Oliver Twist
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| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Oliver Twist; or The Parish Boy's Progress |
| Abbreviation(s): | Oliver Twist |
| Creator: | Charles Dickens |
| Date(s): | 1837-1839 |
| Medium: | novel |
| Country of Origin: | England |
| External Links: | Wikipedia |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Oliver Twist is the story of a young orphaned boy who escapes from a workhouse and travels to London, where he falls in with a gang of pickpockets. Eventually he discovers the secrets of his parentage and reconnects with his family.
The story was released as a newspaper serial from 1837-1839 and then published as a three-volume book in 1838. It was Dickens' second novel, after The Pickwick Papers. It has been adapted into film, animation, television, radio and theatrical versions.
Characters
- Oliver Twist - the titular character, Oliver is a young, naive boy who was raised from birth in the workhouse and who incurs the wrath of the beadle by asking for second helpings. He runs away to London and unknowingly falls in with a gang of pickpockets. He is rescued by a kindly gentleman and eventually finds his birth family.
- Mr Bumble – a beadle in the parish workhouse where Oliver was born
- Mr Brownlow – a kind gentleman who takes Oliver in, his first benefactor
- Mr Grimwig – a friend of Mr Brownlow, he is known for his catchphrase "I'll eat my head!"
- Rose Maylie – Oliver's second benefactor, later found to be his aunt
- Fagin – fence and boss of a criminal gang of young boys and girls
- Bill Sikes – a professional burglar who tries to use Oliver to break into a manor house.
- Bull's Eye – Bill Sikes's vicious dog
- The Artful Dodger – Fagin's most adept pickpocket
- Charley Bates – a pickpocket in Fagin's gang
- Nancy – one of Fagin's gang, now living with Bill Sikes. She tries to return Oliver to Mr. Brownlow and is brutally murdered by Sikes.
- Agnes Fleming – Oliver's mother
- Mr Leeford – father of Oliver and Monks
- Monks – a sickly criminal, an associate of Fagin's, and long-lost half-brother of Oliver
Like all of Dickens' books, there is an extensive cast of extras with a variety of whimsical, fantastic and humorous names.
Fandom
This article or section needs expansion. |
Adaptations
From a fannish POV, the most noteworthy adaptations are;
- Oliver! (1968), British musical adaptation, winner in the Best Picture category at the 41st Academy Awards.
- Oliver & Company (1988) - an animated Disney version of the story, where Oliver is a kitten taken in by Fagin, a homeless tramp who has trained his various pet dogs to steal for him so he can pay his debt to loan shark Sikes.
- The Artful Dodger (2023) - a live-action television series, which is a 'sequel' of sorts to the original story. The Artful Dodger is transported to the penal colonies of Australia.