The Pickwick Club discussion
This topic is about
Dombey and Son
Dombey and Son
>
Dombey, Chapters 39 -41
date
newest »
newest »
The Midshipman is boarded by the enemy
Chapter 39
This is the working drawing for the above illustration:
A Chance Meeting
Chapter 40
Original and Colorized
Well, I usually do my D&S reading Saturday night or Sunday morning, but that did not happen this weekend. So I will need to catch up on the reading this week...
This conflict between Dombey and Edith is getting fun to watch. My money is on Edith, but not by much, since Dombey controls the purse strings, and also since a husband in that day and age had considerable power over his wife. But Edith's great advantage seems to be that she doesn't seem to have any expectation of a happy marriage or a happy life, so there's not much leverage Dombey can exert. He can make her miserable, but she seems resigned to being miserable, so that's not much leverage. I suppose he could send Florence away and break that bond, or send the mother away (good luck with that, Dombey!), but other than those, what really can he do to enforce his intention?
I think sending Florence away or making her life more miserable than it is already would be a very efficient lever Dombey could pull.
Honour. Such a powerful word, and yet in seemingly such short supply in the world of D&S. Dombey and Carker. What a pair. One who believes that "his will is law" and one who will bid his time until he can break his master/boss.Dombey and Edith. Is "love" a matter of possession, a consequence of surrender of your will to live to sustain your will to survive?
When all seems dark, we have Sol Gill and Captain Cuttle. One man asks that a promise of not opening a letter be made, and one man honouring that request. One man gone in search of another because of love and faith and necessity, and the other "holding down the fort, " keeping the faith. Florence has Diogenes, her belief that Walter will return and her seemingly fathomless belief that she will someday have her father's love.
Chapter 40 brings the coldness of Dombey back again in force. "... I am to be deferred to and obeyed." Harsh, harsh times lie ahead.
Peter wrote: "Honour. Such a powerful word, and yet in seemingly such short supply in the world of D&S. Dombey and Carker. What a pair. One who believes that "his will is law" ..."And that being married to him is an honour. "Mr Dombey would have reasoned: That a matrimonial alliance with himself must, in the nature of things, be gratifying and honourable to any woman of common sense." Chapter 1.
Peter wrote: "Chapter 40 brings the coldness of Dombey back again in force. "... I am to be deferred to and obeyed." "He can say it. But can he enforce it?
Everyman wrote: "Peter wrote: "Honour. Such a powerful word, and yet in seemingly such short supply in the world of D&S. Dombey and Carker. What a pair. One who believes that "his will is law" ..."And that bei..."
Yes. The word honour has many facets. You have expanded the concept nicely. If we step back and look at the marriage and family pairings and how each of the characters interacts with others in an honourable or dishonourable manner we can create quite a list.
Everyman wrote: "Peter wrote: "Chapter 40 brings the coldness of Dombey back again in force. "... I am to be deferred to and obeyed." "He can say it. But can he enforce it?"
Everyman
To horribly mix metaphors and stories I think emperor Dombey will soon discover he has no clothes and fall off his wall of self-created ego and entitlement. Who will be there to put Humpty Dombey back together again?
In "honour" of her death, here is an extra illustration of Mrs Skewton:
Portrait of Mrs Skewton
Phiz (Hablot K. Browne)
1848
From a series of separately published etchings
Dickens's Dombey and Son
As I was looking for the illustrations this week I came across this:"Phiz and Emblematic Detail
In the background of many of the Phiz illustrations of Dickens' novels the illustrator introduces details that help to interpret what is happening in the story. Some of these emblematic details are rather obvious and some are more subtle. Michael Steig, in his book Dickens and Phiz, argues effectively that, although Dickens gave detailed instructions as to the content of the illustrations, many of the emblematic details in the illustrations were added by Phiz on his own."
"As you read Dickens' novels illustrated by Phiz look for these clues to the story in the incidental items that may seem like background decorations."
Now one of the illustrations given for us to look for clues in is the illustration from Chapter 39 "The Midshipman being boarded by the enemy". I'm not seeing the clues, are you? Here it is again:
Peter wrote: "To horribly mix metaphors and stories I think emperor Dombey will soon discover he has no clothes and fall off his wall of self-created ego and entitlement. Who will be there to put Humpty Dombey back together again?"
I don't know that I have ever before read two sentences with so many disparate (and at times inconsistent) references.
Everyman wrote: "Peter wrote: "To horribly mix metaphors and stories I think emperor Dombey will soon discover he has no clothes and fall off his wall of self-created ego and entitlement. Who will be there to put H..."It must be all the rain and wind ...
Kim wrote: "As I was looking for the illustrations this week I came across this:"Phiz and Emblematic Detail
In the background of many of the Phiz illustrations of Dickens' novels the illustrator introduces ..."
This seems like a good book to own. Perhaps Santa will read this post.
