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The Mystery of Edwin Drood: How Does the Story End? (Patreon)

Published:
2022-12-27 20:30:01
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Today we’re discussing the ‘ending’ of Charles Dickens’ The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the value in reading an incomplete story.

We’re talking about embracing difficult reading experiences, life beginning and ending in medias res, the Reader’s Sublime, rereading, Dickens the performer, whether Dickens left the tale deliberately unfinished, your theories, and much more.

Timestamps:

  • 0:00 why read an incomplete story?
  • 4:00 on difficult reading pleasures
  • 6:40 how to reread a story
  • 7:30 on reading a story aloud
  • 9:27 great stories never end
  • 10:45 my thoughts on the story
  • 11:30 Dickens the performer
  • 16:00 did Dickens tell his friends?
  • 18:00 did our writer know the ending?
  • 22:00 was the story deliberately unfinished?
  • 25:20 how I think the story ended
  • 27:30 who is the culprit?
  • 31:00 is the conclusion important?
  • 34:00 a painfully resonant moment in my life
  • 35:30 your theories about Edwin Drood
  • 1:08:40 thank you for reading with us

Thank you all so much for reading The Mystery of Edwin Drood, constructing your theories, and bringing your selves so fully to this tale. 

Questions to Consider:

1) What would Dickens think of how readers have responded to his final work?

2) Have new theories about the ending occurred to you? Do the theories of other readers sway you?

3) Do stories need an ending? 

4) Does reading stories inspire you to write your own?

Happy reading, everybody!

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Comments

Donna F.

I’m really happy I read ED…Ben’s lecture added to my enjoyment,as well as all the wonderful comments. I also watched 2 movie adaptations of the book. The first film was a BBC adaptation, which was fantastic! The second film was a 1935 Universal Studios Hollywood film. this Hollywood film was a horror/gothic genre starring Claude Rains as Mr Jasper. Universal Studios had done both Dracula and Frankenstein in 1931, so I had high expectations of their ED, but I thought it so so. I much preferred the BBC production. Both films did something interesting with Datchery. The BBC production made me feel empathy for Mr Jasper. Finally, I think what will stick with me are the eccentric ancillary characters, especially Durdles, Deputy, Mr Tartar and the indirect fighting between Miss Twiinkleton and Mrs Billicken. I love how Dickens gave life to eccentric characters.

Jonathon Glover

What a fun lecture series. I enjoyed the novel, but found the discussion in the group chat much more interesting. I agree you many who can see Jasper as the killer, and the story more being about a look into his mental state, rather than a whodunnit. I also love the idea that Dickens knew he would never finish the novel, and that the discus here as his initial intention. I can also see the argument that Drood is alive, and that eventually he would return and we get an overall happy ending. However, the one that I am leaning towards is that Neville is executed for the crime, and that we later find out that Jasper was the killer, and that he was killed by Rosa, or another character, after the trial. Great fun all round!!

Debra

Thanks, Louiza.

Anonymous

As a question, should I book havean ending?, I think of the difference between a beloved dying from a specific cause or from an accident or sudden catastrophe, or in their sleep. There's no chance to say goodbye. Everything just stops. I like the mystery of The Mystery of Edwin Drood for this very reason. No goodbyes. Ever tickling the back of my imagination. "World without end," without the "Amen!"