Oliver Twist [Worth Press]

Oliver Twist is a bit of an odd duck in that the title character disappears from large portions of the book, while supporting characters are moved to the forefront. The early chapters are the most famous (and usually the focus of movie and stage adaptations): Oliver at the workhouse, Oliver meeting the thief Fagin, etc. About a third to a halfway through, entire chapters are devoted to seemingly minor characters until it gets to the point where Oliver becomes just another supporting character in his own book. Indeed, it's almost as if Dickens got bored with his creation, and I can understand why: Oliver is a bit of a whiny goody-two-shoes who rarely does anything interesting or exciting. This means London's criminal underworld and its inhabitants get most of the attention. Overall, Oliver Twist shows clear signs of it having been written in serial form, as it's somewhat meandering and frequently changes focus and tone.

The Worth Press edition comes with three essays. Ian Fenwick writes about Dickens' views of London and how Oliver Twist reflects his social reformist beliefs. Paul Eustice provides some great context to the story, explaining the cultural and legal milieu in which Dickens worked. Finally, Janet Lewison writes a less useful essay on nightmare and imagery in the story.