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Oliver Twist – 1837-1839 – a monthly serialised novel
  The second novel of Charles Dickens was Oliver Twist, its first edition had a much longer title: Oliver Twist or, The Parish Boy’s Progress. It was initially published in monthly instalments that began in February 1837 and ended in April 1839. This is the tale of a charity boy who has fallen to the bottom of society, but who through several acts of goodwill is restored to his rightful position. He meets with all manner of characters that bring Victorian Britain to life. Dickens named the character Fagin after Bob Fagin, a fellow employee that young Charles Dickens met when he worked at a blacking factory. |
| THE STORY: Oliver Twist is an orphaned child, His mother died during his birth. He is therefore growing up in a workhouse in the town of Mudfog. We join the action when Mr Bumble, the beadle of the parish, takes 9-year-old Oliver out of the baby farm, where greedy Mrs Mann had been the superintendent. Oliver is small and frail, he is moved into the workhouse where they pick and plait oakum. The boys are hungry and they draw lots to see who will ask for more. Oliver loses and duly requests more gruel. The furore leads to Oliver being offered as an apprentice for anyone, with the added inducement of £5. Mr Sowerberry, a funeral director, takes up the offer. He finds Oliver’s doleful looks useful to his profession, and has him play the role of a mute at the funerals. However, Oliver’s co-worker, Noah Claypole, a fellow ‘charity boy’, and Charlotte, the Sowerberry maidservant, bully him for being well-received by their boss. Despite Sowerberry and his wife’s better treatment, Oliver decided to run away to London where he expects to find a better life. On the way to London he meets up with Jack Dawkins, a pickpocket known as the Artful Dodger, and Charley Bates. Dodger gives Oliver a free meal and suggests that he seek out in London a gentleman called Fagin, who will give him free board. Fagin teaches the boys how to pickpocket, but while Dodger and Charley steal the handkerchief of Mr Brownlow they flee the scene. Oliver starts to run but is caught by Brownlow, who relents and takes the boy in. He and his housekeeper, Mrs Bedwin, notice a resemblance between Oliver and a portrait that hangs on the wall at Brownlow’s. Fagin is worried that Oliver might reveal his gang. He despatches Nancy, a young woman, and her abusive manfriend, Bill Sikes, accompanied by his vicious dog Bullseye, to bring Oliver back into his fold. Sykes was also charged by Fagin to carry out a burglary. The burglary is bungled and during the fuss Oliver is shot in the arm. Oliver is taken in by those he had planned to rob, Miss Rose Maylie who lives with her aunt/guardian, Mrs Lindsay Maylie. Oliver is well treated by them both. Harry Maylie proposes to Roase but is rebuffed. Old Sally, a nursemaid, is dying and on her deathbed, mumbles about the death during childbirth of one of her charges. The child was born sickly, and called Oliver. Meanwhile, a character identified as Monks conspires with Fagin to find and dispose of anything that identifies Oliver’s true identity. A repentant Nancy tells Rose the background story, who in turn tells Brownlow. Fagin learns of Nancy’s actions and sends Noah Claypole, now part of Fagin’s gang, to spy on her. Claypole learns of her meeting with Mylie and Brownlow. Fagin tells Sikes, who in a fit of rage beats Nancy to death. The police and a developing mob pursues Sikes, He tries to escape over roofs but falls and is hung. Monks is revealed to be Oliver’s half-brother, who seeks to kill Oliver and inherit the fortune of their father, Mr Leeford. Brownlow negotiates that Oliver will allow Monks his annuity, but the rest is to come to Olive, and so that they might both move on. We learn that Monks takes his half and squanders it, he then turns to crime and dies in