175 Years of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
The Ghosts of Christmas Carol Past, Present, and Yet to Come
Dec 17, 2008
It is widely known that the reason for Charles Dickens novels being so lengthy is because he was paid by the word, but ironically, the work for which he may be best known, A Christmas Carol, is only a short novella. Yet, although a short work, it has had a long life.
The Plot of the Novella
Miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is seemingly stone-hearted, caring for nothing more than accumulating wealth. He has no friends, and he is dismissive of his nephew Fred, who seems to be his only living family. Also, unlike his hardworking clerk Bob Cratchit, Scrooge is intolerant of Christmas, but on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his seven-year-deceased business partner Jacob Marley, who warns Scrooge to change his ways or be beset by chains.
During the night, Scrooge is visited by three spirits, representing Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet To Come.
The first spirit shows Scrooge the sorrows of his past Christmases, and the reader soon comes to understand some of what has caused Scrooge to become coldly inconsiderate. Ebenezer’s past includes an isolated boarding school childhood, his beloved sister dying in childbirth, and finally his avarice leading to the lose of his young lady love, Belle.
The second spirit shows Scrooge present day Christmas at the Crachit house, where Scrooge comes to realize that the family is poor, but more contented because they have one another. Then, the spirit also points out that there will be an early death for the gentle child, Tiny Tim Crachit. Scrooge is further saddened by hearing himself mocked by the party at his nephew’s home, although Fred maintains that his uncle can change. Scrooge sees how even humble people mark Christmas, and the spirit tells Scrooge that ignorance and want are the chief causes of suffering.
The third spirit shows Scrooge his sad fate, but Scrooge learning he can change his future by changing his ways, awakens on Christmas morning to begin to right wrongs.
Adaptations of A Christmas Carol
All of the adaptations have selected to omit, alter, or include some parts of the story and not other parts, but the general premise remains predominately the same.
Since the book’s publication it has been adapted into many other varied forms including Radio renditions, the first of which starred Lionel Barrymore, and even two Opera adaptations. However, the most frequently used adaptation formats remain the stage and screen.
Scrooge or Marley’s Ghost (1901) was a short British film which was the first screen adaptation of the seasonal story, and among the first silent films. Other silent screen adaptations followed in 1908, 1910, and 1913, but it was not until 1916 that the first feature length adaptation was filmed for the moving picture screen.
The British film, Scrooge (1935), starring Sir Seymour Hicks was the first speaking screen version. However, perhaps, the best known movie adaptations of the story are A Christmas Carol (1938), starring Reginald Owen, and Scrooge (1951), starring Alistair Sim.
Scrooge on the Small Screen
There have been many television versions of A Christmas Carol. Some such as a version from 1984, starring George C. Scott, and another version from 1999, starring Patrick Stewart, sought to hold true to the original story.
Other television adaptations have put twists on the Dickensian work. For example, Henry Winkler starred in An American Christmas Carol, setting the story in the 1930s Depression-era. Susan Lucci starred as a female scrooge in modern-day in a version entitled Ebbie, originally aired in 1995. Other television versions have turned the story into a musical or put various twists on the tale.
Some situation comedies have chosen to use the idea of the story as the basis for a special Christmas episode. These versions of the story are often the most altered from the original in order to make the story fit the characters of the sitcom.
Scrooge on Stage
Although A Christmas Carol was among the first literary works to be adapted to screen, it seems to have taken considerably longer for the story to tread the boards of a stage. In 1974, the story was turned in a musical-comedy, and other stage-show versions have followed, including a Broadway one-man reading by Patrick Stewart in 1991, and, in 1992, a British stage musical, Scrooge: The Musical, starring Anthony Newley.
Children’s Christmas Carol
Recently, most adaptations of A Christmas Carol have been cartoons purposely created to tell the story of Scrooge to younger viewers.
In previous years cartoons such as The Flintstones and The Jetsons have used the story for the characters of the cartoon, but by far the best version of such an adaptation has been the endearing Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983). Due to its short length, it has seriously reduced the story, removing some of the sadder spots of the story. Yet, parents should be warned that the final few minutes of the special contain an unnecessarily frightening graveyard scene, which could prove disturbing to children.
Disney also produced a cinema movie version of the novella using Jim Henson’s Muppets, The Muppet Christmas Carol. This version adds musical numbers and “Muppet comedy,” but it stays true to many details of the book, removing some of the more upsetting elements, making it suitable for children to enjoy.
God Bless Us, Every One!
A Christmas Carol has acted as an inspiration to individuals and adaptors for 175 years. It could even be argued that the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life is Dicken’s yuletide tale in reverse. It is almost looking at Bob Crachit being visited by a seasonal spirit in order to remind him not to change his good ways. Whatever it is about A Christmas Carol, it is not as much the detail of either the book or any one adaptation which seems to soak into individuals. This seasonal story about salvation and spirits seems to speak to something within the soul.
 |
 |
