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Martin Chuzzlewit 1: Chapter 1 - 10
Oh, my goodness! I love falling into the Dickensian prose again. I loved the humor in this chapter and was laughing at the description of the sisters--"Moderately buxom was her shape, and quite womanly too; but sometimes--yes, sometimes--she even wore a pinafore; and how charming that was!" (22-23). This is the verbal equivalent of an eyeroll! "To behold each damsel, in her very admiration of her sister, setting up for business for herself on an entirely different principle, and announcing no connexion with over-the-way, and if the quality of goods at that establishment don't please you, you are respectfully invited to favor me with a call!" (23).
I do wonder at the scheme Pecksniff must have for his next victim. What does he have in mind that allows him to forgo the premium he usually charges his students? They are all grinning like Cheshire cats as he pontificates on the gratification of helping "the needy as they go" (26) and this has my spidey senses tingling!
I loved the opening of this chapter with the wind and the leaves, the leaves begin to have a life of their own and I was happy to follow them into the house only to, along with the wind, upend Mr. Pecksniff! I already find him odious in this first sketch of the man and his behavior towards others. I wonder how long he has been a widower and had influence over his daughters who have seemed to affected his condescension towards others along with a lack of moral scruples. Another family who takes advantage of others as we saw in Nicholas Nickleby I did not know there actually was a word that came from the Pecksniff name!! What a tidbit to learn!!!
I'm glad Plateresca mentioned the cinematic quality of the opening paragraphs of chapter two. It is one of the best examples I have seen of Dickens using visual perspectives that later influenced early film techniques. If a person who was raised on watching films wrote that opening, it would be impressive, but when I see Dickens employ these visual perspectives using only his imagination as a source is fascinating to me. The opening begins with an establishing visual of the sun late in the day, late in the year, then quickly shows a series of different closer cropped visuals of grass, hedges, stream reflecting the light from this late sun. The sun sets and we get a similar series of cropped images of visuals associated with the village forge at night--the fire, sparks generated by hammers on metal, the light reflecting off metal of the forge. Both the day and night scenes would be filmed using montage or quick cuts between each visual and hence we would develop a narrative from those visuals. But Dickens has done it first by generating these visuals with prose. Dickens follows this with a tracking perspective as he focuses on objects being disturbed by wind and finishes following a cluster of leaves being blown around town till the wind knocks down Pecksniff.The beginning evokes atmosphere, stimulates us, but I most love how he starts a narrative with this writing. I do not suggest he was alone in writing prose that was later used as a model by filmmakers but he certainly was expert at using these visual perspectives at a time when there was no real blueprint. I find it fascinating and worth more than one look. Thanks Plateresca for pointing this out.
And thanks for detailed summary. I get caught up in style and sometimes lose track of story, so this is helpful for me in checking that I'm reading the same book as everyone else.
I too enjoyed the description of the actions of the wind in the village, so personal that it served to introduce us to the Pecksniff household. And that name—I envision a rooster and two chickens scrambling around a yard after grains to eat. An image struck me at the forge also when Dickens wrote of the hearth and a cricket in the same sentence. Had he written that Christmas story yet when he wrote MC? One more thing struck me: Pecksniff sneezed and his daughter recognized his “voice.” Must be a very distinctive sneeze since he isn’t said to have spoken. Dickens poking fun before he begins the harder satire perhaps.
As others have mentioned, I too loved Dickens' opening segment with the wind and the leaves... how the wind hunted down the scared leaves then hurried away rejoicing at the mayhem it had caused among them. Just brilliant!When I start a new Dickens novel, his characters always seem to remind me of other Dickens characters. In this one, Mr. Pecksniff's school business model reminds me of Wackford Squeers' in NN - charging far more for tuition than the students got back in return - (although they obviously have very different temperaments). And the sweet Mr. Pinch reminds me of the maltreatment of the self-effacing Newman Noggs, also in NN. These two similarities don't bode well for my future estimation of Pecksniff.
Reading this chapter felt like coming home to the familiar voice of Charles Dickens :-) I am in the not-a-fan-camp for the first chapter. That being said, when I got to John Westlock's wonderful tirade to Tom Pinch about Pecksniff -- which was done in a tongue-and-cheek or hear what I'm saying but think the opposite manner -- I had the same thoughts as Jean about the first chapter. Which is to say, I see now how it prepares the reader for the satiric writing that will come.I absolutely LOVE Pecksniff's hair that stands straight up! You know, because he such a "stand-up guy" (said dripping with sarcasm).
I hope we get to see more of John Westlock. Did anyone notice how he also seems to be using Tom Pinch? Its a little thing, but as they are walking to wait for the post, John interrupts Tom's sentence to tell him to "switch hands first, for the box is heavy". Which made me think, then why don't you carry it John?
