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Dickens' Final Novels: A Critical Overview

Dickens wrote his final novels A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Our Mutual Friend while tired and in poor health. A Tale of Two Cities relies less on characterization and humor, focusing more on an exciting plot, though it is not considered one of his best. Great Expectations explores the development of the main character Pip throughout his life, and examines the concept of "great expectations" both personally and socially. Our Mutual Friend satirizes monetary and class values in London society. Dickens' unfinished last novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood was to focus on the themes of crime, evil, and psychology through the story of a murderer. Though aged and unwell, Dickens

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101 views3 pages

Dickens' Final Novels: A Critical Overview

Dickens wrote his final novels A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Our Mutual Friend while tired and in poor health. A Tale of Two Cities relies less on characterization and humor, focusing more on an exciting plot, though it is not considered one of his best. Great Expectations explores the development of the main character Pip throughout his life, and examines the concept of "great expectations" both personally and socially. Our Mutual Friend satirizes monetary and class values in London society. Dickens' unfinished last novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood was to focus on the themes of crime, evil, and psychology through the story of a murderer. Though aged and unwell, Dickens

Uploaded by

Jocet Generalao
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Task 1 Let’s Explore!

A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Our Mutual Friend


novel by: Dickens

Tired and ailing though he was, Dickens remained inventive and adventurous in his final novels. A Tale
of Two Cities (1859) was an experiment, relying less than before on characterization, dialogue, and
humour. An exciting and compact narrative, it lacks too many of his strengths to count among his major
works. Sydney Carton’s self-sacrifice was found deeply moving by Dickens and by many readers; Dr.
Manette now seems a more impressive achievement in serious characterization. The French Revolution
scenes are vivid, if superficial in historical understanding. Great Expectations (1860–61) resembles
David Copperfield in being a first-person narration and in drawing on parts of Dickens’s personality and
experience. Compact like its predecessor, it lacks the panoramic inclusiveness of Bleak House, Little
Dorrit, and Our Mutual Friend, but, though not his most ambitious, it is his most finely achieved novel.
The hero Pip’s mind is explored with great subtlety, and his development through a childhood and youth
beset with hard tests of character is traced critically but sympathetically. Various “great expectations” in
the book prove ill founded—a comment as much on the values of the age as on the characters’
weaknesses and misfortunes. Our Mutual Friend (1864–65), Dickens’s final completed novel, continues
this critique of monetary and class values. London is now grimmer than ever before, and the corruption,
complacency, and superficiality of “respectable” society are fiercely attacked. Many new elements are
introduced into Dickens’s fictional world, which renders the novel a large and inclusive one, but his
handling of the old comic-eccentrics (such as Boffin, Wegg, and Venus) is sometimes tiresomely
mechanical.

How the unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) would have developed is uncertain. Here again
Dickens left panoramic fiction to concentrate on a limited private action. The central figure was evidently
to be John Jasper, whose eminent respectability as a cathedral organist was in extreme contrast to his
haunting low opium dens and, out of violent sexual jealousy, murdering his nephew. It would have been
his most elaborate treatment of the themes of crime, evil, and psychological abnormality that recur
throughout his novels; a great celebrator of life, he was also obsessed with death. How greatly Dickens
personally had changed in his final years appears in remarks by friends who met him again, after many
years, during the American reading tour in 1867–68. “I sometimes think…,” wrote one, “I must have
known two individuals bearing the same name, at various periods of my own life.” But just as the fiction,
despite many developments, still contained many stylistic and narrative features continuous with the
earlier work, so, too, the man remained a “human hurricane,” though he had aged considerably, his
health had deteriorated, and his nerves had been jangled by travelling ever since his being in a railway
accident in 1865. Other Americans noted that, though grizzled, he was “as quick and elastic in his
movements as ever.” His photographs, wrote a journalist after one of the readings, “give no idea of his
genial expression. To us he appears like a hearty, companionable man, with a deal of fun in him.” But
that very day Dickens was writing, “I am nearly used up,” and listing the afflictions now “telling heavily
upon me.” His pride and the old-trouper tradition made him conceal his sufferings. And, if sometimes by
an effort of will, his old high spirits were often on display. “The cheerfullest man of his age,” he was
called by his American publisher, J.T. Fields; Fields’s wife more perceptively noted, “Wonderful, the flow
of spirits C.D. has for a sad man.”

