Dictionary Of Literary Characters

by Chambers (Editor), Una McGovern (Editor)

This new edition of Chambers Dictionary of Literary Characters has been revised and expanded to bring it thoroughly up to date. More than 6,500 entries provide a guide to the wealth of characters created by writers in English — from the Wife of Bath to Bertie Wooster, from Tom Sawyer to Harry Potter. New features include concise biographies of the authors, entertaining essays on such topics as “The Detective in Fiction” and “The Characters of Charles Dickens,” and an appendix of literary awards.

Genres: Nonfiction, Literature

818 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2004

Reviews

[Paul Bryant]

THE HOSPITAL OF LITERARY TRANSPLANTS

I know I will be misunderstood, that my work will be seen as grotesque and loathsome. But I believe I have broken through into a new reality! I have been working on a series of experiments here in my secluded laboratory, at great personal expense (marriage, children, both eyebrows) . But I have proved it can be done, and I have done it. Yes! Ha haah! Using improvised equipment and in the teeth of professional indifference – more, open hostility – I have managed to perform a series of heart transplants between some of the world's favourite literary characters. Yes. I can't pretend it was easy. It was in fact, hard. Hard. Some characters died, it is true, during the procedures. But most survived and flourished in new and unexpected ways. You - even YOU, can't pretend you don't want to find out what happens if you transplant the heart of Winnie the Pooh into the body of James Bond!

So - I would like to present some preliminary notes on my observations.


THE HEART OF MRS BEETON IN THE BODY OF DRACULA

- Jonathan Harker had to admit that the castle was extremely cold and draughty and the plumbing was non-existent but rarely had he tasted such exquisite black puddings.

THE HEART OF DRACULA IN THE BODY OF MRS BEETON

- In 1897 London was plagued by an unexplained wave of nocturnal cooking and tidying up. Victims would wake to find a warm steak and kidney pie in their larder, and no sign of forced entry.

THE HEART OF HUMBERT HUMBERT IN THE BODY OF MARY POPPINS

- Her career as a governess was extremely short. Several attempts to film the book have been shut down in police raids.


THE HEART OF MARY POPPINS IN THE BODY OF HUMBERT HUMBERT

"Time to tidy up now, children"

THE HEART OF MARY POPPINS IN THE BODY OF JAMES BOND

Bond stepped into the hotel room. From his modest overnight bag he produced a perfect martini, an evening suit, a semi-automatic and a tall blonde wearing Jean Yu lingerie. He spoke briskly to the blonde : "Run along and clean your teeth – chop chop! It's bedtime!"

THE HEART OF WINNIE THE POOH IN THE BODY OF JESUS

- he made donkeys more cheerful, and brought dead hives to life

THE HEART OF JESUS IN THE BODY OF WINNIE THE POOH

- Blessed is Piglet for he shall inherit the Hundred Acre Wood

THE HEART OF HARRY POTTER IN THE BODY OF JESUS

Not that much difference, except for the ginger beer and toasted teacakes at the last supper.

THE HEART OF PATRICK BATEMAN IN THE BODY OF LOLITA

- the doctors said it was the worst case of self-harming they'd ever come across. Some fainted on the spot.

THE HEART OF WINNIE THE POOH IN THE BODY OF PATRICK BATEMAN :

Patrick : "You absolutely must eat some more of these honeycakes which I baked specially this morning"
Three naked girls : "Oh no, we can't eat any more"
Patrick : "Oh but you must"

THE HEART OF JESUS IN THE BODY OF PATRICK BATEMAN

This experiment was a failure. The heart was rejected.

THE HEART OF JESUS IN THE BODY OF DRACULA

Hmm – life after death – check. Can perform apparent miracles –check. Has many devoted followers – check. Obsessed with blood, equates it to life itself – check. I could not see that this transplant had made any difference.

THE HEART OF LOLITA IN THE BODY OF PATRICK BATEMEN

The victims all said they were driven to nondescript motels and given movie magazines to read for hours and hours.

THE HEART OF PATRICK BATEMAN IN THE BODY OF WINNIE THE POOH :

- Christopher Robin never recovered from the sight. He was in therapy for years.

THE HEART OF JAMES BOND IN THE BODY OF MARY POPPINS

Mrs Banks sipped her tea slowly. "Where is it this time, Mary? Timbuctoo? Tashkent?"
"I'm really not at liberty to say, Mrs Banks."
"And how long for, Mary? We are desolate without you."
"I will be as brief as I can be. Of that you may be assured."
"Oh yes, and while you were out last night no less than three very handsome young men called and left their cards. Really, I do not know where you get your energy, I declare."
"Well," said Mary, with a guileless expression, gazing into the mid-distance, "in every job that's to be done there is an element of fun."

[Kayla Grant]

A great reference text