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Excerpt
Excerpt from Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty, by Charles Dickens
Miss Miggs, baffled in all her schemes, matrimonial and otherwise, and
cast upon a thankless, undeserving world, turned very sharp and sour;
and did at length become so acid, and did so pinch and slap and tweak
the hair and noses of the youth of Golden Lion Court, that she was by
one consent expelled that sanctuary, and desired to bless some other
spot of earth, in preference. It chanced at that moment, that the
justices of the peace for Middlesex proclaimed by public placard that
they stood in need of a female turnkey for the County Bridewell, and
appointed a day and hour for the inspection of candidates. Miss Miggs
attending at the time appointed, was instantly chosen and selected from
one hundred and twenty-four competitors, and at once promoted to
the office; which she held until her decease, more than thirty years
afterwards, remaining single all that time. It was observed of this lady
that while she was inflexible and grim to all her female flock, she was
particularly so to those who could establish any claim to beauty: and
it was often remarked as a proof of her indomitable virtue and severe
chastity, that to such as had been frail she showed no mercy; always
falling upon them on the slightest occasion, or on no occasion at all,
with the fullest measure of her wrath. Among other useful inventions
which she practised upon this class of offenders and bequeathed to
posterity, was the art of inflicting an exquisitely vicious poke or dig
with the wards of a key in the small of the back, near the spine. She
likewise originated a mode of treading by accident (in pattens) on
such as had small feet; also very remarkable for its ingenuity, and
previously quite unknown.
It was not very long, you may be sure, before Joe Willet and Dolly
Varden were made husband and wife, and with a handsome sum in bank (for
the locksmith could afford to give his daughter a good dowry), reopened
the Maypole. It was not very long, you may be sure, before a red-faced
little boy was seen staggering about the Maypole passage, and kicking up
his heels on the green before the door. It was not very long, counting
by years, before there was a red-faced little girl, another red-faced
little boy, and a whole troop of girls and boys: so that, go to Chigwell
when you would, there would surely be seen, either in the village
street, or on the green, or frolicking in the farm-yard--for it was a
farm now, as well as a tavern--more small Joes and small Dollys than
could be easily counted. It was not a very long time before these
appearances ensued; but it WAS a VERY long time before Joe looked five
years older, or Dolly either, or the locksmith either, or his wife
either: for cheerfulness and content are great beautifiers, and are
famous preservers of youthful looks, depend upon it.
It was a long time, too, before there was such a country inn as the
Maypole, in all England: indeed it is a great question whether there has
ever been such another to this hour, or ever will be. It was a long time
too--for Never, as the proverb says, is a long day--before they forgot
to have an interest in wounded soldiers at the Maypole, or before Joe
omitted to refresh them, for the sake of his old campaign; or before
the serjeant left off looking in there, now and then; or before they
fatigued themselves, or each other, by talking on these occasions of
battles and sieges, and hard weather and hard service, and a thousand
things belonging to a soldier’s life. As to the great silver snuff-box
which the King sent Joe with his own hand, because of his conduct in the
Riots, what guest ever went to the Maypole without putting finger and
thumb into that box, and taking a great pinch, though he had never taken
a pinch of snuff before, and almost sneezed himself into convulsions
even then? As to the purple-faced vintner, where is the man who lived in
those times and never saw HIM at the Maypole: to all appearance as much
at home in the best room, as if he lived there? And as to the feastings
and christenings, and revellings at Christmas, and celebrations of
birthdays, wedding-days, and all manner of days, both at the Maypole and
the Golden Key,--if they are not notorious, what facts are?
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens
This passage from Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty (1841) contrasts two vastly different female characters—Miss Miggs, a bitter, vengeful woman, and Dolly Varden, a joyful, fertile figure—while also celebrating the restoration of order, domestic happiness, and communal harmony after the chaos of the Gordon Riots of 1780. The excerpt serves as a comic yet morally instructive conclusion to the novel, reinforcing Dickens’ themes of social justice, personal virtue, and the redemptive power of love and contentment.
