Charles Dickens (RLE Dickens)

<p>The main concern of this volume is Dickens’ role as "entertainer". It examines the results of this role: Dickens’ important contribution to the techniques of comedy and irony in prose. The social commentary and criticism which arise from a primarily comic art is emphasized and exemplified. Other extracts are used to demonstrate more formal points of structure and prose technique. </p><p>In the introduction the Martin Fido discusses the changing levels of Dickens’ literary and social reputation from the nineteenth century to the present day. </p> <p>1. Charles Dickens: His Life and Work 2. Scheme of Extracts 3. Comic Action: Nicholas Nickleby 4. Exuberant Domestic Optimism: Pickwick Papers 5. Comic Dialogue: Martin Chuzzlewit 6. Social Comedy: Nicholas Nickleby 7. Social Satire: Caricature and Irony: Oliver Twist 8. Comic Villains: Melodrama Tradition – The Old Curiosity Shop 9. Serious Dialogue: Melodrama Tradition – Barnaby Rudge 10. Description of Place: Sensational Horror – Oliver Twist 11. Structure: Thematic Unity – The Old Curiosity Shop 12. Structure: Introduction of Extraneous or Unplotted Material – David Copperfield 13.Symbolism – Bleak House 14. Serious Character: Mind Under Stress – Dombey and Son 15. Social Criticism: Emotional Appeal – Bleak House 16. Social Satire: Class or Type Representative Caricature – Hard Times 17. Serious Dialogue – Great Expectations 18. Insularity – Little Dorrit 19. Prose Technique – A Tale of Two Cities 20. Plain Narrative Prose – Great Expecatations 21. Serious Villains – Our Mutual Friend 22. Social Sature: Caricature of Class or Institution – Little Dorrit 23. Grotesque Caricature: Black Comedy – Our Mutual Friend </p>