Doctor Marigold by Charles Dickens

Name: Doctor Marigold
Author: Charles Dickens

Doctor Marigold is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in 1865. It tells the story of a poor peddler, Doctor Marigold, who has a daughter, Sophy, who is deaf and mute. Despite his poverty, Doctor Marigold is a kind and generous man who loves his daughter dearly. When Sophy is seven years old, Doctor Marigold takes her to a school for the deaf and mute, where she learns to communicate with sign language. After a few years, Doctor Marigold is able to bring Sophy home and they live happily together. One day, Doctor Marigold meets a young woman named Jenny Wren, who is a doll's dressmaker. He is immediately taken with her and they become friends. Jenny helps Doctor Marigold to understand Sophy better and to communicate with her. When Doctor Marigold's business fails, he is forced to take a job as a travelling salesman. He takes Sophy with him and they travel around the country, selling their wares. Along the way, they meet many interesting people and have many adventures. Eventually, Doctor Marigold and Sophy return home and Doctor Marigold is able to start a new business. He and Jenny Wren marry and they live happily ever after.

By Charles Dickens · First published 1865 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Drama, Romance · 12,061 words

First lines

I am a Cheap Jack, and my own father's name was Willum Marigold. It was in his lifetime supposed by some that his name was William, but my own father always consistently said, No, it was Willum. On which point I content myself with looking at the argument this way: If a man is not allowed to know his own name in a free country, how much is he allowed to know in a land of slavery? As to looking at the argument through the medium of the Register, Willum Marigold come into the world before Registers come up much, -- and went out of it too. They wouldn't have been greatly in his line neither, if they had chanced to come up before him.

What this Textopian page supports

Doctor Marigold is listed on Textopian as a novella by Charles Dickens, dated 1865 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novella
Author: Charles Dickens
Date: 1865 CE
Language: English
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Drama, Romance, Social Commentary
Length: 12,061 words
Structure: 1 section, 161 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Doctor Marigold?
How does this novella by Charles Dickens fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Realistic Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Realistic Fiction — Doctor Marigold is a realistic fiction novel written by Charles Dickens. It follows the story of a man who sells cheap goods and his daughter, who is deaf and mute. The novel explores themes of family, love, and loss, and is written in Dickens' signature style of realism and social commentary.
Drama — Doctor Marigold is a dramatic novel that follows the story of a man and his daughter as they struggle to make ends meet. The novel is filled with emotional moments and explores themes of family, love, and loss, making it a perfect example of a dramatic novel.
Romance — Doctor Marigold contains elements of romance, as the main character's daughter falls in love with a man who is not her father. The novel explores themes of love and loss, making it a perfect example of a romantic novel.
Social Commentary — Doctor Marigold is a social commentary novel written by Charles Dickens. The novel explores themes of poverty, family, and love, and is written in Dickens' signature style of realism and social commentary.