I do like Tom Pinch. His good nature, naivete and resilience remind me of Smike in Nicholas Nickleby. I hope Dickens has a better fate planned out for Tom. Love his name too - he's the kind of person one would go to "in a Pinch", was my first thought about him.
All in all, I'm so happy to be reading Dickens again. I'm wondering though about the Chuzzlewits. We've had two chapters now and not a Chuzzlewit in site yet.
Bridget wrote: "Did anyone notice how he also seems to be using Tom Pinch? Its a little thing, but as they are walking to wait for the post, John interrupts Tom's sentence to tell him to "switch hands first, for the box is heavy". Which made me think, then why don't you carry it John?..."I think they are carrying the box between them, probably by handles or straps on the sides. I believe they switch sides so that their alternate hands can take over. If they just switched hands, they'd be walking in the wrong direction! I could be wrong, but that is how I interpreted it.
Thanks Cindy I like that!! that makes sense.
As John Westlock parted company with Pecksniff accusing him of grossly overcharging tuition "premium" for education of dubious worth, I was put into mind of Wackford Squeers of NICHOLAS NICKLEBY fame! Anyone else?
Plateresca wrote: "Luffy, I agree, this is a dynamic chapter, with scenes flowing one into another. And we've mentioned the cinematic quality of Dickens's writing earlier, remember? I think it's very interesting how..."
Well Plateresca, I saw part of the TV adaptation of MC, with the late Tom Wilkinson as Pecksniff, and the scenes were kind of like what you alluded to.
Paul wrote: "As John Westlock parted company with Pecksniff accusing him of grossly overcharging tuition "premium" for education of dubious worth, I was put into mind of Wackford Squeers of NICHOLAS NICKLEBY fa..."Yes, I too kept thinking of Wackford Squeers, and had to work a little to push him out of my mind so Pecksniff could develop on his own!
I agree with everyone about the atmospheric opening. It took me a little bit to warm up to, or get used to Dickens' style after that, but as usual, he gets our minds spinning all kinds of possibilities, and we've only met a few characters so far! I just love imagining him coming up with the name Pecksniff. :-)
Plateresca, thanks so much for the guidance in the summary of the chapters and notes, helping us along. I just jumped into today and wanted to get a better grasp of the content of everything, so this definitely helped!
Kathleen wrote: "Yes, I too kept thinking of Wackford Squeers, and had to work a little to push him out of my mind so Pecksniff could develop on his own!"In fact, for me it went a good deal further than Pecksniff reminding me of Wackford Squeers. As Dickens described the Miss Pecksniffs grilling their father (with an obvious eye to increasing the heft of their purses) over what the premium for their new student would be, I couldn't help thinking of Fanny Squeers. AND, Pinch definitely seemed reminiscent of poor young Smike.
Sara wrote: "money is not the root of all evil; the love of money is the root of all evil."Exactly! Well noted, Sara!
Sara wrote: "He probably feels he is safe because he hasn't a great deal of money, but his love and avarice for it condemns him."
He is prosperous enough. I'm not sure, but my guess is, he doesn't really consider the message of these words, just saying whatever comes into his head that sounds vaguely moralistic. I mean, how is this even applicable to John? I suppose Mr Pecksniff would majestically refuse to explain :)
Cindy, well noted, too. We don't know what the plan is, but we are given to understand that there is a plan.
Chris, I don't think it's ever explained in the book how long Mr Pecksniff has been a widower, but it seems that his daughters have no recollection of their mother, so I suppose she died when they were little. Anyway, you're quite correct in that they do seem to have taken after their father.
The word 'Pecksniffian' was first used by Charles Dickens in this very novel, analogous to 'Podsnappery' in 'Our Mutual Friend'. There's also another name that became quite well-known after this novel, but we haven't met that character yet :)
Sam, thank you for explaining the cinematic perspective! This is, indeed, fascinating.
Sue, you've touched on many interesting topics here.Re: the oral connotations of Pecksniff's name:
'The first half suggests a bite at food or a grudging kiss, and the second half, moral disapprobation sounded through the nose' (Welsh, 'From Copyright to Copperfield: The Identity of Dickens').
'The Cricket on the Hearth' was published a bit later, in 1845, but you're absolutely correct that crickets had a special meaning for Charles Dickens. You will remember that he also wanted to name his periodical 'The Cricket' at one point.
(And, of course, the village forge is not without meaning for a Dickens fan! As a matter of fact, there's a minor character called Pip in this novel).
Shirley, brilliant observations about Squeers!
'Given the climate of opinion that prevailed when Dickens was composing MC, architecture was as natural a choice of career for Pecksniff as schoolmastering had been for Squeers five years earlier.' (Metz).
