Charles Dickens and Irish Ethnic Identity
mmccartney
Introduction
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Charles
Dickens was well known during his lifetime, famous for both his editing
capabilities and his novels, which often pursued a social agenda and included
satirical critique of society. In 1836, Dickens published Sketches by Boz, a collection of anecdotes about inhabitants of
London. The book reveals a glimpse into the young writer’s head and contains
some of Dickens’s earliest work. The descriptions of Irishmen in Sketches by Boz are cliché; Dickens portrays
them as drunk, impulsive, and violent. This is especially evident in the chapters
“Seven Dials” and “Gin-shops.” However, as Dickens grows older his bias against
the Irish appears to falter. In 1850, he founded the literary journal Household Words. Dickens approved
articles for publication in the journal that attempted to show the Irishman in
a positive light. In particular, the piece “An Irish Peculiarity” makes an
effort to combat derogative stereotypes. Dickens’s views of Irish ethnicity
were inconsistent, but over time he worked to fight conventional bias. From
1836 to 1850 Dickens’s writing wavered between reinforcing and dispelling
traditional Irish stereotypes; he undoubtedly adheres to the stereotypes as a
young writer in Sketches by Boz, yet
twenty years later there is evidence in Household
Words that Dickens does not wholeheartedly agree with the negative generalizations. |
Charles Dickens
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Irish Ethnicity in Sketches by Boz
It is evident that young Dickens had
conventional views of the Irishman, as he negatively typecasts them in Sketches by Boz and adheres to societal
assumptions about the ethnic group. In the chapter “Seven Dials,” Dickens
writes the Irish as clichéd characters, rather than as people with unique
personalities. Dickens describes walking through the neighborhood (named Seven Dials)
and encountering “a low dingy public house” that is overcrowded and
uncomfortable (71). An Irish family inhabits one of the rooms and “the Irishman
comes home drunk every other night, and attacks everybody . . . The husbands
are embroiled—the quarrel becomes general—an assault is the consequence, and a
police-officer the result” (73). With this tale, Dickens strengthens the
assumption that all Irishmen are driven by alcohol and emotion.
The
Irishmen portrayed in the chapter “Gin-shops” are almost identical to the Irish
laborer in “Seven Dials.” Like the men in Seven Dials, the Irish live in a
dismal part of town: “The filthy and miserable appearance of this part of
London can hardly be imagined by those (and there are many such) who have not
witnessed it” (184). The Irishmen visit a gin shop, become intoxicated, and
jump into a fight that they are unable to end. Once more, the police have to
pacify the scene. The detail and excitement of this passage continue to propel negative stereotypes. Dickens writes,
The
Irishmen are depicted as brutal and unreasonable. It is not hard to imagine readers
sympathizing with those in direct opposition with the men: the police officers,
the battered wives, and the hungry children. This chapter also appears to
preface the scenario presented in “Seven Dials,” even though “Seven Dials”
comes first in Sketches by Boz. In
“Gin-shops” the Irishmen are kicked out of the bar and skulk home angry and
drunk. “Seven Dials” depicts what happens when they return home.
