The Puzzle of Dickens's Last Plot (eBook, PDF) - Lang, Andrew
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"The Puzzle of Dickens's Last Plot" from Andrew Lang. Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology (1844-1912). Forster tells us that Dickens, in his later novels, from Bleak House onwards (1853), “assiduously cultivated” construction, “this essential of his art.” Some critics may think, that since so many of the best novels in the world “have no outline, or, if they have an outline, it is a demned outline,” elaborate construction is not absolutely “essential.” Really essential are character, “atmosphere,” humour. But as, in the natural changes of life,…mehr

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Produktbeschreibung
"The Puzzle of Dickens's Last Plot" from Andrew Lang. Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology (1844-1912). Forster tells us that Dickens, in his later novels, from Bleak House onwards (1853), “assiduously cultivated” construction, “this essential of his art.” Some critics may think, that since so many of the best novels in the world “have no outline, or, if they have an outline, it is a demned outline,” elaborate construction is not absolutely “essential.” Really essential are character, “atmosphere,” humour. But as, in the natural changes of life, and under the strain of restless and unsatisfied activity, his old buoyancy and unequalled high spirits deserted Dickens, he certainly wrote no longer in what Scott, speaking of himself, calls the manner of “hab nab at a venture.” He constructed elaborate plots, rich in secrets and surprises. He emulated the manner of Wilkie Collins, or even of Gaboriau, while he combined with some of the elements of the detective novel, or roman policier, careful study of character. Except Great Expectations, none of his later tales rivals in merit his early picaresque stories of the road, such as Pickwick and Nicholas Nickleby. “Youth will be served;” no sedulous care could compensate for the exuberance of “the first sprightly runnings.” In the early books the melodrama of the plot, the secrets of Ralph Nickleby, of Monk, of Jonas Chuzzlewit, were the least of the innumerable attractions. But Dickens was more and more drawn towards the secret that excites curiosity, and to the game of hide and seek with the reader who tried to anticipate the solution of the secret.
Autorenporträt
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) was a prodigious Scottish scholar, literary critic, novelist, and poet, now best known for his collections of fairy tales and for his work in anthropology and mythology. With a career spanning genres such as history, folklore, and children's literature, Lang's contributions to the literary world are varied and significant. Lang, a contemporary of literary giants like Robert Louis Stevenson and H.G. Wells, distinguished himself with a remarkable academic insight into myths and legends, which he passionately collected from around the world, forming the basis for his popular 'Fairy Books' series. A graduate of St Andrews University and Balliol College, Oxford, Lang also took to journalistic writing, showcasing his wide-ranging interests that extended to poetry, history, and literary criticism. Perhaps one of his lesser-known works, 'The Puzzle of Dickens's Last Plot' (1905), focuses on Charles Dickens's unfinished novel 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood,' and is demonstrative of Lang's literary detective skills, as he engaged in scholarly speculation about the intended conclusion of Dickens's last work. Lang's diverse literary style embraced a descriptive narrative, often intertwining a conversational tone with analytical detail, which appealed to both scholarly audiences and the general public.