmann. Pages vi, 5-8, 17, 24-26, 42, 46, 49, 61, 64, 67, 75, 110.
  8. ^ Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Page 63.
  9. ^ Sleeman, W. H. S. (1840). Page 386.
  10. ^ Sarkar, Suparno (13 October 2017). "Fatima Sana Shaikh plays lead in Thugs of Hindostan". International Business Times.
  11. ^ "Thugs of Hindostan Cast". timesofmovie.com.
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