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Illustration of the chapter "Gin-shops" by Cruikshank, an artist whom often worked with Dickens
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Irish Ethnicity in Household Words
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The first page of the article "An Irish Peculiarity" as it originally appeared in Household Words
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Dickens
founded the literary journal Household
Words in 1850. The journal had many contributing authors, but the
contributions were published anonymously and the voice of Dickens was
homogeneous throughout each issue. Household
Words was “totally planned and executed by Dickens, who maintained firm
editorial control,” and he often edited and rewrote submissions from other
authors (Sullivan 170). Consequently, it can be assumed that each poem, short
story, article, or essay in Household
Words was approved by Dickens and was consistent with his views. The article “An Irish Peculiarity,” written by W. Hoare and published by Dickens in the first volume of Household Words, is an indication of the journal’s progressive aims. On one hand, the article endeavors to dispel derogative depictions of the Irish. The beginning of the piece argues that the stereotypical Irishman (represented as a passionate drunk) was crafted by “the juvenile minds of our grandparents” and is not necessarily representative of the entire Irish population (594). Hoare continues by stating that the Irishman is fully capable of being civilized. He can learn, act, and present himself in a similar way to “other well-bred, well-educated members of the civilised world” (595). This man is able to be a productive member of society. In comparison to the chapters in Sketches by Boz, this article shows the evolution of perceived Irish ethnicity. Hoare believes that the Irish will eventually assimilate completely into English society, a notion that would have been criticized in Dickens’s sketches. She states, “It is no wild speculation to anticipate the probability, that fifty years hence there may be little apparent difference between an average native of England [and] Ireland” (596). Furthermore, the civilized Irishmen in the article directly contrast the unrestrained Irishmen depicted in Sketches by Boz. Hoare writes, |
The
savage custom of faction-fighting is becoming each year more rare. Sometimes,
indeed, at the close of a fair a “bit of a fight” does spring up; but the
casualties thence resulting, are seldom of a grave or fatal character; and the
contending parties may frequently be seen proceeding homewards, with arms
lovingly linked together, and tongues vowing eternal friendship.” (596)
The
Irishmen in Sketches by Boz are
unable to stop fighting and the police are always called. Yet police intervention
only postpones the violence: the Irishmen stop beating each other, but go home
to beat their wives and children. In Hoare’s article, the Irishmen stop
fighting by themselves and walk home peacefully.
“An Irish Peculiarity” also argues that some of the traditional Irish stereotypes are justified, effectively contradicting its positive portrayal of Irishmen elsewhere in the article. The very first line states, “The characteristics attributed by one nation to another are never patented without some foundation in truth” (594). Hoare explains the root of these stereotypes, as she separates her countrymen into three distinct categories: “the Irish, the wild Irish, and the extreme wild Irish” (595). The Irish are described as civilized and living in cities; the wild Irish are depicted as less civilized and living in smaller towns; and the extreme wild Irish are presented as completely uncivilized and living in remote areas, such as the mountains. The wild Irish and the extreme wild Irish are depicted as passionate drunks and fighters. Hoare writes that this wild man “loves fun; but fighting is his pride and glory. For fighting he forswears name and wealth” (595). The depictions of the wild and the extreme wild Irishman adhere faithfully to popular stereotypes. The constant transition between advocating for the Irishman and reinforcing negative stereotypes undermines the article's progressive aims.
Conclusion
Dickens’s
early publications reveal his conflicted views regarding Irish ethnicity and
his later aims at tolerance. In Sketches
by Boz, Dickens propels popular stereotypes by depicting Irishmen as
abusive alcoholics. About twenty years later, Dickens’s views regarding Irish
identity evolve. The article “An Irish Peculiarity” in Household Words presumably shows that Dickens believed stereotyping
the Irish to a certain extent was unfair. Yet the fact that the majority of the article supports negative
characteristics of “wild” and “extremely wild” Irishmen shows that Dickens was
not entirely prejudice-free.
Even though Dickens did not write “An Irish Peculiarity,” the piece almost certainly aligns with his views. Dickens had firm editing control of Household Words. Individual authors were not mentioned in the literary journal and Dickens’s name was at the top of every page. Furthermore, Hoare was one of the few Irish authors to write about Irish ethnicity in Household Words. The fact that he approved Hoare’s article is indicative that he agreed with its contents. Therefore, it can be assumed that both Sketches by Boz and Household Words accurately illustrate Dickens’s opinions.
Dickens was not wholly “pro-Irish” or “anti-Irish,” but fell somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. It is clear that Dickens had a malleable mind. He was able to alter his opinions and, by 1850, attempted to express a fair view of Irish ethnicity. Considering the time period, it may be too much to expect Dickens to be entirely objective and enlightened in his views.
Works Cited
Dickens, Charles. Sketches by Boz: Illustrative of Every-day Life and Every-day People. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1987. Print.
Hoare,
W. "An Irish Peculiarity." Household Words 1.25 (1850):
594-96. Print.
Sullivan, Alvin. "Household Words." British Literary Magazines. London: Greenwood, 1984. 170-75. Print.
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