And I see that Paul and Kathleen of roses have noted this, too! Bravo!
Bridget, my understanding is, Tom and John are carrying the box together because it's too heavy for John to carry on his own, and when he asks Tom to switch hands, he might actually be thinking about Tom's convenience.
Yes, just like Cindy says :)
Re: Tom Pinch, the chapter about him in Sylvère Monod's book is called 'The Salt of Pinch', so there's also another allusion: a pinch of salt—salt of the earth.
And, exactly, we have not yet met our protagonist!
Luffy, thank you for this info! Did you like that adaptation?
Franky, you're welcome! And thank you for saying this. I'm really glad that my notes are helpful.
PecksniffJean has mentioned the word 'hypocrite'; we shall see she might not be the only one to think so, but I agree with Sylvère Monod here: 'Hypocrisy is not the sum total of Pecksniff's personality.'
Peter said: 'Pecksniff’s self-love is only outdone by his self-deception of the true nature of his character.'
Again, I'd like to quote Sylvère Monod: '<...> does Pecksniff see through himself, or does he take himself in? In other words, is he a sincere or even an honest hypocrite, or does he practise hypocrisy deliberately all the time?'
He then quotes the passage where Mr Pecksniff is addressing his daughters ('There is disinterestedness in the world, I hope?'), and proceeds:
'His 'Umph!' is intended to give the lie to the literal meaning of his words and to imply that he will find financial advantage in the transaction he contemplates. That is perfectly understood by the daughters, and the glance they exchange registers that understanding. Thus there seems to be double-dealing, if not within Pecksniff's breast, certainly within his family circle.'
That's an interesting question, regardless of whether we agree with Monod or not.
I enjoyed that Cindy used the word 'victim' to mention Pecksniff's new pupil; that would make Pecksniff a predator, and we shall see if this applies.
Chris called him odious...
*Sigh* Fellow readers, you do not know the whole truth about Mr Pecksniff yet :)
Which is why I will limit my comments on this character for now to another quote from Sylvère Monod:
'The first portrait of Pecksniff is given in chapter II: 'Mr. Pecksniff was a moral man: a grave man, a man of noble sentiments, and speech' <...> and much more to the same effect. In this early example the irony is perhaps exceptionally fine, in that the word sentiments could be taken to imply a modicum of sincerity if it had not been coupled with speech; coupled with speech as they in fact are, Pecksniff's sentiments can only be phrases or formulas. The irony to which he is constantly exposed will soon enough be understood by the reader <...>.'
Thank you for all of your comments! You've made many very smart observations. Also, thank you for thanking me for my notes, it really is nice to know that you find my posts useful. And also, I'm happy that many of you have enjoyed this chapter, as I liked it a lot, too :)Any further thoughts about the first two chapters are still welcome, of course!
But in the meantime, we shall open the third chapter...
Chapter 3 SummaryChapter 2 mentioned the village ale-house called 'The Blue Dragon'. After a fanciful description of the sign with the dragon, we are told that an old gentleman and a young lady have to stop at this inn because the gentleman had suddenly become ill while they were travelling in a carriage.
The gentleman is obviously in a lot of pain, but does not want to have a doctor sent for. The landlady is terrified and still wants to send for somebody, upon her own responsibility; but there is no doctor in the village, the apothecary she sends for is absent, so she sends for Mr Pecksniff, because he is 'a learned man'.
In two hours, the gentleman is somewhat better, and starts writing something. The mistress of 'The Blue Dragon' is sitting in his room with the young lady. This mistress is a good-looking widow, and she's proud of her establishment. The young lady is very young, but she's tending to the sick gentleman with much self-possession. She looks like a lady, but her clothes are very plain. Her name is Mary, the elderly gentleman is called Martin, and the landlady's name is Mrs Lupin. The landlady tries to ascertain the relationship between the two travellers, but all she can get is that they're not relatives; to her, it looks like they might be having an affair. Martin is petulant; Mrs Lupin tries to make small talk and cheer everybody up, but Martin becomes suspicious of her.
Martin Chuzzlewit Suspects the Landlady Without Any Reason, by Phiz
From the Victorian Web, scanned by Philip V. Allingham
Martin burns what he has just written and says he's going to try to sleep. Mrs Lupin is very curious, but she has to leave. By this time, Mr Pecksniff arrives. She tells him about her curious visitors, and he repeats what she says in such a manner that it seems as if he's actually saying something wise.
