Having the opportunity
to read through some excerpts in All the Year Round and Household Words, the
two periodicals Dickens edited was quite an experience. Just being in the Rare
Books Room was eventful in itself. I did not know Loras’ had such a room and
housed such a great selection of artifacts.
The environment as a whole made me feel very important for even being
allowed in. The old chairs with high green-covered backs reminded me of an
earlier period in time. It was all very unreal. To be reading a through a book
that was made over a hundred years ago it outrageous. The opportunity will
surely be one that I never forget.
When perusing in the two periodicals I found many topics,
fiction and non to be very comical, in the context that I live in the 21st
century my perspective is obviously viewing this differently than the old
perspective of the present during the Victorian era. What interested me about
Victorians was there inclusion of non-fiction and fiction stories all compiled
together in the pages. I found the index helpful. In a magazine today I have a
hard time figuring out what stories are where. When working on my research for
the course it has proved to be very beneficial in terms of finding a certain
type of excerpt. Not only is it helpful,
but it shows what the Victorians interest were. Clothing, furniture, and
household appliances/objects like the toilet were advertised really well. The
stories sometimes alluded to events taking place during that time as well or
other interests of the Victorians. Also the fiction right beside and below the
non-fiction was refreshing! That element kept the periodical exciting, varied
and a great read because of that such purpose. All the excerpts seem to be
witty and creative. With a satirical Victorian humor tied in it was not to
enjoy reading all he excerpts.
Out of the many excerpts my favorite one that definitely
caught my eye the most was Suggestions
From a Maniac dated February 13th, 1864 on page 9 in Vol. XI of
All the Year Round. The introduction was fiction at its finest. It allowed for
a plot to be developed and unfolded in a few pages. The topic in Suggestions From a Maniac focuses on a
manuscript, which is very coincidental in terms of how the periodical has to
come about. After reading a good chunk of Bleak House so far in the course I
can see the parallel that Charles Dickens edited these stories. It seems that
many had his style of writing and the elaborate detail never fell short. The
line in the short story that describes “A
stout-good- natured-looking personage, with bushy whiskers, and dressed in a
shooting jacket: who handed the package in with a grin and remark ‘You often
won’t get anything like that, I’ll be bound!” In that line I see the detail
scream Dickens may have been involved in changing part of the story along with
the play on words by saying bound as in the manuscript will be bound it is so
wonderful.
In conclusion I found the whole experience to be very
different and exciting to be able to utilize the Rare Books Room. Reading an
original periodical is rewarding experience because you get to see the original
context. I also found it ironic that pictures and advertisements where in the
front. It was an interesting decision to have it be that way. Capitalism has
now taken over even more lives that it is hard to not even read a story without
referencing some type of name-brand object.
The opportunity to read something that took place in such an area where
things weren’t as prevalent is uplifting to the Victorian way of life. Although
many connections can be made to the social class and exploitation of
individuals that takes place still to this day, it is nice to be able to
compare and contrast the generational progress made even in the periodicals
from earlier ones to the later written ones.
*Included
below is a copy of the comical story that caught my eye.
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