通信电缆规格型号含义:关于《雾都孤儿》，万分火急~~

书籍简介：
　　《雾都孤儿》是狄更斯第二部长篇小说。这位年仅二十五岁的小说家决心学习英国现实主义画家威廉·荷加斯（William Hogarth,1697一1764）的榜样，勇敢地直面人生，真实地表现当时伦敦贫民窟的悲惨生活。被我国及前苏联学者界定为“英国文学上批判现实主义的创始人和最伟大的代表”。

　　《雾都孤儿》是一部伟大的社会小说，在世界文学史上占有重要位置。小说主要反映刚刚通过了济贫法的英国社会最底层生活。南希是个不幸的姑娘，自幼沦落贼窟，并已成为第二号贼首赛克斯的情妇。但是，她天良未泯，在碰到从小在济贫院长大的孤儿奥立弗后，在他天真纯洁的身上看到往日清白的自己，同情之心油然而生。她连奉贼首之命，绑架奥立弗回贼窟，并冒着生命的危险终于将奥立弗救了出来。

　　狄更斯的小说经得起各种现代批评理论的发掘和阐释，不断产生发人深省的新意，将永久保持读者的鉴赏兴趣和专家们的研究兴趣。

　　关于狄更斯和他的小说艺术,心里早有一些想法,趁写这篇前言之便,说出来,就正于广大狄更斯爱好者.

　　《雾都孤儿》是狄更斯第二部长篇小说.这位年仅二十五岁的小说家决心学习英国现实主义画家威廉·荷加斯(William Hogarth,1697一1764)的榜样,勇敢地直面人生,真实地表现当时伦敦贫民窟的悲惨生活.他抱着一个崇高的道德意图:抗议社会的不公,并唤起社会舆论,推行改革,使处于水深火热中的贫民得到救助.正因为如此,狄更斯历来被我国及前苏联学者界定为"英国文学上批判现实主义的创始人和最伟大的代表".对此,我有一些不同的见解:文学艺术是一种特殊的社会意识形态,它必然是社会存在的反映.但是,我们决不能把反映现实的文学都说成是现实主义文学,把"现实主义"的外延无限扩展.事实上,作家运用的创作方法多种多样,因人而异,这和作家的特殊气质和性格特点密切相关.狄更斯的创作,想像力极为丰富,充满诗的激情,他着意渲染自己的道德理想,处处突破自然的忠实临摹,借用一句歌德的话:它比自然高了一层.这和萨克雷,特洛罗普等坚持的客观.冷静,严格写实的方法有显著的区别.

　　试以《雾都孤儿》为例,(一)个性化的语言是狄更斯在人物塑造上运用得十分出色的一种手段.书中的流氓,盗贼,妓女的语言都切合其身份,甚至还用了行业的黑话.然而,狄更斯决不作自然主义的再现,而是进行加工,提炼和选择,避免使用污秽,下流的话语.主人公奥立弗语言规范,谈吐文雅,他甚至不知偷窃为何物.他是在济贫院长大的孤儿,从未受到良好的教育,所接触的都是罪恶累累,堕落不堪之辈,他怎么会讲这么好的英文呢?这用"人是一切社会关系总和"的历史唯物主义观点是无法解释的.可见,狄更斯着力表现的是自己的道德理想,而不是追求完全的逼真.(二)在优秀的现实主义小说中,故事情节往往是在环境作用下的人物性格发展史,即高尔基所说的"某种性格,典型的成长和构成的历史".然而,狄更斯不拘任何格套,想要多少巧合就安排多少巧合.奥立弗第一次跟小偷上街,被掏兜的第一人恰巧就是他亡父的好友布朗罗.第二次,他在匪徒赛克斯的劫持下入室行窃,被偷的恰好是他亲姨妈露丝·梅莱家.这在情理上无论如何是说不过去的.但狄更斯自有天大的本领,在具体的细节描写中充满生活气息和激情,使你读时紧张得喘不过气来,对这种本来是牵强的,不自然的情节也不得不信以为真.这就是狄更斯的艺术世界的魅力.(三)狄更斯写作时,始终有一种"感同身受的想象力"(Sympathetic imagination),即使对十恶不赦的人物也一样.书中贼首,老犹太费金受审的一场始终从费金的心理视角出发.他从天花板看到地板,只见重重叠叠的眼睛都在注视着自己.他听到对他罪行的陈述报告,他把恳求的目光转向律师,希望能为他辩护几句.人群中有人在吃东西,有人用手绢扇风,还有一名青年画家在画他的素描,他心想:不知道像不像,真想伸过脖子去看一看……一位绅士出去又进来,他想:准是吃饭去了,不知吃的什么饭?看到铁栏杆上有尖刺,他琢磨着:这很容易折断.从此又想到绞刑架,这时,他听到自己被处绞刑.他只是喃喃地说,自己岁数大了,大了,接着就什么声音也发不出来了.在这里,狄更斯精心选择了一系列细节,不但描绘了客观事物,而且切入了人物的内心世界,表现了他极其丰富的想像力.他运用的艺术方法,不是"批判现实主义"所能概括的.我倒是赞赏英国作家,狄更斯专家乔治·吉辛(George Giss-ing,1857-1903)的表述,他把狄更斯的创作方法称为"浪漫的现实主义"(romantic realism).我认为这一表述才够准确,才符合狄更斯小说艺术的实际.