Mr Pecksniff goes to see the visitors and recognises the old man as Martin Chuzzlewit. It seems they are cousins, but Pecksniff declares he's not going to 'court or flatter' Martin, and asks to be treated as a stranger. He asks Mrs Lupin and Mary to withdraw, so that he can talk to Martin. Martin explains that he's rich, but that it is a burden to him. He is ready (or at least he says so) to transfer the money to a worthy heir, but he doesn't want the money to go to somebody unworthy, and he's mistrustful of everybody. He has found some fault with everybody he knows and is now avoiding his friends and family. Mary, it turns out, is an orphan whom Martin has educated to be his companion. She receives from him an annual allowance; and this is the only person he can call a friend.
Pecksniff says that Martin 'must provide' for his young grandson, also called Martin. At this, old Martin suspects some plot on the part of that grandson. We learn that what he wrote and destroyed was a will.
Old Martin and Mary, by Sol Eytinge, Jr., 1867
From the Victorian Web, scanned by Philip V. Allingham
'Universal self!' "Dickens's scornful use of this phrase would have registered with his contemporaries, steeped in the principles of 'enlightened self-interest' promulgated by Adam Smith, Jeremy Bentham, David Ricardo and other utilitarian 'philosophers'. Political economy stressed the role of self-interest in driving human behaviour — viewing self-interest as a 'natural' state of affairs that should govern all arrangements affecting commerce, public administration and social relationships. Considerations of justice, mercy and charity were seen as irrelevant or counterproductive to the social welfare, and were replaced by attention to the laws of supply and demand and the pursuit of 'the greatest happiness for the greatest number'."
From 'The Companion to Martin Chuzzlewit' by Nancy Aycock Metz
This concludes the first instalment! Which means we have a free day tomorrow. How are you enjoying 'MC' so far? And anything else you'd like to share, please :)
Dickens keeps the reader as curious as the landlady about the identity of Mary and Martin, waiting until Mr Pecksniff recognizes him near the end of the chapter. Mary seems devoted to the old man, and I would like to know more about how she became his adopted daughter. I have a feeling that Mr Pecksniff is going to devise a way to part Martin Chuzzlewit from some of his money. Will his "concern" for the grandson turn into a suggestion that he become an architecture student?
It's sad that Martin Chuzzlewit has gone through his life feeling that no one values him for himself, and people only want his money. Other than Mary, he does not trust anyone.
Thank you for your great summaries, Plateresca!
Plateresca wrote: "This concludes the first instalment! Which means we have a free day tomorrow. How are you enjoying 'MC' so far? And anything else you'd like to share, please :)"I love MC from the first chapter I had read, years ago. Apart from A Christmas Carol, it is the only novel of Dickens that I've read more than once.
I love your notes and the Phiz illustrations.
The one image of Ch 3 that dwells most in my brain is Pecksniff being on tiptoe before the bed of MC. It seems as if he wants to be the bigger man, and perhaps posit the fact that this deceptively large frame houses a larger heart.
A brief comment. I will complete Chapter Two today. I loved meeting up with Pecksniff. It is one of my favorite names and I must admit that I loved the name without actually knowing it came from this novel. Forster said Pecksniff was based upon a writer that Dickens considered a snob and hypocrite.
Plateresca There are so many wonderful and insightful comments occurring. I thoroughly enjoy how the comments build and expand upon the clear introductions. I confess to having a special interest in Browne’s illustrations and (selfishly :-) ) hope they continue. Michael Steig and Allingham among others have offered us so much insight.
Looking at the Browne illustration for this chapter tells us much. In the illustration there are two distinct parts. On the right side of a heavy bed curtain is Martin Chuzzlewit and Mary. On the other side of the curtain is the Landlady. The thematic suggestions of separation and change are presented here. Martin Chuzzlewit is very ill; then he is not. We see paper and pen in Chuzzlewit's hand. We also see a lit candle. A will is written, and then burnt. We see Mary who is a rather protean character. Is she a daughter, a wife, a child, a servant of Chuzzlewit’s?
On the left side of the curtain we see the Landlady. Concerned for Chuzzlewit’s health she seeks help but the only person of skill or intelligence available is Pecksniff. It is the curtain that separates this tableau of people. If we look at the shape of the curtain it closely resembles that of an Angel with her arms spread. This shape is the dominant figure in the room. Is the Angel meant to separate the living Landlady from the man writing his will? I find the figure of the angelic curtain to be almost gothic in its presence in the room.
Connie, once again, very perspicacious comments. 'Other than Mary, he does not trust anyone.'
No, he doesn't, even if he meets somebody for the very first time. I imagine being the only person responsible for this old man must be a terrible burden for poor young Mary :(
Luffy, ooh, scary scene! Or maybe 'spidey', as Cindy has said.
John, yes, the character of Mr Pecksniff is considered to be based on a writer, journalist, and philanthropist Samuel Carter Hall; Tory minister Sir Robert Peel; and Molière's Tartuffe.
