George Meredith was an English novelist and poet during the Victorian era. Meredith was a prolific writer and he stood out as one of the great authors of comedy of his time. With classics such as The Egoist, Diana of the Crossways, and The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, Meredith remains a popular author today.

The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, published in 1859, is a philosophical novel on the shortcomings of the educational systems in their ability to control human passions. The action starts out with Richard's mother deserting her family in order to be with a poet. Richard's father, believing that schools are corrupt, educates him at home.