7.1 Dickens's literary style and narrative techniques

Charles Dickens's literary style shaped Victorian fiction. His serial publications created episodic narratives with cliff-hangers and coincidences, keeping readers hooked. His vivid descriptions and satirical humor brought 19th-century England to life.

Dickens's characters were unforgettable. He used the bildungsroman to explore personal growth, caricatures to highlight social types, and melodrama to evoke emotion. His omniscient narration provided social commentary while entertaining readers with intricate, interconnected plots.

Narrative Structure

Serial Publication and Episodic Structure

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• Many of Dickens's novels were initially published in installments in periodicals, shaping their narrative structure
• This serial publication led to an episodic structure, with each installment often focusing on a specific storyline or set of characters
• Dickens skillfully wove multiple plotlines and character arcs together across installments, creating a cohesive narrative
• The episodic nature allowed for a wide range of settings, themes, and characters to be explored within a single novel (Bleak House, Little Dorrit)

Cliff-hangers and Coincidence

• To maintain reader interest between installments, Dickens often employed cliff-hangers at the end of chapters or installments
• These cliff-hangers created suspense and anticipation, encouraging readers to eagerly await the next installment
• Dickens also relied on coincidence as a plot device, bringing characters together in unexpected ways or revealing surprising connections between seemingly unrelated events
• While sometimes criticized for its implausibility, coincidence allowed Dickens to create intricate, interconnected narratives that highlighted the social and moral themes of his works

Narrative Voice & Style

Omniscient Narrator and Descriptive Prose

• Dickens frequently employed an omniscient narrator, a third-person perspective that allows insight into the thoughts and motivations of multiple characters
• This narrative voice enabled Dickens to provide social commentary, critique institutions, and guide the reader's moral judgment
• Dickens's prose is renowned for its vivid, detailed descriptions of characters, settings, and atmospheres
• His descriptive language brings the Victorian world to life, immersing readers in the sights, sounds, and textures of the era (the fog-shrouded streets of London, the grim interiors of workhouses)

Satirical Humor

• Despite the often serious themes of his works, Dickens infused his writing with satirical humor and wit
• He used exaggeration, irony, and caricature to expose and critique the follies and vices of Victorian society
• Dickens's humor often targeted the hypocrisy and self-importance of the upper classes, as well as the inefficiencies and injustices of social institutions (the Circumlocution Office in Little Dorrit)
• This satirical approach allowed Dickens to address weighty social issues while still engaging and entertaining his readers

Character Development

Bildungsroman and Caricature

• Many of Dickens's novels, such as David Copperfield and Great Expectations, follow the bildungsroman format, tracing the moral and psychological growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood
• This focus on character development allowed Dickens to explore the impact of social forces on individual lives and to champion the virtues of perseverance, integrity, and compassion
• Dickens is also known for his use of caricature, creating exaggerated, one-dimensional characters that embody specific traits or social types (the obsequious Uriah Heep, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge)
• While sometimes criticized for lacking depth, these caricatures served to highlight the moral and social themes of Dickens's works and to create memorable, iconic figures

Melodrama

• Dickens's novels often incorporate elements of melodrama, a theatrical style characterized by exaggerated emotions, dramatic plot twists, and clear distinctions between good and evil
• This melodramatic approach heightened the emotional impact of his stories and reinforced the moral messages of his works
• Dickens used melodrama to create a sense of pathos, evoking sympathy for his virtuous or oppressed characters and condemnation for the villains and oppressors (the suffering of Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop, the cruelty of Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist)
• While sometimes viewed as overly sentimental or contrived, Dickens's use of melodrama effectively engaged the emotions of his readers and underscored the social and moral imperatives of his novels