Metz: 'Dickens's caricature of Hall as Pecksniff was widely recognized at the time. According to contemporaries, Dickens hit off best the sanctimonious, moralizing style of Hall's conversation, his boastfulness and vanity <...>'.
I could add some more facts, if anybody is interested, but maybe we'd better learn a bit more about Mr Pecksniff first. Personally, I think that he might be more interesting than his prototypes, Tartuffe included. But I might be missing some point, so do tell me if you'd like to discuss something in particular.
For me, the funniest thing in all of this is that a newspaper compared Peel to Pecksniff's horse, but we have not yet met this noble animal :)
Peter, you're very welcome to analyze Browne's artwork!
By the way, nobody has yet commented on the objects in Mr Pecksniff's living room. A quote from Philip V. Allingham, the Victorian Web:
'The text mentions the furnishings of the room, particularly the bust and portrait of Pecksniff, as well as the "frizzled" hair of the younger Miss Pecksniff. But whereas Dickens describes the girl's hair in Chapter 2, he does not describe the Spiller portrait and Spoker bust until Chapter 5 in the second monthly part, so that these emblematic details may well have originated with Phiz. Indeed, Fred Barnard in the frontispiece to the 1872 Household Edition deemed these details so revealing of Pecksniff's egotism that he developed a scene in which the architect is admiring his own bust, as if regarding himself in a mirror.'
And:
'The poor box and pair of scales on the mantelpiece imply that the apparent benevolence and virtue of the Pecksniff trio is nicely calculated and hardly altruistic. A self-serving hypocrite in image as in letterpress, Pecksniff almost applauds himself as his finger-tips touch, supremely self-confident and unflappable, even when confronted by one who is quite undeceived: former pupil John Westlock, whose presence is implied only by the open door. The only Charity and Mercy, however, that Westlock encounters are the ironically named daughters.'
And yes, absolutely, Michael Steig's article "Martin Chuzzlewit's Progress by Dickens and Phiz" is the resource to consult if anybody else is interested in this artwork (maybe not before finishing the book, though ;)).
What you're saying about the 'angelic curtain' is very interesting, indeed.
I also see the contrast between the two ladies. They're both facing old Martin. One is plump, down-to-earth, and baffled; the other is elegant and sad. Mrs Lupin's pose is suggestive of mild remonstrance or protest; Mary's pose is suggestive of supplication. Old Martin is certainly suspicious, but he doesn't really look greedy or evil...
Okay, now I'm into the story. Pecksniff felt a little like a caricature to me in the last chapter, but now we have relationships and I'm invested. :-)I love the Phiz illustration. It shows so many wonderful details, and I wouldn't have noticed the angel image without Peter's great analysis--thank you! I like how Mrs. Lupin's face is open to us, where Mary's is partially hidden. She is still mysterious at this point. But what I like most is Martin's expression--so well done!
Plateresca, I so appreciate your summaries, and what you've explained about the "universal self," sending me off to read more about utilitarianism. Lots to think about as we read!
Mod
Yes indeed, and here is where I name him LINK HERE.
As you know, we often refer to John Forster's biography (which the group has read) first, as he is the only person who had the ear of Charles Dickens himself. It's usually a good basis; so I'm glad you repeated this, thank you 🙂
It is very early days to sum up Seth Pecksniff, as Plateresca indicated earlier today - but bearing one person in mind can help our reading interpretations. A similar case is when Charles Dickens savagely caricatured Leigh Hunt as the sponging character Harold Skimpole in Bleak House. We knew this very early on, as did the original readers, and it made it even more enjoyable, although also rather poignant. Poor man! Charles Dickens even satirised his friend John Forster himself in another novel we have read ... but I do not want to get too far off the point! Of course it does not mean that the character is a mirror image of the original; that rarely happens in fiction, does it?
Plateresca then added other possible influences for Pecksniff, according to later critics' theories, and there will doubtless be plenty of time to consider them when we know our "dear fond friend" Pecksniff better.
I should also mention Plateresca, your post beginning:
"Pecksniff - Jean has mentioned the word 'hypocrite'"
I've checked, and as I suspected it was when quoting John Forster's description of Dickens's original inspiration, rather than my view of Pecksniff; I don't want to preempt everyone's opinion. However since you mention it, at this stage, "hypocrite" is a good summing up, allied with the dictionary definition of Pecksniffian as "affecting benevolence or high moral principles". Later we can certainly consider wider critical views, when we have a basis for finer distinctions from our own reading of the text.
Another post ... yes Plateresca, I too like Pecksniff very much 😂 (sorry if that was not clear) - but in an open-mouthed appalled way! So far here he is introduced as a comic character, or as I said a "ludicrous figure of fun", with hints as to more ... But how glad I am that I do not know anyone like him in real life! 😆
(None of this requires an answer by the way - it's just hopefully a finer clarification of what I actually said 🙂)
EDIT - we cross-posted, so apologies for any repetition!