1. Context of the Excerpt
Barnaby Rudge is one of Dickens’ historical novels, set against the backdrop of the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots, a violent uprising in London. The story follows Barnaby Rudge, a simple-minded young man caught up in the mob, and Joe Willet, a loyal soldier who resists the rioters. The novel explores mob psychology, injustice, and the fragility of social order, but it also contrasts destructive forces (like Miss Miggs) with restorative ones (like Dolly Varden and the Maypole Inn).
This excerpt comes near the end of the novel, where Dickens wraps up the fates of his characters. Miss Miggs—a failed matchmaker and a vindictive woman—finds her "rightful" place as a prison turnkey, while Dolly Varden and Joe Willet embody domestic bliss, prosperity, and generational continuity through their large family and thriving inn.
2. Breakdown of the Excerpt
A. Miss Miggs: The Bitter, Punitive Woman
"Miss Miggs, baffled in all her schemes, matrimonial and otherwise, and cast upon a thankless, undeserving world, turned very sharp and sour..."
Characterization & Backstory:
- Miss Miggs is a frustrated, unmarried woman who has failed in her romantic and social ambitions (likely trying to marry someone above her station).
- Her bitterness is not just personal but societal—she feels the world has wronged her, and she takes out her resentment on others, particularly children and beautiful women.
- Dickens often portrays spinsters and unmarried women in his works as either comically ridiculous (Miss Bates in Emma-esque figures) or dangerously bitter (like Miss Miggs). Here, she is the latter—a grotesque figure of repressed anger.
Symbolism & Themes:
- Failed Social Mobility: Miss Miggs’ inability to marry or improve her station reflects Dickens’ critique of a rigid class system where women like her have no outlet for ambition.
- Punishment as Power: When she becomes a prison turnkey (jailer), she weapons her bitterness, taking pleasure in inflicting pain on those she deems morally inferior (especially "frail" women—likely prostitutes or unwed mothers).
- Satire of "Virtue": Dickens mocks her "indomitable virtue"—her cruelty is framed as moral righteousness, exposing how self-righteousness can mask sadism.
Literary Devices:
- Hyperbole & Exaggeration: Her pinching, slapping, and "exquisitely vicious" key-poking are described with dark humor, making her cruelty almost cartoonishly evil.
- Irony: She is chosen over 124 competitors—suggesting that brutality was the qualification for the job.
- Grotesque Imagery: The pattens (wooden overshoes) treading on small feet and the key-digging into spines are visceral, almost sadistic details that reinforce her physical and psychological domination.
Significance:
- Miss Miggs represents what happens when society offers no redemption—she becomes a monster of the system, enforcing its cruelties.
- Her fate contrasts with Dolly Varden’s, showing how bitterness vs. love shape one’s life.
B. Dolly Varden & Joe Willet: Domestic Bliss & Generational Continuity
"It was not very long, you may be sure, before Joe Willet and Dolly Varden were made husband and wife..."
Characterization:
- Dolly Varden is the idealized Victorian woman—beautiful, virtuous, and fertile (her many children symbolize prosperity and stability).
- Joe Willet is the loyal soldier, rewarded for his bravery in the riots with a royal snuffbox (a symbol of honor and social recognition).
- Their marriage and reopening of the Maypole Inn represent restoration after chaos.
Themes:
- Domestic Harmony as Social Repair: After the destruction of the riots, their family and business thrive, suggesting that love and hard work can heal societal wounds.
- Generational Continuity: The endless "small Joes and small Dollys" symbolize hope for the future—a stark contrast to Miss Miggs’ barren, joyless existence.
- Cheerfulness as Preservation: The line "cheerfulness and content are great beautifiers" reflects Dickens’ belief that happiness keeps one youthful, both physically and spiritually.
Literary Devices:
- Repetition & Rhythm: The phrase "It was not very long..." is repeated like a refrain, creating a fairy-tale-like cadence—this is a happy ending, almost mythic in its perfection.
- Hyperbole & Idealization: The Maypole is the best inn in England, the children are endlessly multiplying, and no one ages—this is wish fulfillment, a utopian vision after the novel’s darkness.
- Symbolism of the Maypole:
- The Maypole (a traditional English festival symbol) represents community, fertility, and renewal.
- The farm and tavern combined suggest self-sufficiency and abundance.
Significance:
- Dolly and Joe’s story is Dickens’ answer to chaos—order, family, and tradition triumph over mob violence and bitterness.