　　最后还要讨论一下E.M.福斯特在他的名著《小说面面观》中对狄更斯人物塑造的贬低.据他说,狄更斯只会塑造"扁形人物",而不会塑造"浑圆人物",在小说艺术上属于"较低层次".事实真是这样吗?试以《雾都孤儿》中的南希为例,作一番研究分析.我认为,南希这个人物有无比丰富,复杂的内心世界,远比E.M.福斯特所称羡的一切"浑圆人物"更富于立体感和活跃的生命力.南希是个不幸的姑娘,自幼沦落贼窟,并已成为第二号贼首赛克斯的情妇.除了绞架,她看不到任何别的前景.但是,她天良未泯,在天真纯洁的奥立弗,看到往日清白的自己,同情之心油然而生.她连奉贼首之命,冒称是奥立弗的姐姐,硬把他绑架回贼窟时,内心充满矛盾.归途中,她和赛克斯谈起监狱绞死犯人的事,奥立弗感觉到南希紧攥着他的那只手在发抖,抬眼一看,她的脸色变得煞白.后来,她冒着生命的危险偷偷地给梅莱小姐和布朗罗通风报信,终于把奥立弗救了出来.梅莱和布朗罗力劝南希挣脱过去的生活,走上新生之路,但南希不忍心把情人赛克斯撇下.赛克斯在得知南希所作所为后,他只能持盗匪的道德标准,把南希视为不可饶恕的叛徒,亲手把她残酷地杀害.狄更斯在给这两个人物取名时是有很深的用意的,南希(Nancy)和赛克斯(Sikes)英文缩写是N和S,正是磁针的两极.他俩构成一对矛盾,既对立又统一,既相反又相成,永远不可分离.南希离不开赛克斯,宁愿被他杀害也不肯抛弃他;而赛克斯也离不开南希,一旦失去她,他就丧魂失魄,终于在房顶跌落,脖子被自己的一条绳子的活扣套住而气绝身死.南希的形象复杂,丰富又深刻,不但不是"扁平"的,而且达到极高的艺术成就.

《雾都孤儿》是狄更斯第二部长篇小说。这位年仅二十五岁的小说家决心学习英国现实主义画家威廉·荷加斯（William Hogarth,1697一1764）的榜样，勇敢地直面人生，真实地表现当时伦敦贫民窟的悲惨生活。被我国及前苏联学者界定为“英国文学上批判现实主义的创始人和最伟大的代表”。

《雾都孤儿》是一部伟大的社会小说，在世界文学史上占有重要位置。小说主要反映刚刚通过了济贫法的英国社会最底层生活。南希是个不幸的姑娘，自幼沦落贼窟，并已成为第二号贼首赛克斯的情妇。但是，她天良未泯，在碰到从小在济贫院长大的孤儿奥立弗后，在他天真纯洁的身上看到往日清白的自己，同情之心油然而生。她连奉贼首之命，绑架奥立弗回贼窟，并冒着生命的危险终于将奥立弗救了出来。

狄更斯的小说经得起各种现代批评理论的发掘和阐释，不断产生发人深省的新意，将永久保持读者的鉴赏兴趣和专家们的研究兴趣。

关于狄更斯和他的小说艺术,心里早有一些想法,趁写这篇前言之便,说出来,就正于广大狄更斯爱好者.

《雾都孤儿》是狄更斯第二部长篇小说.这位年仅二十五岁的小说家决心学习英国现实主义画家威廉·荷加斯(William Hogarth,1697一1764)的榜样,勇敢地直面人生,真实地表现当时伦敦贫民窟的悲惨生活.他抱着一个崇高的道德意图:抗议社会的不公,并唤起社会舆论,推行改革,使处于水深火热中的贫民得到救助.正因为如此,狄更斯历来被我国及前苏联学者界定为"英国文学上批判现实主义的创始人和最伟大的代表".对此,我有一些不同的见解:文学艺术是一种特殊的社会意识形态,它必然是社会存在的反映.但是,我们决不能把反映现实的文学都说成是现实主义文学,把"现实主义"的外延无限扩展.事实上,作家运用的创作方法多种多样,因人而异,这和作家的特殊气质和性格特点密切相关.狄更斯的创作,想像力极为丰富,充满诗的激情,他着意渲染自己的道德理想,处处突破自然的忠实临摹,借用一句歌德的话:它比自然高了一层.这和萨克雷,特洛罗普等坚持的客观.冷静,严格写实的方法有显著的区别.