Mod
We've made a great start though, and all the signs are that we will have a great discussion! Enjoy the day off! 🙂
Peter, thank you for pointing out the angel. I love the illustrations and sometimes spend far too much time on them, I think. But, I never saw the image as anything other than an elaborate bed curtain until you pointed it out.How sad that Martin is such a cynic, always labeling his fellow man as someone after his money. In truth, this makes having real friends almost impossible and thus leaves him far more vulnerable to the predators he fears.
Nothing really to add to what everyone has commented on. I did enjoy the chapter as we are introduced to the titular character, and a couple of other new characters, each bringing a different approach to the situation they find themselves in and sets up many questions in this readers mind. Just what one needs to eagerly keep reading!Do I recall correctly that our breaks mirror when each part of the published part of the serial ends, thus getting a feel for how the public may have felt waiting for the next "chapter"?
Thank you for your kind words, everybody. You're very kind, and I do appreciate it :)Jean... Not a spoiler, but a complete off-topic: (view spoiler)
I agree with Sara and Kathleen of roses, Peter's analysis of Phiz's illustration is superb, and Peter is very welcome to be our art consultant :) and share more of his thoughts on the artwork for this novel.
Chris, you're absolutely right. Today is our break day because we've reached the end of the first instalment.
This is our schedule, so you can see when we'll have further breaks.
And as we've finished this first instalment, I wanted to say that I enjoyed how different the three chapters were in every aspect. I guess we're unsure what to expect next at this point, but I hope we're all interested enough to read on tomorrow :)
Plateresca, love that description of a Pecksniff, I have had some less than stellar bosses and perhaps some could fit the Pecksniffian bill. I think my first experience with that type of person was with Podsnap. I always kind of knew — perhaps innately — that anyone with names like these may not be the ones remembered kindly.My other comment: if there was no Chapter 1 and the novel began with Chapter 2, I daresay that things would have seemed fine as a reader. It Is not easy to say, but I tried to pretend, as I finished Chapter 2, that there was no Chapter 1. It seemed to work.
Two things about Chapter 3 stuck out for me immediately. We have an Inn, with, as usual, a lively name. And we have a ward. Both Inn and ward seem to me a consistent feature in the novels.
I love that I am able to add Pecksniffery to my vocab! I think it is still edged out by Podsnappery (something so catchy about that!) but it is still an excellent word.
Mod
I can’t help but wonder how a young girl has been taught to care for such an elderly man. It seems odd to me unless she is a nurse then she’d be qualified. I just get a different sense about this duo - how did it come about? Since she is not a relative, Mary has been hired to care for Martin. Maybe I’m looking in to too much but wondered if it would be unheard of for a male to be a companion or carer at this time? Martin seems to have family members with the mention of a grandson. So far I’m curious about what is in store!
Chapters 2 and 3 follow the same pattern: each begins with a lengthy description and essentially ends with a long, and somewhat contentious, discussion. Will chapter 4 follow the same pattern?
Lori, I have the same questions about Mary and her relationship to Martin. I’m sure Dickens has a lot of answers in store for us. For some reason, I had been anticipating that Martin would be a young man, maybe because so many of the titular characters in the Dickens’ novels I’ve read are, if not children, young men just starting out their adult lives. So this introduction was a little jarring for me. I have to reset expectations I wasn’t really aware I had.
John, I want to share two quotes from Arthur Quiller-Couch:'<...> the opening chapter of Martin Chuzzlewit, which I suppose to be about the sorriest piece of writing ever perpetrated by a great English writer <...>.'
&
'Who will deny that the American chapters of Martin Chuzzlewit are its best and, save for any given chapter upon which [a character we haven't yet met] knocks in, its most memorable?'
Since you seem to agree with the first statement, I wonder if you'll also agree with the second one :)
Metz says, 'the emblem of the dragon appeared frequently on inn signboards at this time, with or without the associated figure of St George'.
I love the description of the dragon, though, at the beginning of Chapter 3, and his depiction in the 'Tom Pinch at the Organ' (frontispiece) illustration :)
Cindy, those are nice words, but my favourite is, of course, 'Pickwickian' :)
Lori, I think that's right, and the fact that Mrs Lupin suspects a scandalous relationship between old Martin and Mary is further proof of the fact that Mary's position is ambiguous.
And with that, we open the second instalment and chapter 4...
