Lavengro, published in 1851, is George Borrow’s semi-autobiographical novel blending travel narrative, linguistic curiosity, and philosophical musing. The protagonist, a wanderer and philologist, explores England’s landscapes and subcultures, encountering gypsies, pugilists, and outcasts. The novel defies conventional structure and genre, mixing memoir, fiction, and social commentary. Borrow’s vivid descriptions and eccentric characters celebrate individuality and cultural diversity. Though puzzling to Victorian audiences, Lavengro is now appreciated as a unique and idiosyncratic classic of 19th-century English literature.
