Our Dickens Champions, the Milton Keynes Borrowers, have finished reading Our Mutual Friend. Here is what they thought:
Synopsis
Gaffer Hexam and his daughter Lizzie make their living from what they find floating in the River Thames. One evening they find a dead body. The body is identified to be that of John Harmon, who was travelling back to England to claim his inheritance.
His father was a rich dust-contractor, who not only bequeathed him a fortune, but also a bride – Bella Wilfer. The father had spotted Bella as a child throwing a tantrum and thought she would make his son an ideal wife and made that a condition in his Will for his son to inherit the money.
On the certification of the John Harmon’s death, rather than a third, all the money goes to Mr and Mrs Boffin, long-serving, loyal workers and protectors of John when he was a child. On moving up in the world they offer to help Bella find a rich husband and also engage Silas Wegg to look after the dust-contractor’s site.
Julius Handford makes a mysterious appearance at the discovery of the body and later in the guise of John Rokesmith offers his services as secretary to Mr Boffin. Mr and Mrs Boffin’s solicitor Mortimer Lightwood and his friend Eugene Wrayburn are also at the identification of the body. Eugene takes an interest in Lizzie Hexam.
An ex-partner of Gaffer Hexam, Rogue Riderhood, spreads a rumour that Gaffer Hexam murdered John Harmon. Rogue Riderhood eventually goes to the police and gives false evidence to claim the reward, but Gaffer Hexam is found drowned before he can be arrested.
Six months pass and Gaffer Hexam’s son, Charlie, is a pupil-teacher to Bradley Headstone. On a visit to Charlie’s sister Lizzie, Bradley instantly falls in love with her and offers to help with her education, which had suffered because of her father’s strong aversion to learning. However, Eugene Wrayburn in his pursuit of Lizzie has also offered to pay for her education. Eugene and Bradley become bitter rivals.
Bella rejects the advances of John Rokesmith, who as well as his duties as secretary to the Boffin’s, is pursuing the events surrounding the discovery of the body of John Harmon, and in disguise convinces Rogue Riderhood to retract his false statement. He sends this to Lizzie to help clear the name of her father. We discover that John Rokesmith is in fact John Harmon, and the body is that of George Radfoot who drugged and robbed him.
Silas Wegg spends his spare time searching the dust mounds and finds a will that reduces Mr Boffin’s inheritance, with which he tries to blackmail him.
After John Rokesmith is fired because of his presumptuous declaration of love to Bella, she defends him and returns to her parents. John and Bella marry, and live modestly and happily in a small cottage, although Bella is unaware of John’s true identity.
Lizzie moves away fearful of Bradley Headstone’s anger, but her location is discovered by Eugene Wrayburn and he pays her a visit. He is followed by Bradley Headstone, who attacks and nearly kills him. Lizzie finds Eugene, takes care of him and they marry. Bradley’s crime is discovered by Rogue Riderhood and he attempts to blackmail him, but they both drown in a struggle.
John Rokesmith’s identity as John Harmon and Julius Handford is revealed to Bella, Mr Boffin’s behaviour turns out to had been an act to test Bella’s character, the will discovered by Silas Wegg turns out to be false, Eugene Wrayburn is recovering slowly and all the good people are happy at last!
What we thought
Our Mutual Friend is another evocative Dickensian portrayal of Victorian London. We felt that it is the marvellous array of incidental characters that is the main strength of this novel. The depiction of poverty of the Hexams and their associates is particularly strong. The constant fear of the workhouse of Mrs Betty Higden allowed Dickens to have another swipe at the whole social care system. Dickens also attacked the superficial nature of the upper classes, the political system of voting of MPs, and education by rote. All this in addition to a complex plot!
Get involved
Read all our Dickens Champions’ blogs from 2012 here!
For more blogs from the MK Borrows, why not read their thoughts on Dombey and Son, A Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist.
Or read what the Immaculate Conception Dickens Champions thought of Our Mutual Friend.
