This book examines Charles Dickens's underappreciated engagement with Classical knowledge and its role in his cultural commentary. By treating his novels as collaborations with illustrators, particularly Phiz, it explores how Dickens drew on Ancient Greek and Roman myths, history and art to engage with 19th-century debates. Through detailed analysis of both text and illustrations, the book reveals the complexity of Dickens's Classical references and their significance in shaping broader cultural conversations.
Each chapter pairs novels such as David Copperfield, Bleak House and A Tale of Two Cities with Dickens's journalism, letters and short fiction, supported by analysis of a range of illustrations. Christian Lehmann challenges the notion that Victorian Classics were the preserve of an elite, showing instead how Dickens adapted a demotic Classicism rooted in burlesque, satire, architecture and popular culture. He argues that Dickens's Classical allusions, often dismissed as superficial, form an integral part of his literary output. These references are examined alongside historical developments in the ideology of scientific racism, evolving views on sexual violence, and critiques of imperialism, demonstrating how Dickens reshaped Classical traditions to reflect and critique the cultural and political dynamics of his era.
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Dickens and the Classics
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Halftitle page
- Series page
- Title page
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations of Dickens’s Works
- Introduction
- 1 Race, Sex, and the Classics in Barnaby Rudge
- 2 Classics and Imperialism in David Copperfield
- 3 Allusive Narration in Bleak House
- 4 Savagery and the Classical in Little Dorrit
- 5 Myth and History in A Tale of Two Cities
- Coda: The Classicists’ Classic
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
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Yes, you can access Dickens and the Classics by Christian Lehmann in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & Ancient & Classical Literary Collections. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.