Dickens, Melodrama, and the Parodic Imagination

The traditional view of parody as a low and parasitic form has been recently challenged by a number of critics. This text examines the exemplary use of parody in the novels of Charles Dickens, focusing on how he parodies the mode of melodrama while simultaneously employing melodramatic devices in a straightforward manner. Rem, who teaches English at the U. of Oslo, sees Dickens's use of parody as part of his search for an authentic language. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR