Henry Esmond finds himself entangled in the complex political and romantic loyalties of the Jacobite uprisings during the early 18th century. Esmond navigates his identity as a soldier and a gentleman while caught between his devotion to the Castlewood family and his shifting political allegiances. The narrative follows his maturation from a disinherited youth to a man of consequence, constantly challenged by the social hierarchies and religious tensions of the era. Thackeray employs a first-person retrospective framework, presenting the story as a memoir written by Esmond himself to provide a sense of historical authenticity.

Readers and critics frequently note the meticulous attention to period detail that defines the prose style. Discussion often centers on the protagonist's internal conflict regarding his social standing and his complicated relationships with the women in his life. Many observers highlight the effectiveness of the historical atmosphere, which captures the nuances of the Queen Anne era with precision. The balance between character development and the broader political context remains a primary focus for those analyzing the work's structure and thematic depth.