The Works of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield, Embracing Novels, Romances, Plays, Poems, Biography, Short Stories and Great Speeches: Sybil

Sybil, or The Two Nations, was originally published in 1845 as the centerpiece of Benjamin Disraeli’s 'Young England' trilogy. Written while Disraeli was an active member of Parliament, the novel was conceived as a social critique intended to highlight the vast, dangerous divide between the wealthy industrial class and the impoverished working class of Victorian Britain. Through the character of Sybil Gerard, Disraeli argued that these two groups had become so disparate that they effectively constituted two different nations living side-by-side within the same borders.

The specific edition referenced here is part of a comprehensive collection of Disraeli’s literary and political works. Published to preserve the breadth of his contributions as both a novelist and a statesman, this collection aims to synthesize his romantic prose with his political philosophy. While historical editions of his collected works have been printed by various publishers over the last century, modern reprints like this one serve to maintain access to his unique voice, which combined the dramatic flair of a Victorian novelist with the pragmatic concerns of a man who would eventually serve as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.