Chapter 4 SummaryAlthough Mr Pecksniff asked old Martin Chuzzlewit to think of himself as a stranger, it seems he hoped the latter would do just the opposite, and he's waiting for an invitation from old Martin; but in vain. Pecksniff haunts the 'Dragon' and even listens at old Martin's door, so he knows that Martin talks to the mysterious young lady, although he refuses to speak to anybody else.
On one such occasion, Pecksniff finds somebody else listening at Martin's door. This new character is a somewhat shabby and not quite respectable gentleman, called, as we soon learn, Montague Tigg.
'And was straightway let down stairs', by Felix O. C. Darley
From the Victorian Web; image scanned by Philip V. Allingham.
Tigg is a close friend of somebody called Chevy Slyme, who is old Martin's nephew; Slyme soon joins them. He is no more respectable than Tigg. The two friends make it clear that they're interested in old Martin's money and that he ignores them, and that they're not happy about it; they also reveal that other relatives have got the intelligence of Martin's being at the 'Dragon' and are gathering here for the same purposes as those of these two friends. Pecksniff acts as if he's shocked by the 'rapacity' of those relatives. Tigg asks him for a loan on behalf of his dear friend, but Pecksniff refuses; they still part in a rather good-natured manner.
Pecksniff makes further inquiries and learns that Tigg's intelligence is correct. The relatives are besieging 'The Blue Dragon', but Martin resists their attacks and declines to have anything to do with any of them.
The Chuzzlewits are not at all friendly with each other, but they consider uniting against Mary, whom they all think of as their common enemy (they're all sure she has the same designs as they do, i.e., of somehow getting her hands on Martin's wealth). So they agree to hold a general council at Pecksniff's home.
Here's a list of everybody who is present at the gathering:
Mr Pecksniff and his two daughters, Charity and Mercy;
the Spottletoes, i.e. Mrs Spottletoe, Martin's niece, and her husband; Mr Spottletoe is bald and has huge whiskers, and Mrs Spottetoe is inclined to cry and moan;
Mr Anthony Chuzzlewit and his son Jonas; they both look wary and cunning;
Mrs Ned, 'a strong-minded woman', the widow of Martin's diseased brother, and her three spinster daughters;
old Martin's grand-nephew, 'very dark and very hairy';
a solitary female cousin; she's deaf;
George Chuzzlewit, 'a gay bachelor cousin'; 'inclined to corpulency';
Mr Chevy Slyme and his friend Tigg [the sleazy gentlemen whom we've met at the beginning of this chapter].
Pleasant Little Family Party at Mr. Pecksniff's, by Phiz
From the Victorian Web; image scanned by Philip V. Allingham.
Mr Pecksniff tries to address his audience, but he's not very successful, as everybody is always quarrelling. Anthony Chuzzlewit calls him a hypocrite. Mrs Spottlettloe starts crying, so her husband takes her away from the meeting.
Pecksniff proceeds with his agenda: is it possible to open Martin's eyes to what they all consider 'the very basest designs upon his weakness and his property' on the part of 'that young female', i.e., Mary?.. All the relatives feel strongly against Mary... But then another quarrel erupts, and as a result, Mrs Ned leaves with her daughters.
At this very moment, Mr Spottletoe comes back. He's clearly indignant and is accusing Pecksniff of something. It turns out that old Martin is gone, and nobody knows where. Everybody seems to believe Mr Spottletoe that Mr Pecksniff must have been in the know, and they all leave angry. The chapter ends with the observation that Mr Pecksniff knows they had hated him before no less than they do now...
Garbled 'Hamlet' quotes'that what's-his-name from which no thingumbob comes back': 'The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns'
'As Hamlet says, Hercules may lay about him with his club...': 'Let Hercules himself do what he may, The cat will mew and dog will have his day'.
Some notes from Nancy Aycock Metz's 'The Companion to Martin Chuzzlewit'
'Tigg's facial hair <...> accords well with his military-style coat and his general air of down-at-heel romanticism. Together, these signs mark him as a flamobyant but dubious character of uncertain social status. The code of appearance was clear on these points: 'A gentleman never affects military air or costume if he is not a military man... Nor does a gentleman ever wear a moustache, unless he belongs to one of the regiment of hussars <...>.'
Esquire
'In announcing the birth of his son Charles in the Portsmouth newspapers, John Dickens proudly styled himself 'Esq.' But the title was considered vulgar by many in the nineteenth century. Dickens himself wished to be represented as 'Plain Charles Dickens by all means', telling the painter W. P. Frith: 'I shrink with horror from the notion of Esquire'. The title originally applied to one who belonged to the higher order of English gentry, ranked immediately below a knight. Later, it was claimed as a title of courtesy by men (not in clerical orders or having any higher title of rank) who were regarded as 'gentlemen' on account of their birth, position or education.'
'A common ploy of people who were hard up was to say that their fathers had participated in the Peninuslar War'.