My novel idea: A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Our Mutual Friend
What I will include in my concept paper:
1. Information definition
2. Formal definition
3. Extended definition

1.A concept paper usually reflects an issue that is of interest to a writer. ... The author should state what
they are going to do, how they are going to do it, and why they want to do it. The research report is the
actual paper or project that shows the results of a person's research.
2. Is another technique that involves organizing ideas from abstract, or those not readily understood, to
concrete examples, or those easily understood. This technique involves analyzing the concept by
looking at the examples and then drawing out a definition based on this information.

Task 2: Let’s Examine!

Common questions

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In "Our Mutual Friend," Dickens extends his critique of Victorian society by addressing the grim realities of London life and the superficiality of "respectable" society. The novel fiercely attacks the corruption, complacency, and hollow class values, showing a more inclusive yet bleak depiction of the city's societal structures. Despite some mechanical handling of comic elements, the novel's critique of monetary and class issues is a central thematic exploration .

In "Great Expectations," Dickens employs first-person narration to delve into protagonist Pip's character development. This narrative style allows for a critical yet sympathetic examination of Pip's life, particularly highlighting his experiences and the influence of various "great expectations." Dickens's subtle exploration of Pip's psychological state and moral growth through personal challenges is pivotal to understanding the broader societal critique embedded in these character developments .

"Our Mutual Friend" is characterized by a large and inclusive narrative structure, integrating new elements into Dickens's fictional world. The thematic focus on monetary and class values presents a grimmer depiction of London, attacking societal superficiality and corruption. This represents a shift from his earlier focus on individual character studies to a broader analysis of societal issues, making it distinct in its narrative and thematic concerns .

During his American reading tour in 1867-68, Dickens, despite considerable aging and health deterioration, was noted for his genial expression and high spirits, traits that remained consistent throughout his life. Described as "the cheerfullest man of his age" and a "human hurricane," Dickens's ability to mask his sufferings with a display of buoyant energy and humor demonstrated resilience and showmanship—core aspects of his personality that endured despite personal challenges .

Sydney Carton's character in "A Tale of Two Cities" serves as a focal point for Dickens's exploration of sacrifice and redemption. Carton's ultimate self-sacrifice is portrayed as deeply moving, resonating with themes of personal redemption. Through Carton, Dickens highlights the transformative power of selfless acts, positioning Carton's redemption as a compelling moral testament within the novel’s dramatic historical events .

"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" departs from Dickens's panoramic style to focus on a limited, private action centered around John Jasper. Unlike his other works, which often explore wider society, this novel promises an in-depth character study, dealing with themes of crime, evil, and psychological abnormality. Despite being unfinished, indications suggest Dickens intended for it to be his most elaborate exploration of these darker themes, reflecting his preoccupation with personal and moral conflicts .

In his final years, Dickens was described as having undergone significant personal transformation, appearing as a "human hurricane" while coping with aging and deteriorating health following a railway accident in 1865. Despite the challenges, his high spirits often masked his afflictions, indicating his resilience. This personal change is reflected in his later works, where themes of death, crime, and psychological abnormality are more pronounced, suggesting an introspective turn influenced by his own life struggles and observations .

In "A Tale of Two Cities," Dickens experiments with a narrative style that relies less on characterization, dialogue, and humor compared to his earlier works. This novel is characterized by an exciting and compact narrative but lacks the strengths of his major works, such as deep characterization. The self-sacrifice of Sydney Carton is deeply moving, an aspect praised by readers, but overall, Dickens provides a less vivid historical understanding within the French Revolution backdrop, in comparison to his earlier, more detailed character studies .

"Great Expectations" is distinguished by its exploration of the protagonist Pip's development and the concept of ill-founded "great expectations." This theme critiques both the Victorian era's values and the characters' weaknesses and misfortunes, offering a critical yet sympathetic analysis of Pip's journey through character-defining challenges. Its compact narrative does not attempt the breadth of novels like "Bleak House," focusing instead on subtle character exploration, making it Dickens's most finely achieved work .

Dickens's declining health and the impact of a railway accident in 1865 likely contributed to the darker themes in his final novels, such as crime and psychological abnormality. Friends noted his change, describing him as both a "human hurricane" and a "sad man" despite his cheerful demeanor. These personal challenges may have intensified his focus on more introspective elements, reflecting his internal struggles within his fictional characters .

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