试以《雾都孤儿》为例,(一)个性化的语言是狄更斯在人物塑造上运用得十分出色的一种手段.书中的流氓,盗贼,妓女的语言都切合其身份,甚至还用了行业的黑话.然而,狄更斯决不作自然主义的再现,而是进行加工,提炼和选择,避免使用污秽,下流的话语.主人公奥立弗语言规范,谈吐文雅,他甚至不知偷窃为何物.他是在济贫院长大的孤儿,从未受到良好的教育,所接触的都是罪恶累累,堕落不堪之辈,他怎么会讲这么好的英文呢?这用"人是一切社会关系总和"的历史唯物主义观点是无法解释的.可见,狄更斯着力表现的是自己的道德理想,而不是追求完全的逼真.(二)在优秀的现实主义小说中,故事情节往往是在环境作用下的人物性格发展史,即高尔基所说的"某种性格,典型的成长和构成的历史".然而,狄更斯不拘任何格套,想要多少巧合就安排多少巧合.奥立弗第一次跟小偷上街,被掏兜的第一人恰巧就是他亡父的好友布朗罗.第二次,他在匪徒赛克斯的劫持下入室行窃,被偷的恰好是他亲姨妈露丝·梅莱家.这在情理上无论如何是说不过去的.但狄更斯自有天大的本领,在具体的细节描写中充满生活气息和激情,使你读时紧张得喘不过气来,对这种本来是牵强的,不自然的情节也不得不信以为真.这就是狄更斯的艺术世界的魅力.(三)狄更斯写作时,始终有一种"感同身受的想象力"(Sympathetic imagination),即使对十恶不赦的人物也一样.书中贼首,老犹太费金受审的一场始终从费金的心理视角出发.他从天花板看到地板,只见重重叠叠的眼睛都在注视着自己.他听到对他罪行的陈述报告,他把恳求的目光转向律师,希望能为他辩护几句.人群中有人在吃东西,有人用手绢扇风,还有一名青年画家在画他的素描,他心想:不知道像不像,真想伸过脖子去看一看……一位绅士出去又进来,他想:准是吃饭去了,不知吃的什么饭?看到铁栏杆上有尖刺,他琢磨着:这很容易折断.从此又想到绞刑架,这时,他听到自己被处绞刑.他只是喃喃地说,自己岁数大了,大了,接着就什么声音也发不出来了.在这里,狄更斯精心选择了一系列细节,不但描绘了客观事物,而且切入了人物的内心世界,表现了他极其丰富的想像力.他运用的艺术方法,不是"批判现实主义"所能概括的.我倒是赞赏英国作家,狄更斯专家乔治·吉辛(George Giss-ing,1857-1903)的表述,他把狄更斯的创作方法称为"浪漫的现实主义"(romantic realism).我认为这一表述才够准确,才符合狄更斯小说艺术的实际.

最后还要讨论一下E.M.福斯特在他的名著《小说面面观》中对狄更斯人物塑造的贬低.据他说,狄更斯只会塑造"扁形人物",而不会塑造"浑圆人物",在小说艺术上属于"较低层次".事实真是这样吗?试以《雾都孤儿》中的南希为例,作一番研究分析.我认为,南希这个人物有无比丰富,复杂的内心世界,远比E.M.福斯特所称羡的一切"浑圆人物"更富于立体感和活跃的生命力.南希是个不幸的姑娘,自幼沦落贼窟,并已成为第二号贼首赛克斯的情妇.除了绞架,她看不到任何别的前景.但是,她天良未泯,在天真纯洁的奥立弗,看到往日清白的自己,同情之心油然而生.她连奉贼首之命,冒称是奥立弗的姐姐,硬把他绑架回贼窟时,内心充满矛盾.归途中,她和赛克斯谈起监狱绞死犯人的事,奥立弗感觉到南希紧攥着他的那只手在发抖,抬眼一看,她的脸色变得煞白.后来,她冒着生命的危险偷偷地给梅莱小姐和布朗罗通风报信,终于把奥立弗救了出来.梅莱和布朗罗力劝南希挣脱过去的生活,走上新生之路,但南希不忍心把情人赛克斯撇下.赛克斯在得知南希所作所为后,他只能持盗匪的道德标准,把南希视为不可饶恕的叛徒,亲手把她残酷地杀害.狄更斯在给这两个人物取名时是有很深的用意的,南希(Nancy)和赛克斯(Sikes)英文缩写是N和S,正是磁针的两极.他俩构成一对矛盾,既对立又统一,既相反又相成,永远不可分离.南希离不开赛克斯,宁愿被他杀害也不肯抛弃他;而赛克斯也离不开南希,一旦失去她,他就丧魂失魄,终于在房顶跌落,脖子被自己的一条绳子的活扣套住而气绝身死.南希的形象复杂,丰富又深刻,不但不是"扁平"的,而且达到极高的艺术成就.

