This is an example of a colon being used to break up two elements of a sentence. And being, from the emotion he had undergone, or the fatigues of the day, or his glimpse of the Invisible World, or the dull conversation of the Ghost, or the lateness of the hour, much in need of repose; went straight to bed, without undressing, and fell asleep upon the instant. `He died seven years ago, this very night.. It is a ponderous chain!. In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley.. There were Cains and Abels, Pharaohs daughters; Queens of Sheba, Angelic messengers descending through the air on clouds like feather-beds, Abrahams, Belshazzars, Apostles putting off to sea in butter-boats, hundreds of figures to attract his thoughts -- and yet that face of Marley, seven years dead, came like the ancient Prophets rod, and swallowed up the whole. But before he shut his heavy door, he walked through his rooms to see that all was right. monstrous iron safe attached to its ankle, who cried piteously at being unable to assist a wretched woman with an infant, whom it saw below, upon a door-step. The firm was known as Scrooge and Marley. I dont mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a doornail. Hammered hard, to their full extent, so that the tips emerged from the other side, then bent and hammered flat against the wood, means that they will not be easily extracted. God save you! cried a cheerful voice. There is no doubt whatever about that. When will you come to see me? No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was oclock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. and youll keep your Christmas by losing your situation! The term dead as a doornail was used in the 1500s by William Shakespeare, and in Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol in 1843. There is no doubt whatever about that. There is no doubt whatever about that. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir., `And the Union workhouses demanded Scrooge. Please wait while we process your payment. Peruvian defenders fight off the Spanish fleet at the port city of Callao during the Chincha Islands War. Scrooge signed it. Because the sentence is doing two different things. I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices, I dont make merry myself at Christmas and I cant afford to make idle people merry. Scrooge knew he was dead? Marley was dead: to begin with. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. The apparition walked backward from him; and at every step it took, the window raised itself a little, so that when the spectre reached it, it was wide open. How could it be otherwise? The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!. At this time of the rolling year, the spectre said, I suffer most. William Shakespeare He should!, Nephew! returned the uncle sternly, keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine., Keep it! repeated Scrooges nephew. I. The lesson titled "Poetic Forms (1)" has models to look at if you need them. Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend, and sole mourner, Click here to see our collection of quotations related to the character of Jacob Marley. So A Merry Christmas, uncle!. Terms in this set (10) "Marley was dead to begin with" Dickens begins the first stave with this spontaneous infomation that Marley is dead to indicate to readers that Marley is a significant character in the novella and makes readers question if he will com back as a supernatrual incarnation. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Countrys done for. Half-a-dozen gas-lamps out of the street wouldnt have lighted the entry too well, so you may suppose that it was pretty dark with Scrooges dip. His ghost visits Scrooge but this quote, and other sentences within the opening paragraph, are used by Dickens to confirm to the reader at the outset of the story that Marley is definitely dead. "no rest, no peace. (one code per order). Come! SparkNotes PLUS Mine occupies me constantly. he was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked again. Scrooge knew he was dead? It was long, and wound about him like a tail; and it was made (for Scrooge observed it closely) of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel. Every one of them wore chains like Marleys Ghost; some few (they might be guilty governments) were linked together; none were free. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. What right have you to be merry? Which Dickens novel begins with the line Marley was dead? The owner of one scant young nose, gnawed and mumbled by the hungry cold as bones are gnawed by dogs, regale him with a Christmas carol: but at the first sound of, Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action. Becoming immediately sensible of the impropriety, he poked the fire, and extinguished the last frail spark for ever. And then let any man explain to me, if he can, how it happened that Scrooge, having his key in the lock of the door, saw in the knocker, without its undergoing any intermediate process of changenot a knocker, but Marleys face. It certainly was; for they had been two kindred spirits. Merry Christmas! Dead as a doornail? A very little more is all permitted to me. There is no doubt whatever about that. Oh! He died seven years ago, this very night.. Scrooge never painted out Old Marley's name. And beard thee too. Mind! Youre quite a powerful speaker, sir, he added, turning to his nephew. Scrooge signed it. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! It was not angry or ferocious, but looked at Scrooge as Marley used to look: with ghostly spectacles turned up on its ghostly forehead. The cold became intense. Speak comfort to me, Jacob!, I have none to give, the Ghost replied. The fog came pouring in at every chink and keyhole, and was so dense without, that although the court was of the narrowest, the houses opposite were mere phantoms. Taken from the following passage of Stave 1 (Marleys Ghost) of A Christmas Carol: Marley was dead: to begin with. The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste, and moaning as they went. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. It certainly was; for they had been two kindred spirits. Scrooge said that he would see himyes, indeed he did. In that sense, they were dead, as even if you disposed of the door you would not be able to pull the nails out easily, and so they couldnt be used, and might as well be dead. Of course he did. Together, as the firm of Scrooge and Marley, they became successful yet hard-hearted bankers, with seats on the London Stock Exchange. The owner of one scant young nose, gnawed and mumbled by the hungry cold as bones are gnawed by dogs, stooped down at Scrooges keyhole to regale him with a Christmas carol: but at the first sound of, God bless you, merry gentleman! Scrooge was very much dismayed to hear the spectre going on at this rate, and began to quake exceedingly. But it must have had a connection with something real at some point in its history. and candles were flaring in the windows of the neighbouring offices, like ruddy smears upon the palpable brown air. `Christmas a humbug, uncle! said Scrooges nephew. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warning all human sympathy to keep its distance, was what the knowing ones call nuts to Scrooge. Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one lifes opportunity misused! A Christmas Carol (Grades 91) Why is this section important? Proudly powered by WordPress | There was plenty of width for that, and room to spare; which is perhaps the reason why Scrooge thought he saw a locomotive hearse going on before him in the gloom. A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost-Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. Marley in his pigtail, usual waistcoat, tights and boots; the tassels on the latter bristling, like his pigtail, and his coat-skirts, and the hair upon his head. Chapter 1 - Marley's Ghost - Literature English It is required of every man, the Ghost returned, `that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. Marleys ghost visits Scrooge on Christmas Eve at the beginning of the story. And even Scrooge was not so dreadfully cut up by the sad event, but that he was an excellent man of business on the very day of the funeral, and solemnised it with an undoubted bargain. Wed love to have you back! Marley was dead: to begin with. Marley and Scrooge were business partners once. Scrooge signed it; and Scrooges name was good upon change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Much!Marleys voice, no doubt about it. There is no doubt whatever about that. Foul weather didnt know where to have him. The mention of Marleys funeral brings me back to the point I started from. There was no doubt whatever about that. But the ghost sat down on the opposite side of the fireplace, as if he were quite used to it. Scrooge had a very small fire, but the clerks fire was so very much smaller that it looked like one coal. And Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Login Sign Up. Scrooge knew this, by the smart sound its teeth made, when the jaws were brought together by the bandage. The narrator is talking sense of course. They often `came down handsomely, and Scrooge never did. Charles Dickens. Dickens makes absolutely sure that the reader realises there is something of the supernatural, as the Victorians were scared of it, and Dickens wanted to scare them into reform.