The culmination of Dickens! A synopsis and description of his late masterpiece, "The Great Inheritance"
I would like to introduce "The Great Inheritance" published by Dickens between 1860 and 1961. I read "The Great Inheritance" translated by Takuro Kagayama in Shincho Bunko.
Let's take a quick look at the synopsis on the back cover.
Pip, a young boy being raised by his kind blacksmith brother-in-law Joe, meets an escaped convict one Christmas Eve. The memory of being threatened and given a file to cut off his shackles, which he stole from home, remained strong in his mind. One day, when a lawyer from London suggests that he inherit someone else's vast estate, Pip leaves his poor but humane life behind and travels to the big city of London. ...... (Volume 1)
Pip arrives in London and lives a life of luxury in order to become a gentleman worthy of his heritage. Pip is at the mercy of the people around him, including Havisham, an elderly woman who lives in seclusion wearing a bridal gown; Estella, his adopted daughter, who is enchanting Pip; and Magwitch, a former escaped convict who has reappeared. Where does this perilous fate lead? This is a masterpiece by one of England's greatest writers, who depicts the tragic and joyous world of human affairs with biting humor and deep emotion. (2nd volume)
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This story is about a young boy, Pip, growing up. Pip, who lives a poor but humane life, suddenly falls in love with Estella, a rich young lady.
His love for Estella led to a yearning for a life of luxury, which eventually led Pip to abandon his life of poverty.
However, Pip, now rich from a mysterious inheritance, becomes embroiled in a series of mysterious events, and his "great legacy" becomes increasingly enigmatic.
What exactly is the "great legacy"? From whom is it a legacy? And what will happen to Pip? The story will keep us entertained and breathless until the very end.
According to the translator, Mr. Kagayama,
The Great Inheritance" is the culmination of Dickens's style and technique, and because it is an exceptionally interesting story, it is no wonder that it has been repeatedly used as the basis for films, dramas, and stage productions, including adaptations.
Shincho Bunko, Translation by Takuro Kagayama, The Great Heritage, p. 420
and this work seems to be one of the most popular of the many Dickens works. In addition,
The Greatest Heritage" is a novel of Pip's development as an educated man, a love story, a mystery novel, a crime novel, and an adventure novel. What struck me as a particular strength of this translation was the unexpectedly long and painstakingly drawn scene of the Thames rafting. One of the most popular settings for adventure novels is the ocean, but even a river can excite readers to such an extent.
Shincho Bunko, Translation by Takuro Kagayama, The Great Heritage, p. 420
He stated.
Indeed, the river rafting scene in the latter half of the story was so tense that I could not stop turning the pages.
Impressions - From a Dostoevskyian Perspective
Like "A Tale of Two Cities," "The Great Inheritance" has no direct reference by Dostoevsky.
But this is my personal opinion, but it is a little bit Dostoevsky'sMinors."I felt that this may have something in common with the
Kagayama also states in his postscript
Another reason for the depth of "The Great Legacy" as a novel is its "narration. The first-person narrative method of the protagonist is a very effective way to convey the story of the author's life.David Copperfield."In "The Great Legacy," Pip often looks back on events of the past from the perspective of his adult self and inserts his impressions of his younger self's behavior, which was also employed in "The Great Legacy. This is particularly effective in the chapters 27 and 57, in which Pip expresses regret for the way he treated Joe and Biddy after they acquired their fortune, giving the narrative an introspective and multi-layered flavor. The novel is not only about Joe and Biddy's friendship, but also about their separation and reunion, interwoven with quarrels and discord, which gives the novel a profound charm that makes it more than a fairy tale.
Shincho Bunko, translated by Takuro Kagayama, The Great Heritage, p. 424
Dostoevsky's "The Minor" is another first-person novel in which the protagonist, a young man, looks back on his past from his own boyhood.
The style of the book is to unravel the mysteries of one's own circumstances through the strange relationships and events that surround one's surroundings.
As in "The Great Legacy," this style of fiction allows us to see the worries, conflicts, and emotional turmoil of the protagonist.
This makes us, the readers, more emotionally invested in the protagonist.
The novel follows such a protagonist as he grows up experiencing various strange events and struggles to unravel his own mystery, in this novel, the full extent of his "great legacy.
It is a work in which the matured skills of Dickens' later years shine through.
I didn't mention it here because it would be a spoiler, but the identity of "The Great Inheritance" was quite surprising and full of the feeling that Dickens had done us in.
It will be a different twist from the previous Dickens.
When I picked up the book, I thought it might be a bit long, but once I started reading it, it didn't take long at all. As you would expect from Dickens.
His late masterpiece, "The Great Legacy," is also highly recommended.
The above is a synopsis of Dickens' late masterpiece, "The Great Inheritance" and my thoughts on it - A boy's life is ruined by his great wealth!" was "The Great Inheritance".
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