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WHAT THE DICKENS! FANS FIGHT STATUE

Dickens wanted to be remembered by his work

Sunday March 23,2008

By Ian Read

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Charles Dickens is one of the giants of English literature. His works have delighted generations, been immortalised by Hollywood film-makers and, even today, inspire reality television shows.

And though he stands proud among the pantheon of literary greats, the writerís dying wish that there should be no monument to mark his life has been respected in the UK.

But there is growing clamour to erect a statue of the great man, ready for the bicentenary of his birth in 2012.

Medway Council wants to put a statue outside Eastgate House, a boarding school for girls in Rochester, Kent, that featured in Pickwick Papers and was near the village of Higham where he lived.

The plan has created intrigue worthy of the great manís quill.

In his will, Dickens said he wanted to be remembered by his writings ñ not by a statue on a plinth.†

Purists want to respect the authorís wishes ñ when the people of America sent a crated statue to his son Henry in the late 19th Century, he sent it back without opening it. That statue of Dickens and Little Nell, the heroine of his 1841 work the Old Curiosity Shop, stands today in a park in Philadelphia.

Dickens Fellowship stalwart Thelma Grove believes Rochester should still honour his wishes 138 years after his death. She said: ìCharles Dickens didnít want ostentatious memorials.†

ìThatís why he stipulated his house at Gads Hill should be sold because he didnít want it turned into some kind of literary shrine.†

ìHis work is testament to his genius. If the council want a statue, why not use one of his characters?î

But the authorityís proposal is supported by the authorís descendants, headed by his great-great-grandson Mark Dickens.†

He said: ìI think his will can be re-interpreted to mean he didnít want a memorial built in the lifetime of his friends.†

ìThey were a close-knit group and agreed to his wishes. That group has long since died out and the family would be happy to see the statues erected.î

The idea was proposed by Cllr Julie Shaw who said: ìI feel itís high time Dickens was honoured by the city.†

ìIt is important to remember Englandís greatest author. People associate him with Rochester yet there is no statue of him here.î

Many of Dickensí greatest works, including Great Expectations, are connected to the city.

Americaís obsession with Dickens ñ who visited its shores in 1842 ñ will continue this week when a collection of 800 signed manuscripts, first editions and letters are due to come up for sale at Christieís in New York.

Former head of 20th Century Fox William Self amassed the collection which is expected to fetch £1million.

It includes a signed page of the first Pickwick Papers manuscript, his burial certificate and the score of a little known comic opera Dickens wrote called the Village Coquettes.

DICKENS'S WILL DOESN'T MENTION THE WORD "STATUE"

25.03.08, 4:23pm

Perhaps people who object to the idea of a statue should actually read Charles Dickens's will. In it he did not mention a "statue"; he requested that his books be his only memorial or monument - if that had been followed to the letter there would be no such thing as the Dickens Fellowship, the several Dickens museums, the new Dickens World in Chatham, Dickens festivals - such as those in Rochester and all over the US - or indeed any TV or film adaptations. His books would be the only thing we would have to remind us of him.

The will was overruled by Queen Victoria within hours of Dickens's death. He had specifically asked to be buried in Rochester Cathedral, the queen went against his wishes and insisted he be buried in Westminster Abbey (where, incidentally, visitors normally have to pay in order to see his grave).

With all that has been done in Dickens's name: the amount of monuments and memorials (if not statues) that have been created to him and the numbers of people who visit his grave every year, it seems somewhat ludicrous to be saying we should finally begin to follow the requests Charles Dickens laid out in his will almost 200 years after he was born!

• Posted by: LADH • Report Comment

I LOVE DICKENS

23.03.08, 10:20pm

All his works

But my favourite is David Copperfield..

It is said that David Copperfield is the least like Dickens but has more of Dickens in it.

For me all of humanity is in that book.

I read it every few years !

• Posted by: abuela • Report Comment

DICKENS DID NOT WANT A STATUE

23.03.08, 3:33pm

That is the long and the short of it.

Dickens' works are still recited and performed today which is a 'monumental' witness to his talent as a great writer. A more appropriate way to celebrate would be a a festival about Dickens' life and times, and of course recitations of his great works.

• Posted by: K8Bee • Report Comment