Victorians! discussion

Our Mutual Friend opens in a rather interesting manner and place, setting the stage almost immediately for one of the threads of the story—a murder mystery of a sort. On the Thames (which is if I remember right, as good as a “character” in the book, certainly a central element), on an autumn evening, we find a man (Gaffer Hexam) and his daughter, not fishing, not rowing people across, but earning a living in a rather unusual (and somewhat macabre) way—fishing out corpses from the river which are handed over to the police (For me I can never tell what exactly they are upto from this chapter. I can only figure out when I read on). Soon, as the scene shifts to very different surroundings, a party at the home of the nouveau-riche Veneerings where everything is “bran new”, we learn something more of the matter from solicitor Mortimer Lightwood, who is one of the guests with his friend Eugene Wrayburn.

Old Mr Harmon, who has made his fortune from “dust” (as a contractor with the local authorities to collect waste) is dead. He was estranged from both his children. Yet he has left his fortune to his son, with a rather strange condition, that he is to marry a young lady, Bella Wilfer, who John has never set eyes on before. It seems that John Harmon was on the way back (from South Africa) but has been found dead—a corpse that Gaffer Hexam pulled out of the Thames.

The case takes a mysterious turn as there seems to be no explanation for John Harmon’s death, and soon it seems, Riderhood, a former partner of Gaffer Hexam is accusing him of murder (and not just John Harmon’s). But he is not (if at all he is) the only suspect, for another stranger, Julius Hanford has appeared on the scene to identify the body, with no explanation of why he was there or who he was looking for.

Meanwhile at the Wilfers’ home, Bella who is a “sort of widow” is bewailing her fate; while we also meet her sister Lavinia, father Rumty (the “cherub”) and Mrs Wilfer. They are being forced to take in a lodger for their circumstances are straitened. And who should turn out to be the tenant, but Julius Hanford, under another name, John Rokesmith. Mysteriouser and mysteriouser (to borrow from Alice!)

The Boffins are beginning to adjust to their newfound wealth, Mrs Boffin by taking to fashion and her husband with a quest for knowledge but unfortunately to assist him, he seems to have chosen not quite the right person, Silas Wegg, who is jumping on the opportunity to get all he can from these simple-minded people.

At the Hexams’ Lizzie is now worried about the suspicions surrounding her father and sends her younger brother Charley away to make his own fortune with learning as a result.

So what did we think of these first chapters? Here are a few points/questions that came to me:

How did you like the opening of the book? Did it grab your interest? And relatedly, how do you think the mystery element is building up for you?

Money is one theme that seems to run through this book, even in these first few chapters: We have the Hexams and Wilfers who are in their own ways struggling to get by; the Veneerings who are relatively newly wealthy making the most of their wealth to make their way in society; Silas Wegg who wants to make as much as he can from the Boffins; the Boffins trying to adjust to their new found fortunes.

We’ve met a whole bunch of characters in this first segment, over twenty (I’m listing them in separately so that we can keep track). Dickens’ characters—exaggerated, eccentric—are something I do enjoy in his books (as I do his storytelling). In this one, I read somewhere that he was criticised for taking things too far. What did you think of the characters at first instance? Any that you liked/disked? Any that stood out for you?

Also sticking with characters, it was interesting to see the contrast in our two “heroines”—Lizzie Hexam and Bella Wilfer are both nineteen, both not from very rich backgrounds, and yet quite opposite to each other. Lizzie is more of an ideal heroine, doing her best for everyone, sending her brother to school so that he may do well, depriving herself of it so that she can take care of her father, trying to look after her family without bothering for herself. On the other side is Bella, who isn’t shy about the fact that she wants money or that she is put out at losing the opportunity to get it. She is an “ornament” of sorts not really seeming to do much around the house (though her mother does speak of the girls taking in pupils). And Mr Harmon “picked” her to marry his son because of her character—screams and tantrums—which makes one get a sight into his intentions, certainly.

Certainly an interesting start and plenty to talk about!

