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Write a note on Dickens humour and pathos.

Discuss Humour and Pathos in the novel Oliver Twist.

Do you find Humour and Pathos in the novel ‘Oliver Twist’? Give illustrations from the text.

Dickens is one of the greatest humorist in English Literature. He stands next only to Shakespeare. The chief characteristics of his humour are (i) It is varied, (ii) It is all-pervasive. His humour has undergone various stages in its evolution. It is brand and farcical in his earlier works. It is an expression of the helarity. It reveals irresponsible gaiety of youth. His humour is illuminating. It reveals human nature. It arouses thoughts. It is suggestive of wisdom. Social manners are the source of his humour, Oddity and stupidity are his source of humour. His humour is inseparable from his pathos. He has overcome some of his pathetic scenes.

A variety of humour is offered in ‘Oliver Twist’. It is satirical, farcical and genial. Satirical humour is exhibited in the attitude of workhouse officials. It is seen in the social exploitation. It is observed. in the working of the magistrates, lawyers and sufficens. The farcical humour is described as the ‘sane nonsense’ or ‘The divine derision’. It exhibits Dickens’ comic exuberance. It shows his indulgence in fun for the sake of fun. But Dickens is remembered mostly for the sake of his genial humour. Laterical humour is depicted in the form or irony. The following example of irony is frank ‘Oliver Twist’.

“Twenty and thirty other juvenile offenders against the poor laws rolled about the floor all day, without the inconvenience of too much food or too much clothing, under the parental superintendence of an elderly female.”

‘Oliver Twist’ presents humour of situations also. There are many humorous situations in the novel. The novelist has created humour with the help of a pun. We find humour of character in ‘Oliver Twist’. The novel presents a number of humourous characters such as Fagin, Bumble, Mr. Mann and Artful Dodger. As Mr. Bumble is a hen pecked husband, he produces much real comedy and force. The best farcical humour is seen in the trial of the Artful.

“Oliver Twist” is full of verbal humour also. Comments and coinages by characters make the reader laugh very much. The following example of verbal humour delights us.

“We name our children in alphabetical order. The last was a S. so I called him Swubble. This was a T-809 called him Twist. The next one whe comes will be Unwin, and next Viskins. I have names ready upto Z !” Verbal irony is also exploited by Dickens in his novels Humour is by its nature creative and the novels of Dickens excel in humour. He is the maker of numerous humourous character and comic figures.

True pathos is a combination of pathos and humour. Humour of Dickens is inseparable from his pathos. His pathos is frequently overdone. In Oliver Twist there is portrayal of Oliver as a pathetic figure. He suffers much. He lives in semi-starved conditions. He remains under the threat of Fagin to commit crimes. He is treated cruelly. His infant years are spent in gloom. He lives without getting a kind word and a loving look. Very often he sobs himself to sleep, when he “asks for more,” he is put to solitary confinement. The whole treatment of Oliver is full of pathos. His looks are always full of pity.

There is pathetic meeting between Mrs. Bedwin and Oliver. Here kindly pathos and humour are inseparable. some places there is impact of sentimentality of pathos. False sentimentality spoils it. Mr. Brounlow’s eyes are often filled with tears because of the goodness of his heart. Mrs. Bedwin, Rose, Mrs. Maylie shed tears at the slighest t provocation. Even Dr. Losberne also weeps. Oliver goes to churchyard and sobs there for his mother. When Rose plays at her piano, tears of joy come in Oliver’s eyes. Thus we observe that there runs a current of pathos alongwith humour. Tears and laughter mingle in this novel.