Publisher's Synopsis
Our Mutual Friend is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1864-65. The story follows the lives of various characters in Victorian London, all of whom are connected by the inheritance of a large fortune. The novel explores themes of greed, social class, morality, and the corrupting influence of wealth.The main characters include John Harmon, a young man who is believed to have drowned but resurfaces under a new identity to claim his inheritance; Bella Wilfer, a beautiful and ambitious young woman who is set to inherit the fortune if John Harmon does not appear; Eugene Wrayburn, a lazy and cynical barrister who falls in love with Bella; and Lizzie Hexam, a poor young woman who is caught up in a murder mystery and becomes the object of Eugene's affections.The novel is also populated by a cast of colorful supporting characters, including the Boffins, a nouveau riche couple who take John Harmon under their wing; Mr. and Mrs. Veneering, a pair of social climbers who are desperate to be accepted into high society; and the villainous Bradley Headstone, a schoolteacher who becomes obsessed with Lizzie and is driven to commit murder.Throughout the novel, Dickens satirizes the greed and hypocrisy of Victorian society, while also exploring the redemptive power of love and the importance of human connection. Our Mutual Friend is considered one of Dickens' greatest works and a masterpiece of Victorian literature.1865. Dickens, English novelist, is considered by many to be the greatest of his country. His works were known to indict society's mistreatment and abuse of the poor, especially children. Our Mutual Friend, one of Dickens's later works, is highly regarded by some critics while others find it humorless and contrived. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
