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Nicholas
Nickleby |
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1
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Moving
closer to the present day, this activity explores
the writing of a C19th author. 'Nicholas Nickleby'
is a novel by Charles Dickens, written in 1838
and published in 20 monthly episodes. His novels
were as popular as soaps today. They were so popular
that a few small publishers, out to make some
easy money, copied each episode, changed the names
a little and sold them at a cheaper price. The
British Library still has copies of pirated versions
of Dickens' stories. (Today it happens with illegally
copied videos, for example.)
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Although
Dickens' language is much closer to present day English
than Chaucer's language (see 'The Squire's Tale'), it
was written over 160 years ago and some words have changed
in usage or meaning. These are the clues to when any
text was written.
In 'Nicholas
Nickleby' there is a boys' school where Nicholas (aged
19) goes to teach. This is the advertisement for the
school. It is written to persuade and so makes the curriculum
sound as impressive as possible:
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| "EDUCATION
--At Mr Wackford Squeers's Academy, Dotheboys Hall, at
the delightful village of Dotheboys, near Greta Bridge
in Yorkshire, Youth are boarded, clothed, booked,
furnished with pocket-money,
provided with all necessaries, instructed in all languages
living and dead, mathematics, orthography,
geometry, astronomy,
trigonometry, the use of the globes, algebra, single
stick (if required), writing, arithmetic, fortification,
and every other branch of classical literature. Terms,
twenty guineas per annum.
No extras, no vacations,
and diet unparalleled. Mr Squeers is in town, and attends
daily, from one till four, at the Saracen's Head, Snow
Hill. N.B. An able assistant wanted. Annual salary £5.
A Master of Arts would be preferred." |
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Is
there anything suspicious about this advertisement? How
much of the language in the advertisement is designed
to impress? (See section on Jargon
in Topic: 'Over to you!'). |
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Look
through the passage for evidence that this advertisement
was not written recently and make a list. If there are
words you do not understand, click on them in the list
below for help with the meanings: |
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Write
an advertisement for your own school, keeping to the facts
but making it sound as impressive as possible. Choose
your words carefully and use a dictionary. |
Now
look at the exercises on the next page.
Next
page
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