The Characters so far (let me know If I’ve missed any)
Gaffer Hexam: who makes his living fishing out corpses from the Thames
Lizzie: 19, his daughter, looks after others and things of their well-being over her own
Charlie: Gaffer’s son, who setting out to make his living through learning.
Mortimer Lightwood: Solicitor with very little work
Eugene Wrayburn: Lightwood’s friend; barrister with no work
Lady Tippins: who has introduced Mortimer and Eugene to the Veneerings
Mr and Mrs Veneering: Newly rich, with everything “bran new”; making their way in society
Mr and Mrs Podsnap: Rich and with some social standing
Mr Twemlow: friend of the Veneerings with connections
Nicodameus Boffin and Henietty Boffin: who’ve come into the Harmon fortune now that John Harmon is dead
Mr Harmon: miser/made his fortune of dust; now deceased
His daughter: estranged
John Harmon: his heir; murdered?
Silas Wegg: hired by Mr Boffin believing him to be a man of letters
Riderhood: Gaffer’s old “pardner”
Miss Abbey Potterson: 60; proprietress of the Six Jolly Rodger Fellowship; she certainly knows how to deal with her customers
Bella Wifer: 19, “widow of sorts” of John Harmon
Rumty Wilfer: cherub; Bella’s father
Mrs Wilfer: Bella’s mother
Lavinia Wilfer: Bella’s sister
Mr Venus: taxidermist; “friend” of Wegg

I’m so excited to be hanging out with these characters again! I’m sitting here reading their names and remembering how interesting and varied they all were.

Lady Clementina wrote: "The Characters so far (let me know If I’ve missed any)

Thank you so much for this list. I was afraid of looking for a guide on the internet, because there are often spoilers. This is very helpful.

I had missed that Hanford and Rokesmith were the same person. What a cast. I'm excited to follow this read.

Renee wrote: "I’m so excited to be hanging out with these characters again! I’m sitting here reading their names and remembering how interesting and varied they all were."

Same here. This is I think my third read and it's still as interesting as if it were the first.

Jenny wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "The Characters so far (let me know If I’ve missed any)

Thank you so much for this list. I was afraid of looking for a guide on the internet, because there are often spoiler..."

Glad it helps--I realised the sheer number of characters we are dealing with might be a little hard to keep track of. I'll carry the list forward every week with the newer characters added on.

Lady Clementina wrote: "The Characters so far (let me know If I’ve missed any)
Gaffer Hexam: who makes his living fishing out corpses from the Thames
Lizzie: 19, his daughter, looks after others and things of their well-b..."

Thanks for the list - I'm 3 chapters in and already having a job remembering who's who!

My favourite characters so far is Abbey the pub landlady. I found the scene in the Six Jolly Rogers particularly amusing, as I have been to quite a few pubs where the patrons never leave on time, insist on one more drink, and even get rowdy when they are reminded that the pub is now closed! But not in the Six Jolly Rogers - they all file out quietly whenever Abbey says they should go. I could really "see" the stern old lady pointing at the door, and all the men filing out meekly.

As for mystery, the book sure had me wondering! The first chapter had me thinking along these lines: "What on earth are these people doing? They can't be....oh no, they are! They are fishing corpses out of Thames!" Then of course there was the main question "Was John Harmon murdered?", and finally Silas Wegg's visit to the taxidermist. Here again I was thinking something like "What is he doing there? He can't be...oh no, he is trying to get his own leg back! Or is he?"

So, the book is a riot so far :)

Fern wrote: "My favourite characters so far is Abbey the pub landlady. I found the scene in the Six Jolly Rogers particularly amusing, as I have been to quite a few pubs where the patrons never leave on time, i..."

I loved the way Miss Abbey handles her customers too--more like a school headmistress than the proprietress of a pub.

Quite a lot of creepy/chilling settings in this one, aren't there--opening with people fishing corpses out of the Thames and then all those specimens at Mr Venus' shop. What I'd forgotten was that Mr Venus was quite young--somehow I pictured him as a shriveled up old man tinkering around with his chilling specimens.

Ah Dickens. The master of the set piece, among other things.

Lady Clementina wrote: "Fern wrote: "My favourite characters so far is Abbey the pub landlady. I found the scene in the Six Jolly Rogers particularly amusing, as I have been to quite a few pubs where the patrons never lea..."

I was quite shocked when it mentioned he was in his thirties, I had also been picturing an old man - it felt more disturbing when I found out he was young.

Not only Mr Venus is quite young, but also he is heartbroken because his lady love refuses to be with him due to his profession. Now that I think of it, the chilling surroundings of the shop make quite a contrast with the owner's story. Ironic, but also, just a little bit sad.

Fern wrote: "Not only Mr Venus is quite young, but also he is heartbroken because his lady love refuses to be with him due to his profession. Now that I think of it, the chilling surroundings of the shop make q..."

True- but one can't blame the lady in question, can one?

Lady Clementina wrote: "Fern wrote: "Not only Mr Venus is quite young, but also he is heartbroken because his lady love refuses to be with him due to his profession. Now that I think of it, the chilling surroundings of th..."