- The snuffbox from the King and the purple-faced vintner (a recurring comic character) add social prestige, showing that virtue is rewarded.
C. The Maypole as a Microcosm of Ideal Society
"It was a long time, too, before there was such a country inn as the Maypole, in all England..."
The Maypole Inn as a Symbol:
- It is more than a business—it’s a gathering place for soldiers, locals, and celebrations, embodying English communal life.
- The feastings, christenings, and Christmas revels reinforce Dickens’ love of tradition and festivity (a theme he would later explore in A Christmas Carol).
- The wounded soldiers and Joe’s military past tie the personal to the historical, showing how individual lives are shaped by larger events.
Contrast with Golden Lion Court (Miss Miggs’ Old Haunt):
- Golden Lion Court (where Miss Miggs was expelled) is a place of punishment and bitterness.
- The Maypole is a place of joy and inclusion.
- This duality reinforces Dickens’ moral binary—love vs. hatred, generosity vs. cruelty.
3. Key Themes in the Excerpt
The Power of Love vs. the Corrosion of Bitterness
- Miss Miggs withered in resentment, while Dolly and Joe flourished in love.
- Dickens suggests that personal happiness is tied to moral character.
Social Order & Justice
- Miss Miggs becomes an agent of punishment, reflecting how oppressive systems create oppressive people.
- The Maypole represents a just, prosperous society where hard work and virtue are rewarded.
Generational Renewal
- The endless children symbolize hope for the future, contrasting with the destruction of the riots.
- Dickens often used fertility as a sign of societal health (e.g., the Cratchit family in A Christmas Carol).
The Role of Women in Society
- Miss Miggs is punished for her ambition and bitterness—Dickens often disapproved of women who stepped outside traditional roles.
- Dolly Varden is rewarded for her domesticity, embodying the Victorian ideal of womanhood.
Comedy & Satire
- Miss Miggs’ sadistic inventions (key-poking, patten-treading) are darkly comic, exposing the absurdity of cruelty.
- The exaggerated happiness of the Maypole is satirical in its perfection, poking fun at idealized rural life.
4. Literary Devices & Style
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperbole | "more small Joes and small Dollys than could be easily counted" | Creates a fairy-tale abundance, emphasizing fertility and joy. |
| Irony | Miss Miggs’ "indomitable virtue" is actually sadism | Exposes the hypocrisy of moral righteousness. |
| Repetition | "It was not very long..." | Gives a rhythmic, inevitable feel to the happy ending. |
| Grotesque Imagery | "exquisitely vicious poke or dig with the wards of a key" | Makes Miss Miggs both comic and monstrous. |
| Symbolism | Maypole = renewal; snuffbox = royal approval | Reinforces themes of restoration and reward. |
| Contrast | Miss Miggs’ barren cruelty vs. Dolly’s fertile love | Highlights moral and social opposites. |
5. Significance in Barnaby Rudge and Dickens’ Works
- Resolution After Chaos: The novel begins with mob violence and ends with domestic peace, showing Dickens’ belief in redemption through love and community.
- Social Commentary: Miss Miggs represents what happens when society fails its people, while the Maypole shows what happens when it succeeds.
- Dickens’ Women: Dolly is an idealized Victorian woman, while Miss Miggs is a cautionary tale—Dickens often rewarded traditional femininity and punished deviation.
- Historical vs. Personal: The Gordon Riots are a public disaster, but the Willet-Varden marriage is a private triumph, suggesting that personal virtue can outlast political turmoil.
6. Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters
This excerpt is more than just a happy ending—it’s a moral fable about how people choose to live after suffering. Miss Miggs embodies the dangers of resentment, while Dolly and Joe represent the healing power of love and community. The Maypole Inn becomes a symbol of English resilience, where tradition, family, and goodwill triumph over chaos.
Dickens, ever the social reformer, uses humor, exaggeration, and sharp contrasts to reinforce his values:
- Bitterness destroys; love preserves.
- Society must nurture its people, or they will become monsters.
- Happiness is found in simple, virtuous living.
In a novel about mob violence and injustice, this sunlit conclusion is Dickens’ affirmation that goodness endures—even if it takes a very long time for some to see it.