The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, better known as The Pickwick Papers, is the first novel by Charles Dickens. It was originally an idea by Robert Seymour, the illustrator, to which Dickens was asked to contribute as an up and coming writer following the success of Sketches by Boz, published in 1832. Dickens, supremely confident as ever, increasingly took over the unsuccessful monthly publication after Seymour had committed suicide. With the introduction of Sam Weller the book became the first real publishing phenomenon, with bootleg copies, theatrical performances, Sam Weller joke books and other merchandise. It was inspired by a town, Corsham. The name Pickwick is likely to have come from that of a nearby farm, Pickwick Lodge Farm. Pickwick is the part of Corsham which is on the A4, once the main road from London to Bristol.

Plot summary

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The novel's main character, Mr. Pickwick, is a kind old gentleman, the founder of the Pickwick Club. He is usually portrayed by illustrators as a round-faced, clean-shaved, portly gentleman wearing spectacles. Mr. Pickwick travels with his friends, Mr. Nathaniel Winkle, Mr. Augustus Snodgrass, and Mr. Tracy Tupman, and their adventures are the chief theme of the novel.

One memorable adventure is Mr. Pickwick's legal case against his landlady, Mrs. Bardell, who is suing him for the breach of promise to marry her. Another is Mr. Pickwick's incarceration at the Fleet for his stubborn refusal to pay the compensation to her (the unscrupulous Dodson and Fogg's law firm prosecuted poor Pickwick).

Although The Pickwick Papers has a rather irregular structure, with many unconnected adventures and the absence of a thought-out plot, its main literary value and appeal is formed by its numerous unforgettable heroes. Each personage in The Pickwick Papers (just as in many other Dickens' novels) is drawn comically, often with exaggerated features of character.

Apart from Mr. Pickwick himself, the most entertaining characters of the novel are Sam Weller, Weller Senior, Mr. Alfred Jingle, the merry habitants of Dingley Dell farm, and Joe.

Characters in "The Pickwick Papers"

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• Mr. Pickwick

The main protagonist and founder of the Pickwick Club

• Mr. Nathaniel Winkle

Traveling companion and friend of Pickwick's; a reluctant sportsman

• Mr. Augustus Snodgrass

Another companion and friend; an amiable poet

• Mr. Tracy Tupman

Yet another; a very flirtatious man

• Mrs. Bardell

Pickwick's landlady

• Sam Weller

Mr. Pickwick's valet

• Weller Senior

Sam's father; does not really know if his name is written as Veller or Weller

• Mr. Alfred Jingle

A charlatan

• Joe

The "fat boy" who consumes great quantities of food and constantly falls asleep in any situation at any time of day; Joe's sleep problem is the origin of the medical term Pickwikian syndrome which went on to lead to the subsequent description of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

• Mr. Wardle

Owner of a farm in Dingley Dell. Pickwick's friend. Joe is his servant.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

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The novel has been filmed at least three times:

• 1913 - a silent short starring John Bunny as Pickwick and H. P. Owen as Sam Weller
• 1921 - The Adventures of Mr Pickwick, silent, starring Frederick Volpe and Hubert Woodward
• 1952 - starring James Hayter and Harry Fowler (the first and only sound version, so far)

There have also been BBC radio and television adaptations. The first TV adaptation was by Constance Cox.

There was also a London stage musical version entitled Pickwick, by Cyril Ornadel, Wolf Mankowitz, and Leslie Bricusse. It starred Harry Secombe, later to become more famous as Mr. Bumble in the film version of Oliver!. But Pickwick (the musical) was not a success in the United States when it opened there in 1965, and the show was never filmed. It did feature the song If I Ruled the World, which became a modest hit.

Publication

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The novel was published in 19 issues over 20 months; the last was double-length and cost two shillings. In bereavement for his sister-in-law Mary Hogarth, Dickens missed a deadline and consequently there was no number issued in May 1837. Numbers were typically issued on the last day of its given month:

• I - March 1836 (chapters 1-2);
• II - April 1836 (chapters 3-5);
• III - May 1836 (chapters 6-8);
• IV - June 1836 (chapters 9-11);
• V - July 1836 (chapters 12-14);
• VI - August 1836 (chapters 15-17);
• VII - September 1836 (chapters 18-20);
• VIII - October 1836 (chapters 21-23);
• IX - November 1836 (chapters 24-26);
• X - December 1836 (chapters 27-28);
• XI - January 1837 (chapters 29-31);
• XII - February 1837 (chapters 32-33);
• XIII - March 1837 (chapters 34-36);
• XIV - April 1837 (chapters 37-39);
• XV - June 1837 (chapters 40-42);
• XVI - July 1837 (chapters 43-45);
• XVII - August 1837 (chapters 46-48);
• XVIII - September 1837 (chapters 49-51);
• XIX-XX - October 1837 (chapters 52-56).

It is interesting to keep the number divisions and dates in mind while reading the novel, especially in the early parts. The Pickwick Papers, as Charles Dickens' first novel, is particularly chaotic: the first two numbers featured four illustrations by Robert Seymour and 24 pages of text. Seymour killed himself and was replaced by R.W. Buss for the third number; the format was changed to feature two illustrations and 32 pages of text per issue. Buss didn't work out as an illustrator and was replaced by H.K. "Phiz" Browne for the fourth issue; Phiz continued to work for Dickens for 23 years (he last illustrated A Tale of Two Cities in 1859).

See also

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• Pickwickian syndrome

External links

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Online editions

• The Pickwick Papers - Searchable HTML version.
• The Pickwick Papers - Easy to read HTML verson.

1836 novels | Charles Dickens novels | Films based on Charles Dickens' books | Debut novels

Les Papiers posthumes du Pickwick Club | רשומות מועדון הפיקוויקים | Pickwickklubben