A mystery about the ending of Charles Dickens' last book has long baffled fans, and caused arguments in literary circles.
In 1870, Dickens was publishing monthly installments of his manuscript The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The Mystery of Edwin Drood was scheduled to be published in twelve episodes (shorter than Dickens's usual twenty) from April to February 1871, each costing one shilling. Only six of the installments were completed before the famous author's death—making it approximately half finished.
After the main character disappeared, fans were kept on tenterhooks by the plot.
In 1870, Dickens was publishing monthly installments of his manuscript The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The Mystery of Edwin Drood was scheduled to be published in twelve episodes (shorter than Dickens's usual twenty) from April to February 1871, each costing one shilling. Only six of the installments were completed before the famous author's death—making it approximately half finished.
After the main character disappeared, fans were kept on tenterhooks by the plot.
Now, a group of academics hope to solve the 150-year-old mystery of what actually happened to Edwin Drood by allowing readers to vote online for their preferred ending. People visiting the website called the Drood Inquiry http://www.droodinquiry.com/home are asked to vote anonymously on various aspects of the ending such as whether he is dead or alive, where his body is and who killed or attempted to kill the student.
You are presented with a case review, character profiles, witness statements, clues and red herrings etc before making your decision.
The project launcher, an expert in Dickens at the University of Buckingham, says people are fascinated with the book and have been trying to work out the ending for almost 150 years.
Some of Charles Dickens plays: A Tale of Two Cities, The Frozen Deep, No Thoroughfare, The Goblins.
To refresh your memory, here's the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities: IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
So how about you? Are you keen enough on Charles Dickens to make a contribution.
As an aside, last year I offered a chance for a reader to become a character in my novel, Shattered Shells by using an online entry form. The plot had already been worked out. All I needed was a person with unique attributes. My winner, Alana Mautone, now graces the newly published novel.
What do you think about using public participation in this way?
You are presented with a case review, character profiles, witness statements, clues and red herrings etc before making your decision.
The project launcher, an expert in Dickens at the University of Buckingham, says people are fascinated with the book and have been trying to work out the ending for almost 150 years.
Some of Charles Dickens plays: A Tale of Two Cities, The Frozen Deep, No Thoroughfare, The Goblins.
To refresh your memory, here's the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities: IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
So how about you? Are you keen enough on Charles Dickens to make a contribution.
As an aside, last year I offered a chance for a reader to become a character in my novel, Shattered Shells by using an online entry form. The plot had already been worked out. All I needed was a person with unique attributes. My winner, Alana Mautone, now graces the newly published novel.
What do you think about using public participation in this way?
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