A quick and dirty overviewA quick and dirty overview

Charles Charles DickensDickens

Important Historical Important Historical BackgroundBackground

48 years old when he wrote 48 years old when he wrote Great Great ExpectationsExpectations. .

At 46, he separated from his wife, and was At 46, he separated from his wife, and was rumored to have been infatuated with an 18-rumored to have been infatuated with an 18-year-old actress named Ellen Ternan.year-old actress named Ellen Ternan.

Charles and Ellen maintained a secret Charles and Ellen maintained a secret relationship until he died in 1870, ten years relationship until he died in 1870, ten years after after Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations was written. was written.

Dickens provides his readers with characters Dickens provides his readers with characters from the full social spectrum: the criminal from the full social spectrum: the criminal class, the working class, the middle class, class, the working class, the middle class, and the upper class. and the upper class.

Dickens and the Late 18Dickens and the Late 18thth Century NovelCentury Novel

Dickens and the late 18th century Gothic Dickens and the late 18th century Gothic NovelNovel

1. an eerie setting1. an eerie setting 2. a child or young woman in danger2. a child or young woman in danger 3. an evil or deformed monster3. an evil or deformed monster 4. a reclusive and villainous aristocrat 4. a reclusive and villainous aristocrat 5. a poor orphan moved from place to 5. a poor orphan moved from place to

placeplace 6. a mysterious benefactor6. a mysterious benefactor

Dickens and the Late 18Dickens and the Late 18thth Century NovelCentury Novel

7. unrequited love7. unrequited love 8. the country symbolizing morality & 8. the country symbolizing morality &

happinesshappiness 9. the city symbolizing corruption & 9. the city symbolizing corruption &

despairdespair 10. clarity coming from sickness and 10. clarity coming from sickness and

madnessmadness 11. a noble savage; a kind criminal; a 11. a noble savage; a kind criminal; a

lovable louselovable louse 12. mists, moonlight, and ruins12. mists, moonlight, and ruins

The Serialization of the The Serialization of the NovelNovel

Dickens originally published Dickens originally published Great Great Expectations Expectations as a series in his as a series in his magazine called magazine called All the Year All the Year Round. Round.

The first weekly installment The first weekly installment appeared on December 1st 1860, appeared on December 1st 1860, and the 36th and final installment and the 36th and final installment appeared on August 3rd 1861. appeared on August 3rd 1861.

The Serialization of the The Serialization of the NovelNovel

The installments were similar in The installments were similar in length and overall effect.length and overall effect.

Each installment needed its own Each installment needed its own dramatic effect: a mini-climax, a dramatic effect: a mini-climax, a point of rest, an element of point of rest, an element of suspense, to maintain interest in suspense, to maintain interest in reading to the next installment.reading to the next installment.

Characters needed to be easily Characters needed to be easily memorable and identifiable.memorable and identifiable.

The Serialization of the The Serialization of the NovelNovel

An easy way to spot where each An easy way to spot where each installment ends is to look for a installment ends is to look for a note of suspense at the end of the note of suspense at the end of the chapter. If the chapter ends chapter. If the chapter ends suspenseful, it is the end of a suspenseful, it is the end of a weekly installment. weekly installment.

$ By the Word $$ By the Word $

Remember, Dickens was writing Remember, Dickens was writing these weekly installments for money, these weekly installments for money, he was being paid by the length, and he was being paid by the length, and he was focused on getting readers to he was focused on getting readers to buy the next installment.buy the next installment.

The Novel in the 19th The Novel in the 19th centurycentury

Because of the Industrial Revolution in Because of the Industrial Revolution in Europe, more wealthy people emerged—Europe, more wealthy people emerged—factory owners and investors.factory owners and investors.

Wealthy wives could hire servants to do Wealthy wives could hire servants to do house chores.house chores.

Something was needed to fill their leisure Something was needed to fill their leisure hours.hours.

The cost of printing reading materials The cost of printing reading materials decreased, and the speed of production decreased, and the speed of production increased.increased.

The Novel in the 19th The Novel in the 19th centurycentury

The novel was created for those who The novel was created for those who had time to read, who lacked formal had time to read, who lacked formal education, and who longed for education, and who longed for entertainment.entertainment.

Weekly installments in magazines Weekly installments in magazines were no longer necessary, and were no longer necessary, and Great Great Expectations Expectations became a novel.became a novel.

The First-Person The First-Person Protagonist NarratorProtagonist Narrator

Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations and and David David Copperfield Copperfield are Dickens’s only are Dickens’s only novels told from this first-person novels told from this first-person point of view. point of view.

The reader is given details only as The reader is given details only as the narrator experienced and the narrator experienced and remembered them.remembered them.

The First-Person The First-Person Protagonist NarratorProtagonist Narrator

Don’t confuse the first-person Don’t confuse the first-person protagonist narrator with the author. protagonist narrator with the author. The protagonist in The protagonist in Great Great Expectations Expectations is a boy by the name of is a boy by the name of Pip, not Charles Dickens.Pip, not Charles Dickens.

The Timing of the NovelThe Timing of the Novel Dickens frequently gives clues that the Dickens frequently gives clues that the

events of the novel take place prior to events of the novel take place prior to 1826 and lasting no later that 1846.1826 and lasting no later that 1846.

The king that will be mentioned at the The king that will be mentioned at the beginning of the novel is George III, beginning of the novel is George III, who died in 1820, when Pip was 7 or 8 who died in 1820, when Pip was 7 or 8 years old.years old.

Although the book was written in 1860, Although the book was written in 1860, Dickens has planned the novel to Dickens has planned the novel to coincide with his own childhood and coincide with his own childhood and early adulthood.early adulthood.

The EndingThe Ending

The current ending is NOT Dickens’s The current ending is NOT Dickens’s original ending. His intended original ending. His intended ending was too close to a competing ending was too close to a competing serialized novel called serialized novel called A Day’s Ride,A Day’s Ride, so he changed it.so he changed it.

The EndThe End