Our Mutual Friend

by Dickens, Charles; Brattin, Joel J.; Slater, Michael; Stone, Marcus; Houghton, A. Boyd

• ISBN13: 9780460882170
• ISBN10: 0460882171
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Tuttle Pub

Summary

A satiric masterpiece about the allure and peril of money, "Our Mutual Friend" revolves around the inheritance of a dust-heap where the rich throw their trash. When the body of John Harmon, the dust-heap's expected heir, is found in the Thames, fortunes change hands surprisingly, raising to new heights "Noddy" Boffin, a low-born but kindly clerk who becomes "the Golden Dustman." Charles Dickens's last complete novel, "Our Mutual Friend" encompasses the great themes of his earlier works: the pretensions of the nouveaux riches, the ingenuousness of the aspiring poor, and the unfailing power of wealth to corrupt all who crave it. With its flavorful cast of characters and numerous subplots, "Our Mutual Friend" is one of Dickens's most complex--and satisfying--novels.

Table of Contents

Illustrations	ix
Note on the Author, Editor and Series Editor	xi
Chronology of Dickens's Life and Times	xiv
Series Editor's Preface	xxii
Introduction	xxiii
Note on the Text and Illustrations	xxxii
Dedication	xxxix
BOOK THE FIRST. THE CUP AND THE LIP
On the Look-Out	3	(4)
The Man from Somewhere	7	(12)
Another Man	19	(14)
The R. Wilfer Family	33	(13)
Boffin's Bower	46	(17)
Cut Adrift	63	(17)
Mr Wegg Looks After Himself	80	(10)
Mr Boffin in Consultation	90	(13)
Mr and Mrs Boffin in Consultation	103	(16)
A Marriage Contract	119	(15)
Podsnappery	134	(17)
The Sweat of an Honest Man's Brow	151	(16)
Tracking the Bird of Prey	167	(11)
The Bird of Prey Brought Down	178	(9)
Two New Servants	187	(15)
Minders and Reminders	202	(17)
A Dismal Swamp	219	(8)
BOOK THE SECOND. BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Of an Educational Character	227	(19)
Still Educational	246	(13)
A Piece of Work	259	(12)
Cupid Prompted	271	(13)
Mercury Prompting	284	(16)
A Riddle Without an Answer	300	(15)
In which a Friendly Move is Originated	315	(11)
In which an Innocent Elopement Occurs	326	(17)
In which the Orphan Makes his Will	343	(9)
A Successor	352	(7)
Some Affairs of the Heart	359	(12)
More Birds of Prey	371	(16)
A Solo and a Duett	387	(15)
Strong of Purpose	402	(14)
The Whole Case so far	416	(17)
An Anniversary Occasion	433	(16)
BOOK THE THIRD. A LONG LANE
Lodgers in Queer Street	449	(12)
A Respected Friend in a New Aspect	461	(12)
The Same Respected Friend in More Aspects than One	473	(7)
A Happy Return of the Day	480	(12)
The Golden Dustman falls into Bad Company	492	(16)
The Golden Dustman falls into Worse Company	508	(16)
The Friendly Move takes up a Strong Position	524	(13)
The End of a Long Journey	537	(13)
Somebody becomes the Subject of a Prediction	550	(17)
Scouts Out	567	(14)
In the Dark	581	(10)
Meaning Mischief	591	(10)
Give a Dog a Bad Name, and Hang Him	601	(10)
Mr Wegg Prepares a Grindstone for Mr Boffin's Nose	611	(14)
The Golden Dustman at his Worst	625	(16)
The Feast of the Three Hobgoblins	641	(16)
A Social Chorus	657	(14)
BOOK THE FOURTH. A TURNING
Setting Traps	671	(13)
The Golden Dustman Rises a Little	684	(10)
The Golden Dustman Sinks Again	694	(10)
A Runaway Match	704	(11)
Concerning the Mendicant's Bride	715	(18)
A Cry for Help	733	(14)
Better to be Abel than Cain	747	(12)
A Few Grains of Pepper	759	(12)
Two Places Vacated	771	(12)
The Dolls' Dressmaker Discovers a Word	783	(7)
Effect is Given to the Dolls' Dressmaker's Discovery	790	(13)
The Passing Shadow	803	(14)
Showing how the Golden Dustman Helped to Scatter Dust	817	(12)
Checkmate to the Friendly Move	829	(12)
What was caught in the Traps that were set	841	(13)
Persons and Things in General	854	(21)
Chapter the Last The Voice of Society	865	(7)
Postscript, In Lieu of Preface	872	(3)
Notes	875	(30)
Appendix A: Our Mutual Friend and Dickens's Book of Memoranda	905	(3)
Appendix B: Running Titles in the Charles Dickens Edition	908	(6)
Dickens and His Critics	914	(7)
Suggestions for Further Reading	921	(2)
Text Summary	923