Dombey and Son (Oxford World's Classics)
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"There's no writing against such power as this--one has no chance." --William Makepeace Thackeray
--This text refers to an alternate
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Penguin Classics give you the best possible editions of Charles Dickens's novels, including all the original illustrations, useful and informative introductions, the definitive, accurate text as it was meant to be published, a chronology of Dickens's life and notes that fill in the background to the book.
To Paul Dombey, business is all and money can do anything. He runs his family life as he runs his firm: coldly, calculatingly and commercially. The only person he cares for is his little son, while his motherless daughter Florence craves affection from her unloving father, who sees her only as a 'base coin that couldn't be invested'. As Dombey's callousness extends to others - from his defiant second wife Edith to Florence's admirer Walter Gay - he sows the seeds of his own destruction. Can this heartless businessman be redeemed? A compelling depiction of a man imprisoned by his own pride, Dombey and Son (1848) explores the devastating effects of emotional deprivation on a dysfunctional family and on society as a whole.
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Dombey sat in the corner of the darkened room in the great arm-chair by the bedside, and Son lay tucked up warm in a little basket bedstead, carefully disposed on a low settee immediately in front of the fire and close to it, as if his constitution were a Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Dombey sat in the corner of the darkened room in the great arm-chair by the bedside, and Son lay tucked up warm in a little basket bedstead, carefully disposed on a low settee immediately in front of the fire and close to it, as if his constitution were a Read the first page
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Of the 14 novels Dickens completed in his lifetime, Dombey and Son is undoubtedly one of the least known; only Barnaby Rudge provides serious competition in this regard, it appears to me. It was popular with audiences of Dickens' own day, though. It was published in monthly instalments in 1846-1848, when Dickens popularity was very great, immediately following the success of the earlier Christmas books, including "A Christmas Carol".
Dombey and Son is more tightly plotted than its predecessors, for that reason it is often considered to mark the beginning of "late" Dickens, where thematic concerns became paramount. The Dombey of the title is a man of business, a very successful one, and the father of two children. One is a daughter, who is irrelevant to the business of Dombey and Son and thus irrelevant to Mr. Dombey, and the other is a son, Little Paul, who is expected to give material existence to the "Son" specified in the name of Mr. Dombey's business. However, Little Paul proves to be less of a chip off the old block than might have been hoped for, and baffles his father exceedingly when he asks him "What is money?" and follows his father's reply with "Yes, but what does it do?".
Further characters include the malevolent Mr. Carker, a consummate hypocrite who also displays some of the threatening sexuality of later Dickens characters like Bradley Headstone and John Jasper; Edith, a prototype for Lady Dedlock, and equally exaggerated; and Mr. Toots, who is madly, hopelessly and hilariously in love with Dombey's daughter Florence("'sof no consequence").
Ultimately, this book becomes more about Dombey's relationship with his daughter, whom he has continually neglected and spurned. Predictably for Dickens, Florence is of an improbably passive and meek disposition, literally unable to think badly of others, and quick to assume the blame in any given situation. Her insistence on blaming herself for her father's ill-treatment of her seems to me somewhat pathological but Dickens presents it merely as proof of her good nature.
This novel has most of the flaws and also the virtues that are typical of Dickens. It is not his best book, but the greater degree of planning that went into it compared to earlier novels means it never loses interest throughout the 800-odd pages. Those familiar with Dickens will be able to forgive the frequent sentimentalism and will enjoy the humour and pathos of the better passages. Dombey and Son is not the first Dickens book anyone should read, but it is a solid addition to his canon nonetheless.
Dombey and Son is more tightly plotted than its predecessors, for that reason it is often considered to mark the beginning of "late" Dickens, where thematic concerns became paramount. The Dombey of the title is a man of business, a very successful one, and the father of two children. One is a daughter, who is irrelevant to the business of Dombey and Son and thus irrelevant to Mr. Dombey, and the other is a son, Little Paul, who is expected to give material existence to the "Son" specified in the name of Mr. Dombey's business. However, Little Paul proves to be less of a chip off the old block than might have been hoped for, and baffles his father exceedingly when he asks him "What is money?" and follows his father's reply with "Yes, but what does it do?".
