Tales and Novels — Volume 09
1839
Maria Edgeworth's ninth volume contains "Harrington," a startling early examination of how prejudice takes root in a child's imagination. The young protagonist is raised by a nurse whose stories about "Simon the Jew" fill his mind with terrors that blur the line between folklore and reality. Edgeworth, one of the earliest novelists to explore childhood psychology with genuine seriousness, traces how these baseless fears shape Harrington's worldview and interactions with the Jewish community around him. What makes this novella remarkable is its clear-eyed understanding that prejudice is often learned young, absorbed through storytelling and the unexamined bigotries of trusted adults. Written during an era when anti-Semitic stereotypes were unquestioned currency, the story functions as both social observation and quiet critique. Edgeworth asks what happens to a child's sense of the world when his imagination is weaponized by ignorance, and whether understanding can ever outpace the fears instilled in childhood. For readers interested in the history of the novel as a vehicle for social thought, or in how literature can illuminate the mechanics of prejudice, this novella remains unexpectedly relevant.
