Some Keywords in Dickens

Contributions by Maria Teresa Chialant Contributions by Michael Eaton Contributions by Michael Hollington Contributions by Nathalie Jaëck Contributions by Ewa Kujawska-Lis Contributions by Peter Merchant Contributions by Lillian Nayder Contributions by Francesca Orestano Contributions by Jeremy Parrott Contributions by Céline Prest Contributions by Magdalena Pypeć Contributions by Dominic Rainsford Contributions by Victor Sage Contributions by Jeremy Tambling Contributions by Nathalie Vanfasse Edited by Michael Hollington Edited by Francesca Orestano Edited by Nathalie Vanfasse

Book cover: Some Keywords in Dickens

Extent: 247 pages

Publisher: V&R unipress

Subjects: Literary Studies

Series: Close Reading

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(August 2021)

ISBN: 9783847113157

6.1 x 9.13 inches

Price: $57.00

On back order

The authors of “Some Keywords in Dickens” have selected, out of the writer’s texts, words remarkable for their relevant impact, meaning, frequent occurrence and enduring resonance in his age as well as in our time.


This volume shows how highly conscious Dickens was of words – of their meaning of course, and of the ideas they conjured up, but also of their very substance, texture, plasticity, visuality, and resonance, as well as their interactions with other words, and with their cultural environment. Each keyword is treated not as a semantic unit with a fixed meaning but rather as a flexible linguistic construct. Some keywords are just a word, a characteristic or even idiosyncratic lexical unit; some are treated as a load-bearing conceptual category or theme; some disintegrate into noise, complicating readers’ assumptions about what a keyword must be. The focus shifts from “word” at micro- to macro-levels of signification, at times denoting wider cultural usage. Dynamic relations, oppositions, correlations and overlappings result from these individualized reading journeys, creating unforeseen and rich systems of meaning.

  • Contributions by Maria Teresa Chialant
  • Contributions by Michael Eaton
  • Contributions by Michael Hollington
  • Contributions by Nathalie Jaëck
  • Contributions by Ewa Kujawska-Lis
  • Contributions by Peter Merchant
  • Contributions by Lillian Nayder
  • Contributions by Francesca Orestano
  • Contributions by Jeremy Parrott
  • Contributions by Céline Prest
  • Contributions by Magdalena Pypeć
  • Contributions by Dominic Rainsford
  • Contributions by Victor Sage
  • Contributions by Jeremy Tambling
  • Contributions by Nathalie Vanfasse
  • Edited by Michael Hollington
  • Edited by Francesca Orestano
  • Edited by Nathalie Vanfasse