Sunday Under Three Heads (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781419149962)

Sunday Under Three Heads is a short book by Charles Dickens that was first published in 1836. The book is divided into three parts, each of which describes a different aspect of life on a Sunday in the mid-19th century.The first part of the book is a satirical sketch called ""Mrs. Joseph Porter, Over the Way."" It tells the story of a nosy and judgmental woman who spends her Sunday spying on her neighbors and criticizing their behavior. Through this character, Dickens pokes fun at the hypocrisy and moralizing of the middle class.The second part of the book is a more serious piece called ""The Bill of Fare."" It describes the struggles of a poor family who are unable to afford a decent meal on Sundays. The father, who works as a porter, is forced to spend his day off begging for food and money. This section highlights the stark inequalities of Victorian society and the hardships faced by the working class.The third and final part of the book is a lighthearted sketch called ""The Hospital Patient."" It tells the story of a man who fakes an illness in order to get a free meal at a hospital. However, his plan backfires when he is mistaken for a real patient and subjected to a series of painful and humiliating medical procedures. This section is a humorous critique of the medical profession and the gullibility of the general public.Overall, Sunday Under Three Heads is a witty and insightful look at life in Victorian England. It combines social commentary with humor and satire, and offers a fascinating glimpse into the customs and attitudes of the era.But you hold out no inducement, you offer no relief from listlessness, you provide nothing to amuse his mind, you afford him no means of exercising his body. Unwashed and unshaven, he saunters moodily about, weary and dejected. In lieu of the wholesome stimulus he might derive from nature, you drive him to the pernicious excitement to be gained from art. He flies to the gin-shop as his only resource; and when, reduced to a worse level than the lowest brute in the scale of creation, he lies wallowing in the kennel, your saintly lawgivers lift up their hands to heaven, and exclaim for a law which shall convert the day intended for rest and cheerfulness, into one of universal gloom, bigotry, and persecution.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Author: Charles Dickens
ISBN-10: 1419149962
ISBN-13: 9781419149962
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
Language: English
Published: 06/17/2004
Pages: 48
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.26lbs
Size: 9.18h x 7.60w x 0.18d