作者简介

查理·狄更斯（1812年—1870年），英国批判现实主义作家，出生于海军小职员家庭，10岁时全家被迫迁入负债者监狱，11岁就承担起繁重的家务劳动，曾在皮鞋油作坊当学待，16岁时在律师事务所当缮写员，后担任报社记者。他只上过几年学，全靠刻苦自学和艰辛劳动成为知名作家。狄更斯一生共创作了14部长篇小说，许多中、短篇小说和杂文、游记、戏剧、小品。其中最著名的作品是描写劳资矛盾的长篇代表作《艰难时世》（1854年）和描写1789年法国革命的另一篇代表作《双城记》（1859年）。其他作品有《奥列佛·特维斯特》（又译《雾都孤儿》1838）、《老古玩店》（1841），《董贝父子》（1848），《大卫·科波菲尔》（1850）和《远大前程》（1860）和《远大前程》（1860），等等。

内容提要

雾都孤儿奥立弗·退斯特出生在济贫院，生长在教区“婴儿所”，小小年纪就到棺材铺当学待，不堪其苦跑到伦敦，落入贼窝，被教唆行窃，又代人受过，直到中弹受伤，历尽磨折，才得好心人之助，摆脱悲剧命运。狄更斯在小说中细致描绘了当时英国下层社会的种种黑暗生活，对劳苦民众的不幸遭遇寄予了深切同情，深刻反映了资本主义的虎狼本质。语言诙谐、幽默。

