It is no small thing, when they, who are so fresh from God, love us.
― Charles Dickens, Master Humphrey’s Clock
The Old Curiosity Shop, the fourth published novel by Charles Dickens was first released in serial form from April 1840 until January 1841 and then all together in a book format in 1841 by Chapman & Hall of London.
It first appeared in the weekly publication, Master Humphrey’s Clock along with various short stories and essays which Dickens wrote and edited. It became evident, however, by the 7th edition that the present day public - all avid Dickens readers - were solely attracted to the publication by the ongoing The Old Curiosity Shop. During the publication life of Master Humphrey’s Clock, two novels originated as short stories that developed into novels — The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge.
For who can wonder that man should feel a vague belief in tales of disembodied spirits wandering through those places which they once dearly affected, when he himself, scarcely less separated from his old world than they, is for ever lingering upon past emotions and bygone times, and hovering, the ghost of his former self, about the places and people that warmed his heart of old?
― Charles Dickens, Master Humphrey’s Clock
The publication Master Humphrey’s Clock opened with an introductory frame story which featured Master Humphrey — a lonely bachelor living in London, who acts as a narrator, describing himself and his close group of friends and their love of telling stories. Master Humphrey wrote and then hid his manuscripts in an old grandfather clock in a chimney corner of his house. He decided one day to start a club with his small circle of friends in which they would each be involved in reading their manuscripts aloud. Some of the stories from the club Master Humphrey’s Clock and the mirror club from Humphrey’s kitchen - Mr. Weller’s Watch - brought back characters from The Pickwick Papers. Two such characters included Mr. Pickwick, the hero of The Pickwick Papers and his much beloved manservant, Sam Weller, along with Master Humphrey’s maid and a barber.
To conceal anything from those to whom I am attached, is not in my nature. I can never close my lips where I have opened my heart.
― Charles Dickens, Master Humphrey’s Clock
― Charles Dickens, Master Humphrey’s Clock
The Old Curiosity Shop, the fourth published novel by Charles Dickens was first released in serial form from April 1840 until January 1841 and then all together in a book format in 1841 by Chapman & Hall of London.
It first appeared in the weekly publication, Master Humphrey’s Clock along with various short stories and essays which Dickens wrote and edited. It became evident, however, by the 7th edition that the present day public - all avid Dickens readers - were solely attracted to the publication by the ongoing The Old Curiosity Shop. During the publication life of Master Humphrey’s Clock, two novels originated as short stories that developed into novels — The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge.
For who can wonder that man should feel a vague belief in tales of disembodied spirits wandering through those places which they once dearly affected, when he himself, scarcely less separated from his old world than they, is for ever lingering upon past emotions and bygone times, and hovering, the ghost of his former self, about the places and people that warmed his heart of old?
― Charles Dickens, Master Humphrey’s Clock
The publication Master Humphrey’s Clock opened with an introductory frame story which featured Master Humphrey — a lonely bachelor living in London, who acts as a narrator, describing himself and his close group of friends and their love of telling stories. Master Humphrey wrote and then hid his manuscripts in an old grandfather clock in a chimney corner of his house. He decided one day to start a club with his small circle of friends in which they would each be involved in reading their manuscripts aloud. Some of the stories from the club Master Humphrey’s Clock and the mirror club from Humphrey’s kitchen - Mr. Weller’s Watch - brought back characters from The Pickwick Papers. Two such characters included Mr. Pickwick, the hero of The Pickwick Papers and his much beloved manservant, Sam Weller, along with Master Humphrey’s maid and a barber.
To conceal anything from those to whom I am attached, is not in my nature. I can never close my lips where I have opened my heart.
― Charles Dickens, Master Humphrey’s Clock
The Old Curiosity Shop follows the life of the beautiful young orphan Nell Trent and her maternal grandfather, who live in an old “olds and ends” antique shop in London and is thought to have been set around the time of the mid-1820s.
“Very interesting and cleverly written.…”
― Queen Victoria
In reading any novel by Charles Dickens it is possible to glean an intense and well-drawn glimpse into the life and the times in which he lived. References abound and it is worth stopping to savor and investigate them. There are clear and interesting allusions to foods and drinks of the day, popular songs, literature of the time, scandals of the day, and social and political commentary - primarily regarding the plight of the poor.
Thus violent deeds live after men upon the earth, and traces of war and bloodshed will survive in mournful shapes long after those who worked the desolation are but atoms of earth themselves.
― Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop
As with Oliver Twist, Dickens played with contrasting characters surrounding a lonely & innocent child. In the book preface he said;
“I had it always in my fancy to surround the lonely figure of the child with grotesque and wild, but not impossible companions, and to gather about her innocent face and pure intentions, associates as strange and uncongenial as the grim objects that are about her bed when her history is first foreshadowed.”
“Very interesting and cleverly written.…”
― Queen Victoria
In reading any novel by Charles Dickens it is possible to glean an intense and well-drawn glimpse into the life and the times in which he lived. References abound and it is worth stopping to savor and investigate them. There are clear and interesting allusions to foods and drinks of the day, popular songs, literature of the time, scandals of the day, and social and political commentary - primarily regarding the plight of the poor.
Thus violent deeds live after men upon the earth, and traces of war and bloodshed will survive in mournful shapes long after those who worked the desolation are but atoms of earth themselves.
― Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop
As with Oliver Twist, Dickens played with contrasting characters surrounding a lonely & innocent child. In the book preface he said;
“I had it always in my fancy to surround the lonely figure of the child with grotesque and wild, but not impossible companions, and to gather about her innocent face and pure intentions, associates as strange and uncongenial as the grim objects that are about her bed when her history is first foreshadowed.”
Although dearly loved by her grandfather, Nell leads a solitary existence surrounded by very few acquaintances and companions. Her grandfather’s efforts to stave off poverty lead to dire consequences and one of the most evil villains created by Dickens.
Lawyers are shy of meddling with the Law on their own account: knowing it to be an edged tool of uncertain application, very expensive in the working, and rather remarkable for its properties of close shaving than for its always shaving the right person.
― Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop
In typical form, Charles Dickens introduces a wide variety of strongly contrasting characters both good and bad. There is a plotting brother, a malicious moneylender and a simple and true friend to Nell. It has been said that there is a fairy tale quality to The Old Curiosity Shop which sets it apart from all of the other Dickens novels.
If there were no bad people there would be no good lawyers.
― Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop
This novel became so popular on both sides of the Atlantic that avid readers in New York stormed the wharf when the ship arrived in 1841 bearing the final installment. Any Harry Potter fans among us will certainly be reminded of the excitement that accompanied the release of the last Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows and the highly anticipated conclusion of Harry’s fate in the fight against Voldemort…. the guarded pallets of the books awaiting release and the midnight book release parties.
Time has left many varied and lasting responses to The Old Curiosity Shop — Oscar Wilde ridiculed its sentimentality, Algernon Swinburne soundly condemned Nell, and Irish leader Daniel O’Connell burst into tears at the finale and threw the book out of the window of the train in which he was traveling.
In typical form, Charles Dickens introduces a wide variety of strongly contrasting characters both good and bad. There is a plotting brother, a malicious moneylender and a simple and true friend to Nell. It has been said that there is a fairy tale quality to The Old Curiosity Shop which sets it apart from all of the other Dickens novels.
If there were no bad people there would be no good lawyers.
― Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop
This novel became so popular on both sides of the Atlantic that avid readers in New York stormed the wharf when the ship arrived in 1841 bearing the final installment. Any Harry Potter fans among us will certainly be reminded of the excitement that accompanied the release of the last Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows and the highly anticipated conclusion of Harry’s fate in the fight against Voldemort…. the guarded pallets of the books awaiting release and the midnight book release parties.
Time has left many varied and lasting responses to The Old Curiosity Shop — Oscar Wilde ridiculed its sentimentality, Algernon Swinburne soundly condemned Nell, and Irish leader Daniel O’Connell burst into tears at the finale and threw the book out of the window of the train in which he was traveling.
As we read this 3rd installment in our Dickens Detour reading plan, let us know what your conclusions are as you read The Old Curiosity Shop. We will be discussing this book during our 2017 Autumn Book Lunch to take place on Saturday, October 28th, 2017.
“The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this: that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists.”
― Charles Dickens
A DICKENS DETOUR
April 2017
The Pickwick Papers
Published as a Monthly serial
April 1836 to November 1837
July 2017
The Adventures of Oliver Twist
Published as a Monthly serial
in Bentley’s Miscellany
February 1837 to April 1839
October 2017
The Old Curiosity Shop
Published as a Weekly serial
in Master Humphrey’s Clock
April 1840 to November 1841
January 2018
Little Dorrit
Published as a Monthly serial
December 1855 to June 1857
No comments:
Post a Comment