Kim wrote: "As I was looking for the illustrations this week I came across this:"Phiz and Emblematic Detail
In the background of many of the Phiz illustrations of Dickens' novels the illustrator introduces ..."
I am looking, and have enlarged the illustration on my iPad, but confess to being stumped. The overturned bottle on the table seems a likely suspect as do the hyperactive children, but no bells are ringing clearly.
Kim wrote: "In "honour" of her death, here is an extra illustration of Mrs Skewton:Portrait of Mrs Skewton
Phiz (Hablot K. Browne)
1848
Thanks a lot, Kim! I have never seen this illustration before, and I did not even know that Phiz made some extra illustrations at all.
From a series of separately published etchings
Dickens's Dombey ..."
Hmmmmm, that's an interesting point, Kim, that Phiz put emblematic details into some of his illustrations. I am not so sure whether these were always meant to foreshadow some of the action - as in the instance you give with regard to MC - or whether they might also serve to give some tongue-in-cheek comment on the action itself. In case that the latter might also be true, I would like to point out the inscription of the painting on the wall on Mrs. Mac Stinger's right. The inscription reads "Medusa" and refers to the ship in the painting, but it might also be seen as a very acrimonious comment on Mrs. Mac Stinger's character if we take it as referring to Gorgo Medusa, a very self-assertive monster from Greek mythology, who has the shape of a woman whose hair is a bunch of snakes and whose stare is so adamant and dreadful that it turns everyone who looks into her face into stone.That is the only interpretation I can come up with here.
Tristram wrote: "Hmmmmm, that's an interesting point, Kim, that Phiz put emblematic details into some of his illustrations. I am not so sure whether these were always meant to foreshadow some of the action - as in ..."Tristram
Your logic makes perfect sense to me. Mrs. MacStinger is certainly a mythical figure of terror and fright for the Captain.
Tristram wrote: "Hmmmmm, that's an interesting point, Kim, that Phiz put emblematic details into some of his illustrations. I am not so sure whether these were always meant to foreshadow some of the action - as in ..."I can hardly believe you can see all that at all. You still have very good eyesight...for a man of your age. :-}
As I forge on ahead with this week's reading, I realized that I forgot to post about last week's section.Very nice summary, Tristram. Poor Captain Cuttle! All his friends have gone and he is left with the empty feeling of the death of good ol' Sols and his young Walter. I was surprised at the sudden appearance of Mrs. MacStinger. Tristram, I like your comparison of her to Medusa, all those snakes slithering about looking to snap out at anyone close by and Captain Cuttle recoiling in anticipation of being struck.
The exchange between Mr. Dombey and Edith was tense, to say the least. And yet Mr. Dombey is still so full of his own pride and self-importance to think that what he says to Edith, takes her to heart. I foresee some breakup of relations between Edith and Florence, once he finds out that she is still in total defiance of him.
The meeting of Edith and Florence with Alice and Mrs. Brown was eerie, and at first I could not figure out who the two figures were coming towards Edith and Florence. I thought that was a great scene.
As for the illustrations, I'm always squinting at the copies in my book to try and figure out the details. In the Mrs. MacStinger illustration, I was struck by how one of her children, who is holding onto Captain Cuttle's coattails, looks just like a mi nature old woman and not like a young child at all.
Linda wrote: " I was surprised at the sudden appearance of Mrs. MacStinger. Tristram, I like your comparison of her to Medusa, all those snakes slithering about looking to snap out at anyone close by and Captain Cuttle recoiling in anticipation of being struck. "I actually kind of like her. She seems to care about Cuttle. She may be a bit sharp, but it's sharp in a caring way.
Everyman wrote: "I actually kind of like her. She seems to care about Cuttle. She may be a bit sharp, but it's sharp in a caring way."Yes, she does seem caring. I liked how she asked Captain Cuttle when he was "coming home", which indicates she has some place in her heart for the captain and that she has been missing him all this time. I think the Medusa comparison is in how Captain Cuttle himself views her, which I never quite understood. It seemed that he was always a good, considerate lodger and I never saw any reason for him to fear her. So maybe my wording was wrong in saying she could "snap out at anyone...".
Kim wrote: "I can hardly believe you can see all that at all. You still have very good eyesight...for a man of your age. :-}"My book has the illustrations, and I looked so hard as to make the paper rustle, and finally I spotted the inscription.
A man my age, indeed! I sometimes feel like someone from the last century who has not quite made it into the present. The other day when I was at a jeweller's - owing to the season -, the lady told me she would send me an SMS when my order would be ready, and I looked at her with dismay, telling her, "Good lady, I am afraid I do not have an SMS-reader, or whatever you need." She looked very surprised and explained to me that all I needed was a mobile.
I have got a mobile but have never written any text messages. On checking at home with the help of my wife, I found that in the course of the years I had received quite a few.
