Although Disraeli is probably better known as a politician, his first choice of career was as a writer. His father wanted him to enter the legal profession but Disraeli preferred to be “a great man” rather than “a great lawyer”. As a young man, Disraeli fell under the influence of the Romantic writers, as epitomised by Byron: he adopted ruffled shirts, colourful waistcoats and velvet trousers; he chose flamboyant jewellery and wore his hair in ringlets. Always something of a dandy, he once arrived at a dinner party wearing “green velvet trousers, a canary coloured waistcoat, low shoes, sliver buckles, lace at his wrists and his hair in ringlets” (Henry Bulmer). Disraeli’s entry into literary circles came in 1826 and created uproar in polite society, causing lasting damage to…
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Citation: Bloy, Marjorie. "Benjamin Disraeli". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 April 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5072, accessed 22 November 2024.]
