In this article, you will get acquainted with a work called The Shop of Antiquities. Dickens wrote it in the genre of sentimentalism.
A bit about the author
Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in England (Portsmouth). Glory came to the English writer during his lifetime, which is very rare. The author wrote mainly in the genre of realism, but in his novels there is a place for fairy tales and sentimentalism.
So what is Charles Dickens famous for? The “Shop of Antiquities” is not his only famous work. Books that brought fame to the author:
- "Oliver Twist";
- "Nicholas Nickleby";
- Pickwick Club;
- "Our mutual friend";
- "Cold house";
- "The Tale of Two Cities";
- "Big hopes";
- The Mystery of Edwin Drud.
Oddities of the famous Englishman
Dickens was able to enter into trance states, often fell into it involuntarily. Visions chased him, and he often felt the state of deja vu. When the latter happened, he wrinkled and twisted his hat. Because of this, he overshot a lot of hats and eventually completely stopped wearing them.
His friend and chief editor of Fortnightly Review, George Henry Lewis, said that the author constantly communicated with the heroes of his works. While working on the novel “The Shop of Antiquities,” Dickens also saw the main character of the work - Nelly. The author himself said that she was confused under his feet, did not allow him to eat and sleep.
The Antiquities Bench (Dickens): Summary
The protagonist of the novel is a girl of twelve by the name of Nelly. She is an orphan and lives with her grandfather, who simply adores her. A girl from infancy lives among outlandish things: ancient weapons, sculptures of Indian gods, antique furniture.
Sweet girl has tremendous willpower. Readers are impressed by the childish courage of a twelve-year-old baby. A relative decided to secure the future of the girl in a very strange way - by playing cards. He wanted to win a large sum and send the girl to study at the best college. To do this, he leaves the girl alone at night and goes to meet friends.
Unfortunately, grandfather is haunted by failures in the game, and he loses their house and antiquity store. The family has to go wherever they look. In the novel there is also a guy who is in love with a girl. His name is Keith. The teenager and his family are trying to help the girl and her grandfather all the time.
The owner of their shop becomes an evil dwarf named Quill. He knows how to do terrible and scary things:
- swallow eggs with shells;
- drink boiling water.
For some reason, when he becomes the owner of the shop, then he moves to bed in Nelli’s crib. Quill is a creepy creature, a demon and a businessman. He never earned money honestly, although he does have his own office. The author writes that it has already been eighteen years since the clock began, and the ink has dried in the inkwell long ago. The table in the office serves as a bed for the dwarf.
So, in the path of the old Trent and Nelly, a huge amount of adventure awaits. On the way, they meet comedians, a kind but poor teacher in a rural school.
They are also sheltered by the kind mistress of the wax museum, Mrs. Jarley. The woman gave Nelly a job and shelter for her and grandfather. Finally, the girl lives quietly, but it wasn’t there - the grandfather starts playing again. After losing all the money the girl earned, grandfather decides to rob the mistress of the house. Nelly finds out about this and does not allow a relative to take a rash step. They leave the house on a quiet night.
Travelers fall into an industrial city. They cannot find work. At night, they are given shelter by a local fireman. He does not go out for a long time, and again they need to go. On the way, the girl falls under heavy rain and gets wet to the skin. The consequence of this is Nelly's disease. Finally, travelers find shelter. They regretted and allocated a gatehouse at the old church. Unfortunately, it is getting late - the girl is dying. The old man goes crazy and also leaves this world.
The “Antiquities Bench” (Dickens) is a fairy tale whose plot is based on a game of contrasts. The famous Englishman had a passion for everything fantastic, unearthly and bizarre. Baby Nelly appears before the readers as a little fairy: fragile, tender, surprisingly kind. She forgives everything to her eccentric grandfather and tries, despite her young years, to solve problems for both.
When the novelist gets bored with Nellie's "fairy tale", he introduces ordinary people into the plot: the teenager Keith, his mother, and his brothers, who is in love with her. Readers, as a rule, have a special sympathy for the lick-shaker Dick Swiveller.
Little Marquise - the heroine of the novel “The Shop of Antiquities” (Dickens)
The novel also has a girl named Marquise. She is the exact opposite of Nelly. The Marquise is a servant in the house of the rich: Samson Brass and his sister Sally. They completely tortured the girl with black work. She lives in a damp, cold kitchen. Sally beats her and keeps her starving.
The baby is eccentric and simple-minded. She often overhears and peeps at the keyhole. This is a normal, funny and lively girl. A little tricky: it can easily steal something tasty. Despite the abuse, the Marquise is not hardened by people, but remains kind and bright.
Charles Dickens in his works raises the issue of defenselessness of children in the cruel world of adults. The sad fate of Nelly, the mockery of the Marquise make the reader recall other heroes of his novels. Lovers of Dickens will also recall Oliver Twist, tortured to death in a workhouse.
Roman Dickens became popular during the life of the author. Not only the inhabitants of Foggy Albion, but also the Americans cried over the untimely death of Nelly. The author himself, as he wrote to a friend, was very worried about this turn of events in the novel. He could not do otherwise, the death of the main character was to indicate cruelty to children. The author wanted to turn readers away from evil and sow good and compassion in their hearts.