(P/B) OUR MUTUAL FRIEND

Παρουσίαση

"Our Mutual Friend", Dickens' last novel, gives one of his most comprehensive and penetrating accounts of Victorian society. Its vision of a culture stifled by materialistic values emerges not just through its central narratives, but through its apparently incidental characters and scenes. The chief of its several plots centres on John Harmon who returns to England as his father's heir. He is believed drowned under suspicious circumstances - a situation convenient to his wish for anonymity until he can evaluate Bella Wilfer whom he must marry to secure his inheritance. The story is filled with colourful characters and incidents - the faded aristocrats and parvenus gathered at the Veneering's dinner table, Betty Higden and her terror of the workhouse and the greedy plottings of Silas Wegg. (From the publisher)

Περιεχόμενα

BOOK ONE
i On the Lookout
ii The Man from Somewhere
iii Another Man
iv The R. Wilfer Family
v Boffin's Bower
vi Cut Adrift
vii Mr Wegg Looks After Himself
viii Mr Boffin in" Consultation
ix Mr and Mrs Boffin in Consultation
x A Marriage Contract
xi Podsnappery
xii The Sweat of an Honest Man's Brow
xiii Tracking the Bird of Prey
xiv The Bird of Prey Brought Down
xv Two New Servants
xvi Minders and Reminders
xvii A Dismal Swamp
BOOK TWO
i Of an Educational Character
ii Still Educational
iii A Piece of Work
iv Cupid Prompted
v Mercury Prompting
vi A Riddle Without an Answer
vii In Which a Friendly Move is Originated
viii In Which an Innocent Elopement Occurs
ix In Which the Orphan Makes his Will
x A Successor
xi Some Affairs of the Heart
xii More Birds of Prey
xiii A Solo and a Duet
xiv Strong of Purpose
xv The Whole Case So Far
xvi An Anniversary Occasion
BOOK THREE
i Lodgers in Queer Street
ii A Respected Friend in a New Aspect
iii The Same Respected Friend in More Aspects than One
iv A Happy Return of the Day
v The Golden Dustman Falls into Bad Company
vi The Golden Dustman Falls into Worse Company
vii The Friendly Move Takes up a Strong Position
viii The End of a Long Journey
ix Somebody Becomes the Subject of a Prediction
x Scouts Out
xi In the Dark
xii Meaning Mischief
xiii Give a Dog a Bad Name, and Hang Him
xiv Mr Wegg Prepares a Grindstone for Mr Boffin's Nose
xv The Golden Dustman at his Worst
xvi The Feast of the Three Hobgoblins
xvii A Social Chorus
BOOK FOUR
i Setting Traps
ii The Golden Dustman Rises a Little
iii The Golden Dustman Sinks Again
iv A Runaway Match
v Concerning the Mendicant's Bride
vi A Cry for Help
vii Better to be Abel than Cain
viii A Few Grains of Pepper
ix Two Places Vacated
x The Doll's Dressmaker Discovers a Word
xi Effect is Given to the Doll's Dressmaker's Discovery
xii The Passing Shadow
xiii Showing How the Golden Dustman Helped to Scatter Dust
xiv Checkmate to the Friendly Move
xv What was Caught in the Traps that were Set
xvi Persons and Things in General
THE LAST The Voice of Society
POSTSCRIPT In Lieu of Preface
NOTES