查尔斯·狄更斯与《雾都孤儿》
1 ,Charles Dickens
Mid 19th century of England between those con-
servatme poets
number of novelists.
prose
T hev
writers there were a
had a world of sympathy
for the miseries and a strong feeling for lathe poor la-
bor ing m asses. T hey cr ied Flout loud against social
injustice but they also did not approve of violence to
fight the social wrong. They had been known as criti-
cal realists in the sense that they were strongly critical
of the social realitv of their time but thev had never
thought of overthrowing the existing social order that
in this w ay, they could establish a new one.
These critical realists of the mid一19ta century
were all honest people and real artists in spite of their
limitations in their general point of view on life. Tay
exposing the social injustice and the vices of the upper
class, they put their hearts into depicting the miser
able existence of the common people; they gave a
truthful picture of capitalist England of the time.
They followed the fine tradition of their great literary
predecessors of 18a century realism and early 19tk
centurv romanticism. Thev showed their warm svm-
pathy on those people who suffered a lot.
The greatest of the critical realists was Charles
T)ickens. Tn his early years, he worked as a reporter
and this experience gave him a good knowledge of the
political life of England at that time and it had a far-
reaching effect upon his lifelong contempt for all the
political institutions as practice in England. As the
result of his ability to notice things of T.ondon life, a
volume of stories and sketches of T,ondon street
scenes, Sketches of T3oz, was published. Tn 1837, his
first novel Pickwck Papers appeared and established
his reputation as an important writer of the time.
This success was repeated again and again during the
rest of his life, with the publication of some 15 novels
as well as volumes of stories, travelogues and count-
less sketches and essays. Tn his very early literary pe-
riod, T)ickens attacked one or more specific evils in
V ictorian F ngland: debtors prison, }}- orkhouse,
Yorkshire schools, capital punishment and so on.
The most important of these novels was s611 one of
optimism and a light and cheery tone, which was
maintained, with plenty of humor and laughter.
With the reactionarv forces of the Middle class
}}- ho
alive
tion to common people' s lives and their feelings.
were runnmg
to the social
more rampant,
T)ickens was more
realitv and became more critical. Noh
3 ,Olives T w ist' s influence
his optimistic spirit was replaced by strong feelings of
depression and resentment. Tt was a successful period
in which T)ickens attained to his maturity as a great
artist. T he w hole per iod w as also char acter ized by the
change and development of the great novelists artistic
style. His h一nor and satire this time just gradually
gave a point to his sentimentality, his mood of inhibi-
tion and a kind of dramatic tension.
and literary value
2 ,Olives T w ist
Olives Twist was T)ickens' second novel. which
marked the beginning of T)ickens' literary life. Tt be-
gan to appear in a monthly magazine.“T had perhaps
the best subject T have ever thought of, T have
thrown my whole heart and soul into Olives.”
That its general purpose was clear in his mind
w as evident from his later一written preface:“T
w fished to show.in little Olives, the principle of Good
Surviving through every adverse circumstance and tri-
umphing at last".The companions among whom he
was to be tried were the criminals of T,ondon' s under
world. The author depicted it not in a romantic mood
just as his contemporary novels, but showed much
miserable reality. That reality was the great and en-
during strength of the book. T)ickens knew it a lot by
close observation, which he had already demonstrated
in, had newspaper sketches of T,ondon streets and
criminal court. Also. there was another reason. that
is, he knew it by his ow n exper fence. He w as bor n in
a provident way; so even when he was very young,
he suffered a lot. He knew those kinds of feeling and
of course he could share the solitary child' s pain, for
he bewildered in those years when he hand labored
hopelessly in the blacking一warehouse. As he said
much later, himself might have become a little robber
or a little vagabond. That period of time was so bitter
and galling to this sensitive boy that many years lat-
er, when he was very successful, he could not look
back upon it without tears in his eyes.Maybe it w as
the main reason that why he took much more atten-
Olives Twist was one of the most important so-
cial novels in T)ickens' early works. Also, it was the
first time that T)ickens led readers into a very sad
world. The description of the criminal slums of T,on-
don that little Olives lived brought T)ickens a new
class of serious readers interested in social reform.
People started to think about social reasons for all of
those criminal phenomena. And in this novel, T)ick-
ens advocates his view of world charitable person will
have good recompense.
Olives Twist was famous for exposing the dark
sides of people lived out that time. Tt exposed the
hypocritical and cruelty of parish }}-orkhouse through
depicting the little orphan boy Olives Twist' s child-
hood in it. He gave realistic pictures of the horrible
existence in workhouse. One of the important charac
teristics of Olives Twist was the real and specific de-
scription of people who lived in the bottom of society.
Their miserable lives, including all the details, gave
the readers a real feeling: these were fictions. Also,
it was the first time that many small potatoes ap-
geared in English literature.
T)ickens carried the good traditions of realism
novels since 18th century of England and also Bevel
oped it. He created his unique technique and formed
his own style. T)ickens' works axe very important in
English literary history. They established the base of
critical realism and had effect upon the development
of the w hole European realism novels.
Olives Twist was Charles T)ickens' first authen-
tic novel and also was the first time that he led read-
ers into a real but terrible life of underworld. This
novel was a vivid picture and Charles T)ickens was an
excellent realist.
[参考文献]
fll土佐良.英国文学史{nT }一化京:商务出版社‘199(.
f21陈挺.狄更斯f X21.沈阳:}'i‘人民出版社‘1982.
f31罗经国.狄更斯评论集f X21.上海:上海译文出版社，
1981.

Charles Dickens was born February 7, 1812, in Portsea, on the south coast of England, while his father was stationed nearby at Portsmouth. Although the Dickens family was from the lower middle class, it tried to maintain an air of respectability. The father, John Dickens, was a clerk in the navy pay office. He was a man of some ability and he did advance in the service, but his tastes for living beyond his means eventually led to disaster.

In 1814, John Dickens was transferred to London for a tour of duty of unknown duration. By 1817, the family was established in Chatham, near the naval dockyard, marking the beginning of the happy years of Charles’s childhood. His recollections of early life were centered in Kent. Later in his life, he spoke of himself as coming from that region. One of Charles’s fancies was to own Gad’s Hill Place, a stately old dwelling near Rochester.

When Dickens was forty-four years old, he was able to afford to purchase the property; it became his permanent residence for the rest of his life.

Young Charles received his first schooling at home from his mother. He later attended regular schools in Chatham. He soon began reading his father’s small collection of literary classics. The youngster also revealed early signs of genius, which John Dickens delighted in showing off. Having his father’s approval encouraged Charles to work at his studies.

The pleasant times came to an end in 1822, when John Dickens was ordered back to London. The elder Dickens’s fondness for luxuries beyond his means had caught up with him. He was in debt beyond the point where his creditors would cut him slack. Mrs. Dickens tried to help by starting up a school, but this only drew the family deeper into debt.

To lessen the strain, Charles, then twelve years old, was put to work in a shoe-polish factory at low wages. Two weeks later,, his father was sent to a debtors’ prison, where Mrs. Dickens and their four smallest children joined him. During that difficult time, young Charles had only irregular relations with his family.

