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The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens - Lecture One (Patreon)

Published:
2022-11-19 17:55:00
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

After a long hiatus, our beloved Mr Dickens returns to the world of fiction with an exciting new book. And this one is a compelling story called ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood.’

We tear through the first few instalments, with those familiar and sorely missed green covers, eager to live through another delightfully Dickensian story, unaware of the inevitable looming on the horizon…

Topics of discussion include: the three mindsets/phases for reading this incomplete work, the history of mystery, opium addiction, plotting vs pantsing, character creation, humour, the death of Mr Dickens, and much more.

Video Timestamps:

  • 0:00 how to read Edwin Drood
  • 3:00 on reading an incomplete work
  • 4:22 becoming the first reader 
  • 7:52 the history of mystery
  • 16:00 what we desire from a mystery
  • 20:17 breaking into this story
  • 21:00 Dickens' writing style 
  • 23:10 opium in literature 
  • 25:45 reading the opening together
  • 30:57 Dickensian characters 
  • 40:00 hidden skeletons 
  • 47:00 Edwin and Rosa 
  • 51:00 the author's anxiety
  • 53:00 plotting vs pantsing 
  • 54:00 Jasper and Durdles 
  • 57:18 Dickens the satirist 
  • 58:20 Neville and Helena 
  • 1:01:00 Neville and Edwin 
  • 1:02:00 Jasper and Rosa 
  • 1:07:00 the death of Charles Dickens
  • 1:12:50 your thoughts on the story?

Questions for You:

1) Imagine you are the first reader. What did you make of the beginning of Edwin Drood? Where do you see it going? And how would your reading change after learning of the death of Charles Dickens?

2) Why do we want our stories to have a resolution? And can an incomplete book still be considered great literature?

3) Are you a fan of the mystery or crime genre?

Happy reading, folks!

Files

Previews only

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens - Lecture One

0:00 how to read Edwin Drood 3:00 on reading an incomplete work 4:22 becoming the first reader 7:52 the history of mystery 16:00 what we desire from a mystery 20:17 breaking into this story 21:00 Dickens' writing style 23:10 opium in literature 25:45 reading the opening together 30:57 Dickensian characters 40:00 hidden skeletons 47:00 Edwin and Rosa 51:00 the author's anxiety 53:00 plotting vs pantsing 54:00 Jasper and Durdles 57:18 Dickens the satirist 58:20 Neville and Helena 1:01:00 Neville and Edwin 1:02:00 Jasper and Rosa 1:07:00 the death of Charles Dickens 1:12:50 your thoughts on the story?

Comments

Jonathon Glover

I got up to Ch 18 of David Copperfield and wanted to beautiful for the lecture before powering ahead. But wasn’t ready to leave the world of Dickens. So here I am, jumping into the Secret Dickens series that O hadn’t read yet. I didn’t realise that Dickens hadn’t written for the last 5 years of his life, so it is interesting seeing him return with this novel. The lecture has also got me wanting to read Wilkie Collins Moonstone, which has been on my TBR for a long time.

Angelina

Having now finished David Copperfield, my first Dickens after A Christmas Carol, I immediately started on Drood today. I find it's style very different from DC. It's modern, experimental. The nuts being cracked resonated Joyce with me. I don't know if it makes sense. I am reading on, I am intrigued.

Esteban Watler

The introduction really drew me in and I imagine as a first-time reader it would have the same effect. The druggy haze of the opium den was great to introduce what will become a mystery that needs to be solved because almost immediately I was wondering what was going on, and who the nameless people gathered together in the room were. As the characters were introduced and I began to get a feel for their personalities I have become distrustful of Jasper and sympathetic to Edwin and Rosa. Knowing that something is due to happen to Edwin, Jasper is my first suspect because he seems to be 'not all there,' and he has taken an interest in the crypt and the man that knows it best. I personally enjoy having a resolution at the end of a story because I don't like to be kept guessing, especially if the story is a mystery. However, just because the ending of a story is missing doesn't mean it should be excluded from the category of great literature. I think any work that gets its readers in touch with what it means to be human and imparts wisdom can be considered great whether or not the author finished the work. I'm so glad I jumped in on this read with you guys. It's refreshing to read an author I'm not familiar with. :)

Anonymous

It's been over a year since I read the tale of Ed Drood, and I worried I'd be lost in this lecture, but I needn't have. You brought it right back to life with your theatrical recounting and sharp analysis. This is another of Dicken's novels I wish I could walk into by the backdoor, passing the characters on the street, maybe saying good day, but never giving away the mystery.