Our Mutual Friend in Reading the Classics

May 28, 2024 Drkshadow03 rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: western-canon, books-read-in-2024, democratic-age, books-i-own-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. “‘When I came to England, attracted to the country with which I had none but most miserable associations, by the accounts of my fine inheritance that found me abroad, I came back, shrinking from my father’s money, shrinking from my father’s memory, mistrustful of being forced on a mercenary wife, mistrustful of my father’s intention in thrusting that marriage on me, mistrustful that I was already growing avaricious, mistrustful that I was slackening in gratitude to the two dear noble honest frie “‘When I came to England, attracted to the country with which I had none but most miserable associations, by the accounts of my fine inheritance that found me abroad, I came back, shrinking from my father’s money, shrinking from my father’s memory, mistrustful of being forced on a mercenary wife, mistrustful of my father’s intention in thrusting that marriage on me, mistrustful that I was already growing avaricious, mistrustful that I was slackening in gratitude to the two dear noble honest friends who had made the only sunlight in my childish life or that of my heartbroken sister. I came back, timid, divided in my mind, afraid of myself and everybody here, knowing of nothing but wretchedness that my father’s wealth had ever brought about. Now, stop, and so far think it out, John Harmon. Is that so? That is exactly so. (A Solo and Duet, 346).”

Before he can marry the beautiful and mercenary Bella Wilfer to claim his fortune, John Harmon is found dead at sea. Murdered! Instead the two servants, Mr and Mrs Boffin inherit the vast fortune and spend it helping needy orphans, hiring an unscrupulous literary man to read named Silas Wegg to read to then at night, and they take as a companion John Harmon’s intended bride, Bella Wilfer, to help her find a suitable marriage now that John is dead. The unsavory and dishonest Rogue Riderhood falsely accuses his former partner, John Hexam, of committing the murder in order to claim the reward for possessing information. However, all is not what it seems as John Harmon has not been murdered at all. Under the guise of John Rokesmith he tests Bella to see if she is only interested in the money or is really a good person who would sacrifice potential wealth and marry Rokesmith for love. The Boffins soon discover Rokesmith’s true identity and join in the ruse, while Silas Wegg finds another copy of the Harmon will and attempts to blackmail Boffin for his wealth. Meanwhile, the two lawyers handling the Harmon murder named Eugene Wayburn and Mortimer Lightwood find themselves embroiled in their own troubles. Eugene falls in love with Lizzie Hexam the daughter of the unfortunate John Hexam who is falsely accused of the Harmon murder and killed himself, but class difference prevent them from being together and he has a rival in the jealous schoolmaster, Bradley Headstone, whose jealousy brings him to attempt to kill his rival. All of this happens while society represented in figures like John Podsnap sits and passes judgement on the poor of society and the events transpiring.

Dickens calls our attention to the corrupting power of greed. John Harmon under the guise of Mr Rokesmith laments the misery, sadness, and despair money has brought in his life. As the quote at the beginning suggests he fears the sort of person he might become from greed and wealth. He adopts his disguise as Rokesmith not only to test Bella, but to protect himself from potential corruption that acquiring wealth might bring. Meanwhile, Bella who grew up relatively poor cannot imagine living without fortune, and decides she wants to make a mercenary marriage when at first she was skeptical. It seems she becomes the very thing John Harmon fears once she gets a taste of a wealthy lifestyle. Riderhood falsely accuses his former partner Hexam of murder in order to collect the reward, despite not having any real evidence, showing that less scrupulous people will lie and bear false witness to acquire wealth. The Lammles present a comical take on a wealth. Alfred and Sophronia Lammle both end up marrying each other as fortune hunters under the false belief that the other is rich; they then work together as a married couple to connive people out of money. The rich of society only attend the Veneerings to talk to each other and eat at the Veneerings’ expense, but drop them quickly
once they go bankrupt. At the same time, through the impoverished character of Betty Higden who fears she will lose her independence and live the end of her days in the misery of a workhouse Dickens expose the plight of the poor. He also shows how the upper classes have false notions about the poor through Podsnaps commentary on them and England.

Dickens uses these critiques of wealth to expand a theme that can be found throughout all his novels: the importance of virtue. Ultimately Bella resists the temptation of wealth to marry John Rokesmith, feeling the desire to defend his character when insulted by Mr Boffin (who is acting as a test). Bella demonstrates she is a virtuous person. Likewise, John Rokesmith demonstrates his virtue and good qualities without wealth, understanding that whole wealth can be nice it needs to be guided by virtue. This stands in contrast with morally corrupt characters like Silas Wegg, Rogue Riderhood, and Bardeoy Headstone who manipulate, blackmail, and even perform violence to get what they want.

Mr Riah is Dickens attempt to atone for his antisemitic depictions of Fagin in Oliver Twist. The dishonest Fledgeby spouts antisemitic slurs and accusation against Mr Riah and uses him as smokescreen for his own bad behavior, knowing Christians will rely on these stereotypes they hold about Jews to judge Mr Riah and protect Fledgeby. The reader sees Mr Riah is a caring and virtuous man who helps Lizzie Hexam and is forced to work for Fledgeby out of necessity. Dickens offers a good understanding of the unjust workings of antisemitism when Mr Riah points out his regrets for working for the unscrupulous Fledgeby, noting that any perceived bad action he performs will be used to judge every Jew everywhere while other ethnic groups are judge as individuals. Dickens ties this to his theme of the corrupting influence of wealth (in the form of Fledgeby ruining characters through their debts) and virtue (as the reader sees Mr Riah is virtuous, but is often judged poorly by others for being Jewish and doing Fledgeby’s dirty work so Fledgeby isn’t the one judged).

If Dickens revisits many of his old themes and stock figures with complexity and maturity, it lacks the earlier punch and originality of his best novels. While the book was good, none of the characters felt as interesting as his best characters from his earlier novels. ...more

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Aug 27, 2019 Tango rated it really liked it

Whilst not my favourite Dickens novel, this still has much to recommend it. The social commentary is clear - money corrupts, “Society” is superficial and the poor are badly treated. The plot follows many threads, lightly connected by the central storyline of the death of John Harmon, some of which were more enjoyable than others. Although the resolution was definitely satisfying. I didn’t find this as humorous as some of his other novels but Jenny Wren, the Doll’s Dressmaker is destined to becom ...more

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Jun 02, 2015 Livinginthecastle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It took me awhile, but I decided to read this book because one my favourite TV period dramas was based on it and it was pretty faithful. I love the two opposing stories and how it all fits together, and the villains of the piece are unusually complex for Dickens. Well worth the effort of getting through some of the more meandering and lecturing passages.

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