The next four or five months were a painful ordeal. In addition to degrading labor, Charles endured the indignities of insufficient food, shabby quarters, and the association of rough companions. It was a humiliating trial that left an indelible impression on the proud and sensitive boy. In later years, he never spoke of this episode, except in the pages of David Copperfield. It is likely that this introduction to poverty was instrumental in shaping his life. Dickens became distinguished by furious energy, determination to succeed, and an inflexible will.

After John Dickens had been in prison for about three months, his aged mother died. The inheritance he received was large enough to pay his more pressing debts and allow his release from debtor’s prison. An additional result of this inheritance was that Charles was taken out of his job at the shoe-polish factory a few weeks later and sent back to school. He spent the next two and a half years in an academy, completing all of the formal education he was ever going to get.

In the spring of 1827, Charles Dickens, then a youth of fifteen, entered a lawyer’s office. While applying himself to the law, he managed in his free time to master shorthand. About a year and a half later, the energetic young man felt ready to try a more promising occupation. He became a freelance court reporter, and for the next three years, the future novelist was brought into close contact with grim realities of life as it was played out in the courts. His work was seasonal and irregular, giving him time to read in the British Museum.

In March 1832, Dickens became a journalist. After serving on two newspapers and gaining experience as a parliamentary reporter, in 1834 he joined the staff of the prominent Morning Chronicle, where he got d the reputation for being one of the fastest and most accurate reporters in London. In addition to his metropolitan activities, his assignments took him all over England, mainly to cover political events. With this exposure to the prevailing realities of political life, in Parliament and around the nation, Dickens’s apprenticeship was receiving its finishing touches.

In the meantime, drawing upon the abundance of material he’d seen in twenty-one years, Dickens had begun to compose sketches of London life. The first of these was published unsigned in the Monthly Magazine of December 1833. In August 1834, the signature “Boz” made its first appearance, and Dickens’s anonymity gradually evaporated.

The energetic Dickens produced numerous sketches while continuing his newspaper career. The records of the reporter’s keen observations that were preserved in the vivid pieces later found their way into a number of celebrated novels. Finally, on the author’s twenty-fourth birthday, February 7, 1836, Sketches by Boz, Illustrative of Everyday Life and Everyday People was published in book form. A second series came out later, and the complete edition was issued in 1839.

The following month saw an even more significant literary event: the first number of The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club was offered to the public. Instead of being first serialized or released in its entirety, the work came out in individual numbers that were sold separately from March 1836 to November 1837. Only 400 copies were printed of the first installment, and the initial reception was inauspicious. But later sales rose spectacularly and printings reached 40,000.

The success of the Sketches by Boz had sharpened Dickens’s confidence in the future and sufficiently improved his income to allow him to consider marriage. On April 2, 1836, two days after the first of the Pickwick Papers went on sale, Dickens and Catherine Hogarth were married. The bride was the oldest daughter of George Hogarth, the editor of the Evening Chronicle, an affiliate of the newspaper for which Dickens wrote. The couple had ten children, but after twenty-two years the marriage ended in dissension and separation.

When the success of the Pickwick Papers was assured, the star reporter resigned from the Morning Chronicle, but within a few months he became editor of a new periodical, Bentley’s Miscellany. The February 1837 issue began the serialization of Oliver Twist, or, the Parish Boy’s Progress by Boz, even though the busy editor was still at work on the Pickwick Papers. Before Oliver Twist had all appeared, several numbers of Dickens’s next novel, Nicholas Nickleby (1838-39), had been printed. Oliver Twist was completed in September 1838 and was issued in book form before the end of the year, although serial publication ran until March 1839.

Dickens gave up the editorship of Bentley’s Miscellany after two years, but his astounding literary productivity went on with few intermissions until the day of his death. His many books followed one another at regular intervals: The Old Curiosity Shop (1840-41), Barnaby Rudge (1841), American Notes (1842), Martin Chuzzlewit (1843-44), Dombey and Son (1846-48), David Copperfield (1849-50), Bleak House (1852-53), Hard Times (1854), Little Dorrit (1855-57), A Tale of Two Cities (1859), Great Expectations (1860-61), Our Mutual Friend (1864-65), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870—unfinished).

Besides his output of books, Dickens’s other literary pursuits were impressive. Among his best-known short stories are A Christmas Carol and The Cricket on the Hearth. He wrote miscellaneous sketches, travel accounts, articles, and dramatic pieces. In 1850, he assumed the editorship of Household Words, and from 1859 until the end of his life, he edited the successor of that periodical, All the Year Round.

Dickens’s non-literary activity alone would have taxed the stamina of an ordinary person. He had a boundless zest for life; everything that he did was undertaken with energy and speed. He enjoyed an active social life and was a prolific letter writer. Many relatives and his own numerous family commanded much of his attention—and material assistance. Some of his time was taken by his interest in organized charity. His travels took him to the continent and twice to America. There were several changes of residence, including sojourns in Italy, Switzerland, and France. In spite of all this, Dickens managed to keep up a strenuous exercise program, including horseback riding and brisk walks of up to twelve or fourteen miles.