Further characters include the malevolent Mr. Carker, a consummate hypocrite who also displays some of the threatening sexuality of later Dickens characters like Bradley Headstone and John Jasper; Edith, a prototype for Lady Dedlock, and equally exaggerated; and Mr. Toots, who is madly, hopelessly and hilariously in love with Dombey's daughter Florence("'sof no consequence").
Ultimately, this book becomes more about Dombey's relationship with his daughter, whom he has continually neglected and spurned. Predictably for Dickens, Florence is of an improbably passive and meek disposition, literally unable to think badly of others, and quick to assume the blame in any given situation. Her insistence on blaming herself for her father's ill-treatment of her seems to me somewhat pathological but Dickens presents it merely as proof of her good nature.
This novel has most of the flaws and also the virtues that are typical of Dickens. It is not his best book, but the greater degree of planning that went into it compared to earlier novels means it never loses interest throughout the 800-odd pages. Those familiar with Dickens will be able to forgive the frequent sentimentalism and will enjoy the humour and pathos of the better passages. Dombey and Son is not the first Dickens book anyone should read, but it is a solid addition to his canon nonetheless.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I must disagree with comments made previously here about this being a dull book, for I found it enthralling and perfectly of its time. As has been said, the book is not so much about a man named Dombey and his son as it is about his daughter and her step-mother. The plot is quintessentially Dickensian. He is relentless in never letting relief come for more than a moment, and it is thrilling. His characters are never less than intriguing--from the small and waning Dombey clan to minor characters named wonderful things like Captain Cuttle, Miss Tox, Mr. Toots, and Mrs. Nipper. Within the tragic circumstances of a loveless but wealthy family, Dickens injects comical moments in which social climbers or other irritating company invade Dombey's inner sanctum. The emotional core consists not only of one's sympathy for Florence and Edith, but for the awful state of Paul Dombey, cold-man extraordinaire. It's just under 1,000 pages, and while I agree somewhat with the other reviewers in finding the first 100 or so not the most fluid of Dickens' prose, I was drawn in by practically every last page.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Before I began reading Dickens in earnest (scarcely half a year ago I confess), I would have been hard pressed even to name 'Dombey and Son' as one of his novels. I am very content to be cured of my ignorance in that respect, because of all Dickens' novels that I have read so far (which is, as I'm reading them chronologically, The Pickwick Papers (Oxford World's Classics), Oliver Twist (Oxford World's Classics), Nicholas Nickleby (Oxford World's Classics), The Old Curiosity Shop (Oxford World's Classics), Barnaby Rudge (Oxford World's Classics) and Martin Chuzzlewit (Oxford World's Classics)), this is my personal favorite.
The reasons why are manifold. First of all, the theme of the book (a child neglected and unloved by his sole remaining parent) must surely strike a chord with anyone. We've all been children, and can recollect in hindsight that one of the most basic drives of any child is to be liked and feel loved by its parents. That such is not the case for Florence Dombey made me feel truly sorry for her and identify with her feelings all the more readily. True enough, perhaps she's a bit 'too good to be true' (after years of neglect, who would still love his father unconditionally as she does?) but Dickens paints her so lifelike that I never felt bothered by this.
Secondly, perhaps more so than in any other book I've read so far, Dickens demonstrates in 'Dombey and Son' his unequalled capacity to mix different moods: there's both heartfelt sorrow and true happiness, bitter hatred (between Paul Dombey and his second wife for instance) as well as hilarious humour. The humour there is comes primarily from some truly unforgettable characters: Captain Cuttle is a source of constant delight throughout the book, but so are Susan Nipper, Mr. Toots, Mrs. Skewton and Major Bagstock. To turn to the less cheerful characters, Paul Dombey is a masterful study of a man completely dominated by the demands of his time on how to behave, a man also with powerful feelings but unable to express them. His second wife Edith is probably one the most powerful female character Dickens ever portrayed.
