Concetti Chiave
- Dickens uses melodrama and social satire to highlight the harsh realities faced by children in workhouses, exemplified through the story of an orphan exploited by thieves.
- The author skillfully blends social criticism with vivid character portrayals, balancing the pathetic and comic to address serious issues.
- Oliver Twist, a foundling, experiences a journey from a workhouse to being part of a gang, ultimately finding family with Mr Brownlow.
- The narrative includes rich characterizations, such as Mrs Mann's cunning and Mr Bumble's pomposity, highlighting their roles in Oliver's life.
- Sentimentalism and comedy are intertwined, as seen when Oliver feigns sorrow at leaving Mrs Mann, reflecting Dickens' use of humor to underscore emotional moments.
What is The Art of Dickens?
is an example of the author’s style and of his qualities as an artist. Dickens, who wants to portray the dramatic situation of children in workhouses, narrates the melodramatic story of an orphan exploited by a gang of thieves, who manages to preserve his most angelic character despite a very hard life, with keen social satire and realism.
Dickens is also very good at mixing social criticism with lively portraits of universal characters combining the pathetic with the comic. The comic element helps to highlight serious issues such as the bad treatment of orphans in workhouses.
The Story of Oliver
Oliver Twist is a foundling. When he is nine years old, he is taken back to the workhouse in which he was born. He then runs away and meets a young pickpocket on the road. Oliver thinks he has found a friend and follows him to London where he is introduced to other friends, who are a gang of young criminals. The thieves force Oliver to help them in their criminal activities. Oliver is temporarily rescued by Mr Brownlow but some members of the gang kidnap the boy. After many incidents the gang is caught by the police and Oliver is discovered to be a relation of Mr Brownlow’s. He has finally found a family.
Portrait of Mrs. Mann and Mr. Bumble
Oliver Twist is a child brought up in a house for orphans under the leadership of Mrs Mann. On Oliver’s ninth birthday Mr Bumble, the parish officer, a pompous man with a hypocritical sense of his own importance, comes to the house where Oliver lives with other children. The passage is rich in dialogue and characterization and gives a full portrait of Mrs Mann’s shrewdness and of Mr Bumble’s superficiality and dullness.
Sentimentalism and Comedy
One example of sentimentalism is when Oliver pretends to be sorry at leaving Mrs Mann but he is only sorry at leaving his little friends at the orphanage, though he shared only misery with them.
One example of comic is when Dickens call Mrs Mann “his benevolent protectress”.
Domande da interrogazione
- How does Dickens blend social criticism with humor in his works?
Dickens skillfully combines social criticism with humor by creating lively portraits of universal characters, mixing the pathetic with the comic. This approach highlights serious issues, such as the mistreatment of orphans in workhouses, while engaging the reader with a touch of comedy.
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