While still a child, Dickens developed an enduring attachment for the theater. At one time in his youth, Dickens made an attempt to become a professional actor. As an adult, he delighted in arranging amateur performances, at various times writing plays, managing productions, or acting.

His dramatic interests later found expression in the famous readings from his own works. These started with a benefit in 1853, and professional appearances began in 1858. Dickens’s second trip to America in 1867-68 was a reading tour that proved to be highly profitable. He threw himself into the oral interpretation of his works, sparing neither himself nor his audiences. After presenting the murder of Nancy from Oliver Twist, Dickens commonly had to leave the stage for a rest before proceeding. The swooning of females in the audience was a regular feature of these occasions.

Beginning with his early successes, Dickens’s literary career was an unbroken triumphal procession. His popularity grew enormously and everywhere he came to be regarded with almost reverence. His cosmopolitan reading public grew to epic numbers , and every addition to his writing was awaited with wild expectation. Dickens was universally beloved as probably no other living writer has ever been.

On June 8, 1870, Charles Dickens, working on the manuscript of his last book, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, wrote longer than was his usual practice. At dinner time he collapsed and sank into a coma; he died in the evening of the following day. The news of Dickens’s death was carried on a shock wave of grief to remote regions of the earth. As his body was interred in Westminster Abbey, the whole world mourned.

Oliver Twist’s mother dies after the birth of her child in a workhouse. The infant’s father is unknown, and the orphan is placed in a private juvenile home. After nine years of mistreatment, the boy is returned to the workhouse for even more abuse. After representing his fellow sufferers in an attempt to get more food, Oliver is punished and is apprenticed to Sowerberry, an undertaker. Noah Claypole, a charity boy working for Oliver’s master, goads Oliver to rebellion, for which Oliver is savagely flogged. Consequently, Oliver runs away and heads for London.

Near London, Oliver joins company with John Dawkins, The Artful Dodger, a questionable character who brings the boy to Fagin, the ringleader of a gang of criminals. Instructed in the “art” of picking pockets, Oliver goes out with Charles Bates and the Dodger. His companions pick an old gentleman’s pocket and flee, and Oliver is arrested for their offense. At the police station, the terrified boy is cleared by the testimony of the bookseller who witnessed the theft. Oliver collapses and is taken home by Mr. Brownlow, the victim of the crime.

While Oliver recovers at his benefactor’s home, Brownlow is puzzled by the resemblance between Oliver’s features and the portrait of a young woman. Fagin is apprehensive and furious at Oliver’s rescue. Nancy, one of his trusty retainers, is set on the boy’s trail as the gang shifts headquarters.

Mr. Grimwig, Brownlow’s friend, has no faith in Oliver, so Oliver is sent on an errand to test his honesty. The boy is recaptured by Nancy and her friend Bill Sikes, a vicious lawbreaker. Oliver is restored to Fagin, who holds him in strict captivity for a while. In the meantime, Bumble, a minor parish official from Oliver’s birthplace, answers Brownlow’s advertisement inquiring about Oliver. Bumble turns Oliver’s benefactor against him by grossly misrepresenting the boy’s history and character.

Eager to get Oliver completely in his power by thoroughly involving the child in some crime, Fagin convinces Bill Sikes to use Oliver in a major burglary that is being planned. Sikes takes Oliver westward through the city to a rendezvous near Chertsey with Toby Crackit.

At the house that is to be burglarized, Oliver is hoisted through a small window. The occupants are aroused and in the resulting melee, Oliver is shot. The robbers run off with the wounded Oliver but abandon him in a ditch.

In the workhouse, Sally, the old pauper who attended Oliver’s mother, is dying. At her urgent request, Mrs. Corney, the matron, sees the old woman alone before she expires. Immediately thereafter Bumble and the matron agree to marry.

Fagin is greatly upset when Toby Crackit returns alone. Fagin makes anxious inquiries about Sikes. He then has an ominous meeting with a person called Monks, who is angry with Fagin, who he claims has failed in his obligation to ruin Oliver by tricking him into a lawless life

When Oliver regains consciousness in a ditch, he stumbles to the nearest house, which proves to be the site of the attempted burglary. The owner, Mrs. Maylie, takes the boy in and protects him with connivance of her doctor, Mr. Losberne. The boy is taken to a cottage in the country, where Mrs. Maylie’s niece Rose suffers a near-fatal illness. In the town inn yard, Oliver encounters a repulsive stranger who later spies on him with Fagin. Rose rejects the proposal of Mrs. Maylie’s son, Harry, but he does not accept her refusal as final.