I guess not! From what I know of taxidermy, aside from looking creepy, it also smells truly awful. But each to their own, as they say..

Lady Clementina wrote: "Fern wrote: "My favourite characters so far is Abbey the pub landlady. I found the scene in the Six Jolly Rogers particularly amusing, as I have been to quite a few pubs where the patrons never lea..."

There certainly is a lot of creepy settings. How could Wegg eat muffins toasted on a spike pulled out of a dead bird? And molars in the coffee pot—yuck!!
What a cast of wonderful eccentrics - how does Dickens come up with them all? I'm looking forward to seeing how their stories all connect up, just as they did in Bleak House.

Nina wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Fern wrote: "My favourite characters so far is Abbey the pub landlady. I found the scene in the Six Jolly Rogers particularly amusing, as I have been to quite a few pubs whe..."

Glad you're enjoying it.

By the way, we've been speaking of all of the creepy aspects, but one aspect which I forgot to mention in my intro, is the humour as well--the Boffin home, and Mr Boffin's interactions with Wegg, also the sarcastic tones in describing the Veneering home?

This is such a great novel to reread. As each character is introduced, I find my brain going, “Oh, I know you!” I swear my facial expressions are changing, based on how they turn out.

Renee wrote: "This is such a great novel to reread. As each character is introduced, I find my brain going, “Oh, I know you!” I swear my facial expressions are changing, based on how they turn out."

:) Almost like meeting old friends/acquaintances once again.

This is my first time reading Our Mutual Friend, I am truly loving it -- from Dickens's humor, his eccentric characters including their occupations, and the setting of the novel. One of the minor characters I really like is Charley. I hope he shows up again.

Lady Clementina wrote: "The Characters so far (let me know If I’ve missed any)
Gaffer Hexam: who makes his living fishing out corpses from the Thames
Lizzie: 19, his daughter, looks after others and things of their well-b..."

Thank you for taking the time and listing the characters! It's a great help keeping them straight.

Nina wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Fern wrote: "My favourite characters so far is Abbey the pub landlady. I found the scene in the Six Jolly Rogers particularly amusing, as I have been to quite a few pubs whe..."

Love your comments!

Laurene wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "The Characters so far (let me know If I’ve missed any)
Gaffer Hexam: who makes his living fishing out corpses from the Thames
Lizzie: 19, his daughter, looks after others an..."

Glad it helpful!

Laurene wrote: "This is my first time reading Our Mutual Friend, I am truly loving it -- from Dickens's humor, his eccentric characters including their occupations, and the setting of the novel. One of the minor c..."

Good to hear your're enjoying it. One of the things I love about Dickens' books are his characters--a bunch of eccentrics and yet they are real and not simply something in a book. In this one he was criticised it seems for taking the eccentricities too far but I don't get that impression.

I'm also reading Dead Souls by Gogol while reading OMF, and am struck by similarities of the two. Souls fished out of the water for money/ souls of serfs being bought up; the themes of superficiality and materialism; a wide cast of (superficially?) eccentric characters.

Zuly wrote: "I'm also reading Dead Souls by Gogol while reading OMF, and am struck by similarities of the two. Souls fished out of the water for money/ souls of serfs being bought up; the themes of superficiali..."

I'm yet to read that one though I've been wanting to for a long time.

I've started reading. In another couple of days I will able to cover the chapters in this segment. It is bit early to say this, but I'm pretty sure to like it. I sense some novelty in this work of Dickens especially in the way he introduce the readers in to the novel.

Piyangie wrote: "I've started reading. In another couple of days I will able to cover the chapters in this segment. It is bit early to say this, but I'm pretty sure to like it. I sense some novelty in this work of ..."

Glad you're enjoying it.

After reading Bleak House, I'm not much daunted by Dickens's characters. :) I'm beginning to like the characters of Lizzy, Bella, Boffins and Eugene. Why I like the latter is still a mystery for me. At present, it is an intuitive feeling.

Money seems to be the major theme as every character is revolved around it to some degree.

There is then the mystery element. At this point however, I don't feel much about it except perhaps a little curiosity. But no real excitement.

Piyangie wrote: "After reading Bleak House, I'm not much daunted by Dickens's characters. :) I'm beginning to like the characters of Lizzy, Bella, Boffins and Eugene. Why I like the latter is still a m..."

Money certainly is at the centre of it all-everyone (almost) having something to do with it (most coveting it) in one way or other--inheritances, tricks, and what not.