Everyman wrote: "Linda wrote: " I was surprised at the sudden appearance of Mrs. MacStinger. Tristram, I like your comparison of her to Medusa, all those snakes slithering about looking to snap out at anyone close ..."She may be sharp in a caring way, but I think it is the kind of care no-one would like to endure for long. ;-)
As to Captain Cuttle's "coming home", that was quite touching - but somehow Mrs. Mac Stinger (probably under the guidance of Captain Bunsby)seems to have given up the idea of providing a home for Cuttle. After all, the Captain's luggage was sent to the Midshipman quite soon.
Tristram wrote: " "Good lady, I am afraid I do not have an SMS-reader, or whatever you need." She looked very surprised and explained to me that all I needed was a mobile.I have got a mobile but have never written any text messages. On checking at home with the help of my wife, I found that in the course of the years I had received quite a few."
Too funny, Tristram!! Well, I don't think I am "old" quite yet, but I am probably behind the times because when I read your post I didn't know what an "SMS" was, until you mentioned "text message". :) My 8 year-old flip phone is on its last legs so I need to order another one. And I say "order" because apparently they don't have them in-store anymore since everyone pretty much buys the smartphones now, I guess. But all I need is a phone that makes calls and sends an occasional text, so that is what I will be looking to get.
Linda,I think SMS just sounded unfamiliar to you because most native English speakers would say "text message". In Germany the expression "SMS" is the most common one.
Actually, I just have a mobile because my wife made me.
Tristram wrote: "Actually, I just have a mobile because my wife made me. "
Tristram -- henpecked husband?????
No, Everyman, just a lucky man, whose wife is always right ;-)
Since this has gravitated onto mobile phones, I will just point out that my husband has one which predates what you call "flip" phones (clamshell phones?). It was a castoff from his niece more years ago than I care to remember, and has little buttons which you press ... I obtained my first mobile phone a mere few months ago, under protest, and it is a very basic clamshell one with no internet access or anything. I might have used the actual phone 5 or 6 times - I can never remember how - though I have sent a few correctly spelled and punctuated texts.
But I do love my ereaders :) (I still don't use them for internet access though!)
My husband has the flip phone. He has no idea how to send a text or check his messages or voice mail. Every now and then when I see his phone laying around I "flip" it open and check for messages then usually delete them since they often are weeks old and the sender has long since just called me. :-)
He'd fit in well in our house Kim ;)
here we go again!
In Chapter 39, we have further knowledge on how Captain Cuttle is faring: Meanwhile, a year has passed since Sol Gills has left London, and it is time for the Captain to open the letter and the will that Sol entrusted him with. As a very judicious and conscientious person, Captain Cuttle does this in the presence of the eminent "mahogany" philosopher Captain Bunsby, and he finds that Sol has left for the West Indies, in search of his nephew. Alas! it seems that neither of the two will ever return to the Midshipman again, and that the last bottle of Madeira will never be opened. The Captain is also left by his last companion, Rob the Grinder, who gives him notice because he has found some other prospect opening to him. On the other hand, there is Mr. Toots, who offers to come around from time to time, but the Captain is still very careful as to making new acquaintances because he fears that he will somehow get Florence into trouble doing this.
Suddenly Mrs. Mac Stinger turns up, out of the blue, but lo! Captain Bunsby seems to have a way with adamant women like her. Who would have thought it? And what will happen to Captain Bunsby? And what will Captain Cuttle make of his new freedom now that every single one of his friends has gone away?
In Chapter 40, we witness Mr. Dombey having it out with his extravagant, "ungrateful" (as it seems to him) wife. Dombey here makes it clear that he has bought Edith, and that he expects her to function according to his behests. Her pride is somewhat checked by consideration for Florence, and the self-important man does not notice this, but thinks he has finally proved his ascendency over her.
The most dramatic moment, though, is the chance meeting between Mrs. Skewton and Edith with Alice and her mother. Strangely (or not so strangley), Mrs. Skewton finds her own lot reflected in that of Mrs. Brown, who complains of having done so much for her own daughter and of being treated most ungratefully by her.
In Chapter 41, we once again visit the Blimber school, where some changes might happen soon: Mr. Feeder is about to make up his mind to propose to Cornelia and he also hopes that the Doctor will retire and leave the management of the school to him.
Poor Mr. Toots is about to declare his love to Florence, who mercifully cuts him short but leaves him devastated all the same. At least she spares him the humiliation. There is a very touching passage when Toots comes to realize that he is somehow "addle-brained" and what kind of person he could have been if things had gone a different way.
Dickens again invokes the sea imaginary, the omen of change and, most notably, of death. This time, it is Mrs. Skewton, who finally succumbs to her illness. Her death may remind the Major of his own mortality, but the military gentleman fends off such inklings by saying that Mrs. Skewton never wrapped herself up properly. Cousin Feenix, too, for a very short moment thinks about death, but then reverts to his shallow social chatter.
With Mrs. Skewton gone, and the tensions between Dombey and Edith running high, will this marriage finally shipwreck?