Monks meets the Bumbles and purchases a locket that Mrs. Bumble redeemed with a pawn ticket that she took away from the dead Sally, who had received the pledge from Oliver’s dying mother. The trinket contains a ring inscribed with the name “Agnes”; Monks drops it into the river.

Nancy, who sympathizes with Oliver, nurses Sikes until he regains his “natural” meanness. She drugs the man and slips away to Hyde Park for a secret meeting with Rose Maylie. Nancy tells Miss Maylie everything that she has learned by eavesdropping on Fagin and Monks on two occasions. The two rogues are plotting the destruction of the object of Monks’s inveterate hatred—his brother Oliver. Mr. Brownlow, who has been absent from London, reappears and Rose tells him Nancy’s story. Harry Maylie, Grimwig, and Mr. Losberne are also briefed on what Nancy has learned.

Noah Claypole and Charlotte, Sowerberry’s maidservant, hide out in London after she has plundered the undertaker’s till. They are discovered by Fagin, and Noah is employed to visit the police station to bring back information about the Dodger’s indictment as a pickpocket. Because of her suspicious behavior, Fagin then assigns the sneak to spy on her. Nancy has a midnight meeting with Rose and Brownlow on London Bridge. Nancy informs Brownlow how he can corner Monks. Noah hears everything and immediately reports his findings to Fagin.

Fagin waits up for the marauding Sikes and provokingly discloses Nancy’s double-dealing. Sikes promptly goes home and bludgeons her to death. After wandering in the country for a day, haunted by his evil deed, the murderer returns to London.

Mr. Brownlow has seized Monks and taken him to his home. The resultant disclosures clear up many mysteries. Brownlow had been engaged to the sister of his friend Edwin Leeford, Monk’s father. While yet a mere boy, Leeford was forced into a bad marriage. The couple had only one child—Monks—and separated. Leeford became attached to a retired naval officer’s daughter, Agnes Fleming. But Leeford died suddenly in Rome while looking after an inheritance. His wife had come to him from Paris just before his death. At the time, Agnes was expecting a child—the future Oliver Twist. Before leaving for Italy, Leeford had left the girl’s picture with his friend Brownlow.

On account of the striking similarity between Oliver’s face and Agnes Fleming’s, Brownlow has been searching for Monks since the boy’s disappearance. With the help of Nancy’s discoveries, Brownlow has learned all about the destruction of Leeford’s will, the disposal of the identifying trinket that Oliver’s mother possessed, and Monks’s vindictive conspiracy with Fagin to destroy the innocent boy. Faced with these revelations and a reminder of his complicity in the murder of Nancy, Monks comes to terms in return for immunity on the condition that Monks make restitution to his brother (Oliver) in accordance with the original will.

Toby Crackit and Tom Chitling have taken refuge in a crumbling building amid the ruins of Jacob’s Island, in an inlet on the south side of the Thames. Fagin has been arrested, along with Claypole, while Chitling and Bates escaped. An unwelcome addition to the group is Bill Sikes, who is being tracked down. Charley Bates turns against the killer and raises an alarm to guide the pursuers. Attempting to escape from the house top, Sikes falls and is hanged in his own noose.

Oliver returns to the town of his birth with Mrs. Maylie, Rose, and Mr. Losberne. Brownlow follows with Monks. Monks confirms what he has already declared in writing. The past history of the two half-brothers is recapitulated. Their father’s will left the bulk of his fortune to Agnes Fleming and her expected child. The Bumbles admit their part in the affair after being confronted with Monks’s confession.

A new disclosure concerns Rose, who is of uncertain origin, although recognized by Mrs. Maylie as her niece. Rose is in reality the younger sister of Agnes Fleming, hence Oliver’s aunt. Harry Maylie has repudiated his station in life to become a village parson, so the way is cleared for the young couple’s betrothal.

Fagin is found guilty and sentenced to be hanged. While in prison awaiting execution, he disintegrates into a state of unrepentant maliciousness, but on his last night, he is visited by Brownlow and Oliver. Regaining some semblance of humanity, he reveals the location of some papers relevant to Oliver’s interests.

For testifying against Fagin, Claypole is pardoned, and he and Charlotte live by disreputable means. Charles Bates reforms and becomes a herdsman. The other leading members of Fagin’s gang are transported from England. In accordance with Mr. Brownlow’s recommendation, Oliver shares his fortune with Monks, who nevertheless later dies in prison, destitute.

Rose and Harry Maylie are married, and Mrs. Maylie lives with them. Brownlow adopts Oliver and they settle near the parsonage, as does Mr. Losberne.

The Bumbles lose their positions and become inmates of the workhouse where Agnes Fleming died after giving birth to Oliver Twist.

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