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Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

Dickens Characters - Picnic Corkscrews

Charles Dickens was appararently quite fascinated by the corkscrew. He made sure

many of his characters in his works used one or behaved like one. Here are some

examples:

The life and adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

(1838-39).

―

...the decanter of port being nearly

out, brother Ned pulled the bell, which was instantly answered by the apoplectic butler.

'David,' said brother Ned. 'Sir,' replied the butler. 'A magnum of the double-diamond,

David, to drink the health of Mr. Linkinwater.' Instantly, by a feat of dexterity, which

was the admiration of all the company, and had been, annually, for some years past, the

apoplectic butler, bringing his left hand from behind the small of his back, produced the

bottle with the

corkscrew

already inserted; uncorked it at a jerk; and placed the

magnum and the cork before his master with the dignity of conscious cleverness.

‖

The life and adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

(1838-39).

―

Mobbs can't think. She is sorry to

find he is discontented, which is sinful and horrid, and hopes Mr. Squeers will flog him

into a happier state of mind; with which view, she has also stopped his halfpenny a

week pocket-money, and given a double-bladed knife with a

corkscrew

in it to the

Missionaries, which she had bought on purpose for him.

‖