Looking back upon the book now, I realize that a large part of its attraction lies in the happy ending 'against all odds', and one could surely argue that in real life this is not always the case. Probably not, but is it, then, better to read 'realistic' books all the better to learn to cope with life, or is it okay to read books with happy endings to lighten the burden of real life? I tend to be of the latter conviction, and therefore cannot but say that I immensely enjoyed this book, and will definitely reread it at some future point in time!
The reasons why are manifold. First of all, the theme of the book (a child neglected and unloved by his sole remaining parent) must surely strike a chord with anyone. We've all been children, and can recollect in hindsight that one of the most basic drives of any child is to be liked and feel loved by its parents. That such is not the case for Florence Dombey made me feel truly sorry for her and identify with her feelings all the more readily. True enough, perhaps she's a bit 'too good to be true' (after years of neglect, who would still love his father unconditionally as she does?) but Dickens paints her so lifelike that I never felt bothered by this.
Secondly, perhaps more so than in any other book I've read so far, Dickens demonstrates in 'Dombey and Son' his unequalled capacity to mix different moods: there's both heartfelt sorrow and true happiness, bitter hatred (between Paul Dombey and his second wife for instance) as well as hilarious humour. The humour there is comes primarily from some truly unforgettable characters: Captain Cuttle is a source of constant delight throughout the book, but so are Susan Nipper, Mr. Toots, Mrs. Skewton and Major Bagstock. To turn to the less cheerful characters, Paul Dombey is a masterful study of a man completely dominated by the demands of his time on how to behave, a man also with powerful feelings but unable to express them. His second wife Edith is probably one the most powerful female character Dickens ever portrayed.
Looking back upon the book now, I realize that a large part of its attraction lies in the happy ending 'against all odds', and one could surely argue that in real life this is not always the case. Probably not, but is it, then, better to read 'realistic' books all the better to learn to cope with life, or is it okay to read books with happy endings to lighten the burden of real life? I tend to be of the latter conviction, and therefore cannot but say that I immensely enjoyed this book, and will definitely reread it at some future point in time!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Less familiar Dickens classic
This novel is perhaps less well known than some of Dickens' other masterpieces, but it should not be overlooked. Read more
Published 1 month ago by L. A. Witton
A GOOD EDITION
This is a good reliable edition of one of Dickens's lesser-known works. It's not difficult to see why it is not so well-known; it is didactic in style and improbable in tale. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Andrew
Good, not great
Somehow this is just not ever going to be one of my favourite Dickens'. Why? I'm not sure. The character of Dombey is like an outline, which we never really get to see the whole... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Keen Reader
A book about railways- honestly!
Whilst this novel is undoubtedly a study in the ultimate vindication of honesty, love and innocence over avarice and pride and about redemption - themes prevading much of... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Mr. Timothy W. Dumble
Nature v Nurture v Will
Where are the roots of our character defects (or "vices" as the mid-Victorians would call them)? Are they innate? Do they result from family and social pressure? Read more
Published 23 months ago by DB
'Dombey and Son' by Charles Dickens
Dombey and Son, or to give it its full title - Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son: Wholesale, Retail and for Exportation, was written by Charles Dickens, and was first... Read more
Published on 25 May 2010 by Joseph Porter
Dickens Classic
I am happy with this book and am enjoying reading this it is very good
Published on 8 April 2010 by V. J. Cousin
The sins of the father...
Charles Dickens' study of paternal love and responsibility in Victorian England is one of his later novels, and is generally one of the less celebrated of his many works. Read more
Published on 21 May 2009 by Captain Pugwash
Emerging genius
A lengthy novel which is often tiresome, there are however wonderful snippets of the emerging Dickens genius. Read more
Published on 31 July 2008 by Mark Dickens
Dombey and Daughter?
This is probably the least filmed Dickens novel, but don't be put off by that. Dickens gave us a book which really showed the nineteenth century attitude to women. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2007 by M. Dowden
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