The Scriptures of Charles Dickens: Novels of Ideology, Novels of the Self

ISBN-13: 9780367888121 / Angielski / Miękka / 2019 / 328 str.

Vincent Newey

Opis

This book is a study of Dickens's treatment of the relations between self and society principally in Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and Our Mutual Friend, with particular reference to processes of culture formation and the ways in which Dickens's writings both serve and transcend them. Liberal humanism and m

Recenzje

'Throughout his book Newey explores his themes with grace and clarity, and with some sustained digressions which can detain us rewardingly... Newey's reading of Dickens is intelligent and responsible, warm, communicative and with a rich scholarly immersion in nineteenth century sources which give the contexts for his arguments... the attentive reader should be prepared for the fact that in its last chapter Vincent Newey's study springs a surprise. The ideology of Our Mutual Friend, in this view, is far more complex that a first reading allows us to see. I will not spoil the surprise by summarising it in a review, it needs to be read in full the make its impact. It strengthens the claims that this strong and important new study of Dickens will have on the attention of all serious readers of this extraordinary and central novelist.' English 'Including a comprehensive bibliography, this meticulously documented study will be a valuable guide to readers of Dickens wanting to grasp his complicated moral system. Highly recommended.' Choice

Spis treści

Contents: Introduction; A Christmas Carol: snatched?; Oliver Twist: hegemony and the transgressive imagination; David Copperfield: selving and social modelling; Great Expectations: Pip Pirrip's gospel for modern man; Our Mutual Friend: retrospective and reform; Index.

O autorze

Vincent Newey is Emiritus Professor of English at University of Leicester.