Art Knowledge News
Morgan Library & Museum exhibits Dickens's Original 'A Christmas Carol' |
 |
 |
| Written by Daniel Goldsworthy |
| Sunday, 22 November 2009 02:12 |
|
But, in the end, it all comes back to a magical book written by Dickens in a six-week flurry of activity in late 1843. Greeted with universal acclaim at the time of publication, 'A Christmas Carol' might rightfully be called an “instant masterpiece.” William Makepeace Thackeray called it a “national benefit” and an American factory owner gave his workers an extra day’s holiday when he had finished reading it. When the manuscript was returned after printing Dickens arranged for it to be finely bound in red morocco leather and presented it as a gift to his solicitor. It was purchased by Pierpont Morgan in the 1890s. The manuscript reveals the author’s method of composition: the pace of writing and revision, apparently contiguous, is rapid and boldly confident. Revisions are inserted for vividness and immediacy of effect. Deleted text is struck out with a cursive and continuous looping movement of the pen, and replaced with more active verbs and fewer words to achieve greater concision. Dickens’s manuscript shows vividly his efforts to create the highest-quality literary work in the shortest possible time. Visit The Morgan Library & Museum at : www.themorgan.org/ Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
Related Articles :
