So I’m pleased to announce that I’ve finally finished Oliver Twist. My previous knowledge had been limited to the musical Oliver! Not the worst way to start, however.
Dickens is such an excellent story-teller that the moralizing is forgiven. Some of his descriptions are rip-roaringly funny. From the book, one that tickled me was where he described the magistrate who was trying young Oliver for the theft of a book:
Mr. Fang was a lean, long-backed, stiff-necked,
middle-sized man, with no great quantity of hair: and
what he had, growing on the back and sides of his
head. His face was stern, and much flushed. If he
were really not in the habit of drinking rather more
than was exactly good for him, he might have brought
an action against his countenance for libel, and have
recovered heavy damages.
Priceless. And the comments of Mr. Bumble on being assured that his supposed authority over his wife would result in them both losing their parochial offices are well captured in the movie:
“That is no excuse,” replied Mr. Brownlow. “You were
present on the occasion of the destruction of these
trinkets , and, indeed, are the more guilty of the two,
in the eye of the law; for the law supposes that your
wife acts under your direction.”
“If the law supposes that,” said Mr. Bumble, squeez-
ing his hat emphatically in both hands, “ the law is a
ass--a idiot. If that’s the eye of the law, the law’s a
bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is, that his eye
may be opened by experience--by experience.”
The book revels in the newly married Mrs. Bumble giving Mr Bumble a sound thrashing earlier that makes his complaint now all the more comedic.
An excellent read, though a bit overlong for Twenty-First Century tastes. Next on tap Ten Days to Destiny, the Battle for Crete 1941, by G.C. Kiriakopoulos.
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