prison. Fagin is arrested, tried and convicted to hang on the gallows. Mr Brownlow and Oliver visit Fagin in Newgate prison on the eve of his execution, trying to recover some of Monks’ papers. But Fagin is preoccupied with his death. The Bumbles lose their positions, slump into poverty and are admitted into the workhouse. All of Fagin’s gang come to a sticky end, apart from Charley Bates who turned against Fagin and pursued an honest life. Charley moves to the country and becomes prosperous. Rose is discovered as Oliver’s aunt. His dead mother, her sister, is revealed as Agnes Fleming. Rose marries Harry. Oliver is adopted by Mr Brownlow. |  Fagin, training his team  The Artful Dodger CHARACTERS Main: Oliver Twist – both his mother and father are dead Mr Bumble – a beadle in the parish workhouse Mr Brownlow – a kindly gentleman who takes Oliver in Fagin – a criminal fence and boss of a criminal gang of youths The Artful Dodger – Fagin’s most adept pickpocket Bill Sikes – a professional burglar Nancy – one of Fagin’s gang, now living with Bill Sikes Minor: Mrs Mann – superintendent where Oliver is placed until age 9 Mr Sowerberry – an undertaker who took Oliver as apprentice Mrs Sowerberry – Mr Sowerberry’s wife Noah Claypole – a cowardly bully, Sowerberry’s apprentice Charlotte – the Sowerberry maid, lover of Noah Mr Gamfield – a chimney sweep where Oliver was born Mr Grimwig – a friend of Mr Brownlow Mrs Bedwin – Mr Brownlow’s housekeeper Rose Maylie – Oliver’s second benefactor, found to be his aunt Mrs Lindsay Maylie – Harry Maylie’s mother. Rose’s aunt Harry Maylie – Mrs Maylie’s son Dr Losberne – Mrs Maylie’s family doctor Mr Giles – Mrs Maylie’s butler Mr Brittles – Mrs Maylie’s handyman Duff and Blathers – two incompetent policemen Bull’s Eye – Bill Sikes’s vicious dog Charley Bates – a pickpocket in Fagin’s gang,who relents Toby Crackit – a house-breaker associate of Fagin and Sikes Betsy (Bet) – a girl in Fagin’s gang, sometime friend to Nancy Barney – a criminal cohort of Fagin Agnes Fleming – Oliver’s mother Edwin Leeford – father of Oliver and Monks Old Sally – a nurse who attended Oliver’s birth Mrs Corney – matron for the women’s workhouse Monks, aka Edward Leeford – a half-brother to Oliver Monks’s mother – an heiress who did not love her husband Mr Fang – a magistrate Tom Chitling – one of Fagin’s gang members Incidental: Anny Barker, Phil Bayton, Mrs Becky Bill Charlotte Chickweed, Conkey Corney, Mr Dick Grannett, Mr Joe Kags Limbkins, Mr Lively, Mr Mann, Mrs Martha Ned Slout, Mr Sowerberry, Mr Sowerberry, Mrs Spyers, Jem Susan Thingummy, Mrs |
| OVERVIEW: 1 – March 1836 (chapters 1–2) – Oliver’s birth, life in the workhouse 2 – April (chapters 3–5) – Oliver ‘To Let’, and a funeral 3 – May (chapters 6–8) – Oliver’s tormentors and travel to London 4 – June (chapters 9-11) – Fagin, pickpocketing, capture and Brownlow 5 – July (chapters 12–14) – better treatment, Fagin’s fears 6 – August (chapters 15–17) – Bill Sikes send Nancy for Oliver, search begun 7– September (chapters 18–20) – back with Fagin, the burglary planned 8 – October (chapters 21–23) – the bungled burglary and its after-effects 9 – November (chapters 24–26) – Oliver’s back-story, Monks meets Fagin 10 – December 1836 (chapters 27–29) – Oliver at the Mayville’s 11 – January 1837 (chapters 30–32) – police investigation, settled 12 – February (chapters 33–34)- life with the Mayvilles 13 – March (chapters 35–37) – Fagin ??? 14 – April (chapters 38–40) – the Bumbles and Monks, Nancy intervenes 15 – June (chapters 41–43) – Brownlow, Maylie, Claypole, Charlotte, Dodger 16 – July (chapters 44–46) – Nancy, Claypole witnesses the meeting 17 – August (chapters 47–49) – Nancy killed by Sikes, Marks meets Brownlow 18 – September (chapters 50–52) – Sikes dies, Brownlow and Oliver visit Fagin 19-20 – October 1837 (chapters 53–57) – final chapters explain the outcomes. |
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