A Christmas Carol, Dickens' masterpiece, synopsis and commentary
I would like to introduce "A Christmas Carol" published by Dickens in 1843. I read "A Christmas Carol" translated by Hanako Muraoka in Shincho Bunko.
Let's take a quick look at the synopsis.
Old man Scrooge, a stingy, ruthless, misanthropic, and gruff ghost, is confronted on Christmas Eve by the ghost of old Murray, who is wrapped in a long chain. The next day he visits the homes of his acquaintances, accompanied by the first, second, and third ghosts, just as he had predicted. When shown the poor but warm-hearted people celebrating Christmas by the fireside and his own future, Scrooge, as expected, has a change of heart. ...... A Christmas gift of love and inspiration from a literary master.
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Perhaps the most well-known of Dickens' works, and perhaps the most familiar in modern times, is "A Christmas Carol.
The work is often familiar in venues other than novels, as it has been adapted into a film by Disney.
The novel is a little more than 180 pages in length, making it an easy read, and the storyline is clear and easy to follow.
Now, as mentioned in the synopsis, Old Man Scrooge, the main character in "A Christmas Carol," is quite a strong personality.
He is stingy, stubborn, mean-spirited, foul-mouthed, cold, and misanthropic.
He is a typical figure who is not liked by anyone and does not attract people.
This grandfather's characteristics are so distinctive that the term "someone like Grandpa Scrooge" has become established in the world.
In "A Christmas Carol," old Scrooge comes face to face with the ghost of his deceased business partner, Marley, on Christmas Eve.
The next day, as Marley predicted, Grandpa Scrooge meets three ghosts and reflects on his life. He is horrified by the consequences of his life.
Finally, the old Scrooge, stubborn and cold-hearted, had a change of heart and started a new life.
Now, about this "A Christmas Carol," Dickens scholar Keiko ShimadaThe Light and Darkness of Dickensian Literature."I quote from an interesting commentary in
Speaking of Christmas, it is well known that Dickens is the ‛Father Christmas' and is credited with bringing the traditional Christmas celebration of family reunion and joyous feasts back into English culture after the condemnation and injunction by the strict Calvinists The Dingle family in "Pickwick" is well known as the one who brought the traditional Christmas celebration of family reunion and joyous feasting back into English culture. The Dingley Dell Christmas feast in "Pickwick" and the Cratchit family Christmas dinner in "A Christmas Carol" are typical examples.
However, there is another important meaning to Christmas as portrayed by Dickens. It is the relationship between Christmas and the "death of redemption.
An example of this is most strongly demonstrated in A Christmas Carol. Scrooge sees "death" in a vision on Christmas Eve. It is the death of his childhood imagination and affections in the past, the death of his brothers and sisters in the present, the death of the lame tame boy in the future, and his own horrific death.
The death of Tim-Boy, which Scrooge saw in a vision, becomes the factor in his redemption, and Scrooge turns and is reborn as a completely new person on Christmas morning. When Scrooge is reborn, "I will live in the past, present, and future!" and repeats the vow, "I will live in the past, the present, and the future! This indicates that the new life given to Scrooge is timeless, "eternal," and that he has overcome "death" in the past, present, and future.
Like Tim Boy, children like Little Nell in "The Antique Shop," Dick in "Oliver Twist," Smike in "Nicholas Nickleby," and Paul Dombey in "Father and Son Dombey" are, in a sense, a kind of sacrifice, dying that we may live.
Thus, we see that the death of a child, a symbol of the innocent, the small, and the weak, is used as a kind of redemption. Christmas is the day when "the great Lord Himself was a child," Dickens emphasizes in A Christmas Carol.
Guided by the spirit of a future Christmas, Scrooge visits the Cratchit home, which is now silent and without Tim, and hears Peter reciting the words of the Bible - "And he took a little child and made him stand in the midst of them, and said, 'Take up thy son, and give him to me, and I will give him to thee, and I will be thy God. ......" This reading is interrupted by the tears of a mother who has lost Tim, but the reader is left with the continuation of the biblical words - "And he embraced it, and said, 'Take up a little child, and stand in the midst of them. Whoever receives one of these little ones in my name receives me (Mark 9.36-37) - quietly recalling the words of the Bible, and comparing Tim with the infant Christ.
Thus, for Dickens, Christmas is the day on which the Redeemer was born, who eventually died an atoning death on the cross to bring us to life, and he always associates the point of the event "Christmas" with the death of redemption and the "resurrection" of "eternal life.
Keiko Shimada, Sairyusha, "Darkness and Light in Dickens' Literature: Stories of People Fascinated by the Light that Illuminates Evil.P142-144
I had never heard of Dickens being called the "Christmas Father" in England. I was surprised to learn that Dickens was the one who revived the Christmas feast in England.
And as Dostoevsky called him "a great Christian," we learned from this commentary that the work actually contains a Christian message in abundance.
Impressions - From a Dostoevskyian Perspective
A Christmas Carol has no direct reference by Dostoevsky.
However, given the influence the work has had not only in England but throughout the world, it is likely that Dostoevsky would have read it as well.
Moreover, he even advised others to "read all of Dickens" for the sake of their children's education, so naturally, "A Christmas Carol" would be one of them.
Indeed, this work seems to be one of Dickens' best works for children's education.
The plot of a mean old man looking back on his cold way of life, restoring warmth to his heart, and regaining a happy life is very appealing.
Since Disney has made it into a film, there is no doubt that it is such a fascinating and significant story.
My sister also said that she wants to watch it every year when Christmas is near.
The story is so heartwarming that you will want to watch it over and over again.
Dostoevsky on the education of children,
Walter Scott is of high educational value. Please read all of Dickens without exception.
Kawade Shobo Shinsha, translated by Masao Yonekawa, Dostoevsky's Complete Works 18, under "Letters", p. 430
I think it is fair to say that.
It is also interesting to note that shortly after these words, Dostoevsky himself
I don't think that all of my work would be appropriate for your daughter.
Kawade Shobo Shinsha, translated by Masao Yonekawa, Dostoevsky's Complete Works 18, under "Letters", p. 430
He stated.
Dostoevsky says his work is not appropriate for children's education.
I don't know if this was said out of modesty or with real intent, but it is an interesting statement.
Dostoevsky himself loves Dickens and recommends his work for children's education because he appreciates his good plot.
However, Dostoevsky himself does not try to create such works.
Dostoevsky's style is very different from Dickens' wholesome, benign stories.
He depicts the chaos of the human world as if such a story is impossible for real people.
It is interesting to see these differences in style between Dickens and Dostoevsky because I have read Dickens' works.
The difference in style between Dickens and Dostoevsky is that Dickens was a world-renowned biographer of Zweig.The Three Masters.If you are interested in this book, please read it in detail.
Now, back to the story,
I respect it, but I don't write that kind of work."
If you want to read good works, read Dickens. My work is not appropriate for those who are looking for that."
Did Dostoevsky mean to say this? We cannot be sure from his words alone.
But it is true that Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" was indeed entertaining. I couldn't help but think that it is a work that continues to exert a tremendous influence throughout the world.
The above is a synopsis of Dickens' masterpiece "A Christmas Carol" - a work that has also been adapted for film by Disney! The above is a synopsis of Dickens' masterpiece, "A Christmas Carol," which was also made into a Disney film!
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