What Is The Story Of Pendennis?

"The History of Pendennis" by William Makepeace Thackeray was published serially in 1848-50.  Arthur Mendennis is the only son of a widow, Helen. Rescued from an early, unsuitable marriage by his uncle, he goes to Oxford, runs up debts and is rescued by Laura Bell, his adopted sister who secretly loves him. He now falls in love with the heartless Blanche Amory, who agrees to marry him (her relatives are anxious for the match to take place soon, since her criminal father is secretly alive and threatening to expose the family.) Before marrying Blanche, Pendennis starts training to be a lawyer; while there he becomes entangled with a "lower-class" girl, Fanny, who nurses him when he is ill. Pendennis thinks perhaps he should marry Fanny, but in the end she marries someone else. He then feels obliged to marry Blanche (for whom he no longer cares) since her family have now been disgraced by her father and he feels sorry for her. Luckily, she too prefers someone else, so Pendennis is free to marry the devoted Laura.