Aventurile lui Oliver Twist, #2

by Charles Dickens

264 pages, Unknown Binding

Published January 1, 1976

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[D'ale lui Damian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aventurile lui Oliver Twist- vol II

Cu câtă nerăbdare am început acest volum și gândul mi-a fost si la cele două titluri noi descoperite în opera lui Dickens ( Documentele postume ale clubului Pickwick și Misterul lui Edwin drood; cărți ce le-am trecut în cărți de citit anul acesta)

În acest volum, Oliver nu a fost decât foarte puțin menționat, restul personajelor au fost evidențiate, aflăm cum au decurs lucrurile în continuare, dar accentul și narațiunea s-a concetrat pe restul personajelor :Rose, Harry, domnul Brownlow, Fagin, Smecherul, Monks -rolul lui în viața lui Oliver ,Nancy, Sikes, îi reîntâlnim și pe Noah și Charlotte, până și pe domnul Bumble.

Nu m-aș fi așteptat/gândit/anticipat la așa deznodământ. Pe lângă Oliver, am mai avut doi preferați:pe Dick și pe Nancy, amândoi au avut un destin tragic.

M-am gândit la cât de crudă era lumea anului 1900...și totuși au trecut peste 100 de ani și sunt convinsă că orfanii au parte de aceleași tratamente...au trecut atâția ani și degeaba, nu mai avem umanitate, suntem lipsiți de empatie, egoiști, nepăsători...