'has a right, an undoubted right...' (Pecksniff says this)
'The concept of laissez-faire was a cardinal assumption of the Manchester School economists, who supported non-interventionist government practices in matters of trade, in the relations between workers and employees, and in social-policy issues such as housing, sanitation and education.'
I have just noticed that I mistyped 'Slyme' as 'Slime' once, and so did Nancy Aycock Metz. I wonder why! %)So we meet some new characters in this chapter, and how do you like them? :)
I can understand now why Martin Chuzzlewit burns every will that he writes. Who would want to leave their money to that group of relatives? I guess we'll find out later if any of them have some redeeming qualities.
Plateresca wrote: "John, I want to share two quotes from Arthur Quiller-Couch:' the opening chapter of Martin Chuzzlewit, which I suppose to be about the sorriest piece of writing ever perpetrated b..."
Thanks for sharing that. Once in a while, independent confirmation of an observation is nice.
Mod
Plenty of critics agree with this John. Here's another which claims it a general view:
"He has put into the first chapter of the book, a chapter not generally admired and indeed for the most part very silly and worse than silly but filling a place, the character of the Chuzzlewit family as 'remarkable for taking uncommon good care of themselves'".
Geoffrey Russell, in the "Oxford Illustrated Dickens|" and also the "Centennial Heron Edition). He's not a major Dickensian scholar, but edited and compiled various works of Charles Dickens so had an overview of early criticism. Sadly I can't find his dates.
Mod
I love it when we can find an illustration by the American illustrator F.O.C Darley (1822–1888) as he only did a handful for Charles Dickens's novels, but they have a lovely photographic style.
They remind me of the beautiful monochromatic-shaded watercolour illustrations by Charles Green (1840–1898) who did far more, but of the shorter works such as the Christmas novellas.
Plateresca wrote: "I have just noticed that I mistyped 'Slyme' as 'Slime' once, and so did Nancy Aycock Metz. I wonder why! %)So we meet some new characters in this chapter, and how do you like them? :)"
Plateresca
Thank you for providing a list of all the new characters introduced in this chapter. I wrote them down in order to help myself now — and perhaps in the future — identify how they all interconnect with each other.. Chevy Slyme … is there a better name in all of Dickens to describe a person?
I took your list of character names and descriptions and had a long look at Browne’s illustration. What a wonderful perspective the reader is given. The group of people all face the viewer, and we as viewers gaze at them to assign a face to each name and description. Quite an exceptional way to integrate the illustration into the letterpress.
After reading about Pecksniff’s own chicanery in separating his students’ money from them, it is quite interesting to watch how Chuzzlewit’s relatives hover over him in hopes of getting some of his own estate. Money, and the ways to obtain it, seem to be an emerging theme in the early stages of the novel.
With the exception of Mary, and possibly the Landlady, have we met any character yet whose motives are honourable?
Connie, we will learn more about some of those relatives :)John and Jean, as Sylvère Monod aptly puts it, 'It is only too easy to collect unfavourable, often withering, opinions about it.' [I.e., the first chapter.]
On the other hand, among the defenders of this chapter were Angus Wilson; V S Pritchett; Steven Marcus; Alexander Welsh, and some others.
I guess this leaves us absolutely free to love or hate this chapter, as we wish; we are sure to find some respectable opinion in support of our own opinions :)
Peter, oh yes, I've enjoyed figuring out who's who in the illustration, too! As I'm sure contemporary readers also did. 'What larks!' :)
Re: honourable characters. Well, we know only good things about Tom Pinch, and know nothing bad about John Westlock :) There is hope! :)
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Books mentioned in this topic
Martin Chuzzlewit (other topics)Martin Chuzzlewit (other topics)
Martin Chuzzlewit (other topics)
Dickens and Phiz (other topics)
The Turn of the Screw (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Charles Dickens (other topics)Fred Barnard (other topics)
Hablot Knight Browne (other topics)
Robert William Buss (other topics)
Charles Dickens (other topics)
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I am in awe of how Dickens can give you an immediate view of his characters. You are hardly in their company a moment and you know just what to think of them, and often where their weaknesses lie. I am expecting to love Tom Pinch and I think John Westlock might prove to be a very observant and quick young man with a good nature...because he sees Pecksniff very accurately, but he is cognizant of Tom's feelings and careful not to hurt them.
The family is already quite humorous, but Tom's Grandmother is proof that Pecksniff is going to be one to watch. I thought it was ironic that he was moralizing about money after robbing an old woman of her life's savings. And, Pecksniff gets it wrong, as so many people do--money is not the root of all evil; the love of money is the root of all evil. He probably feels he is safe because he hasn't a great deal of money, but his love and avarice for it condemns him.