The Dickens You Say!

Oliver Twist, the second novel by Charles Dickens, was originally written as a monthly serial for a publication called Bentley's Miscellany in London. It was published from February 1837 through April 1839 and proved to be highly successful, not just as a novel, but as a way to address the issues surrounding the poor and lower classes of English Victorian society. The novel contains some of the most well-known characters in literature, many of which were based on people Dickens came into contact with throughout his childhood.

Far from idyllic, Dickens' family dealt with poverty throughout his younger years. At 12, Dickens was forced to work 10 hour days placing labels on jars of shoe polish in order to support his family. He lived with friends of the family for many years and grew resentful of a system that, for all intents and purposes, took his childhood away. The character Oliver Twist may have been based on his own experiences. Or perhaps was influenced by the life of Robert Blincoe, whose own childhood in the workhouses of London was widely known in the early 1830s.

At the time of its publication, Oliver Twist shocked and surprised readers with its depiction of life in the workhouses and slums of London. The novel is credited with "the clearing" of the slum that was the basis of Jacob's Island in the story. Dickens' characterization of Oliver as above reproach, a young boy whose soul could not be tarnished by the world around him, became a way for the writer to highlight his "goal of social commentary." He was able to show the extremes of life in a way that could reach the masses in society. These were not just simple plot devices, but an aspect of humanism in which good always triumphed in very unexpected ways.

Dickens' style of writing and vivid descriptions of life in 19th Century London made his novels popular among dramatists who longed for material to produce for the stage. To date, more than 100 adaptations of his work have been created for stage and screen. Many of his works were adapted as plays during his lifetime as Dickens had a keen respect and fascination for theater.
Dickens' picturesque descriptions and memorable characters have lived on in productions ranging from A CHRISTMAS CAROL to THE PICKWICK PAPERS and some of his most well-known characters will come to life again in Toledo as Theater League presents the Broadway classic OLIVER! November 13-16.

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