Apparently in its day, Dickens' final complete story, 'Our Mutual Friend' was criticised by his public.
Positives and Negatives
Mr Twemlow takes some pills for indigestion. Did he take the famous pill that was to be found in every Victorian handbag produced by the company of Richard Holloway, and lead to him acquiring such a fortune that he set up the young ladies college called Royal Hollway College London?
Contemporary readers were doubtful that Mr and Mrs Boffin could pull off such a confidence trick, by pretending that Mr Boffin had become 'spoilt' by money and become a miser. Me too. John was clearly a skilled actor, but not the Boffins.
The story is typical of Dickens. The female characters are well described but all pure and blameless innocents. There is a terrible infantilisation in their relationships with men, in both directions. It's pretty sickening.
The great use of the wonderful word 'Mendicent'. Mrs Wilfer attaches this word to John Rokespeare. I enjoyed its presence in the story.
How on earth can John Harman get married on a false name and that not be a criminal offence? There is some indication that the deceptions is paid off with a large some of money, so the story indeed presents a very confusing message. Money is both bad, and corrosive, and also wonderful, deceitful and gets you what you want. Ultimately required for a happy ending.
As already commented, I have enjoyed getting to know a fellow dustman.
Apparently it is thought that Mr Ria is presented as a saintly Jew, in reaction to the criticism Dickens received with regards to Fagin in Oliver Twist. This story is stuffed full of stereotypes, that might be typical of it's day. Jenny Wren is never going to get far as a disabled woman, but her character is strong.
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