From: David Parker (cdickens@RMPLC.CO.UK)
Date: Wed Jan 27 1999 - 05:58:40 PST
My dear Mr Lines, Doubtless red-haired people are entitled to complain about my portrait of Uriah Heep. Alas, I gave Fagin red hair too. My plea is that few writers can remain unaffected by traditional associations running, as scarcely broken threads, through the narratives of their native land. Red-hair has traditionally been associated with untrustworthiness, deceit, and quick temper. Fat from a red-haired corpse used to be thought poisonous. In a volume of old plays in my library I discover, in Chapman's "Bussy d'Ambois," a line about flattery, which is described as "Worse than the poison of a red-hair'd man." And that was written in 1607. Yet who has not seen a handsome woman, with flaming red hair, and admired it? I was able to use red hair as a literary device, precisely because there was - dare I say is? - a stigma against it. Fortunately, then and now, red-haired men and women with gifts of character and person were and are able to overcome that stigma. Faithfully yours, Charles Dickens ____________________________________________________________________________ _________ -----Original Message----- From: Bob Lines <boblines@ODYSSEY.APANA.ORG.AU> To: BOZ@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU <BOZ@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Date: 27 January 1999 11:19 Subject: Red Whiskers >Mr Dickens, > >In my reading I frequently come across characters who have red hair or red >whiskers >who are disreputable to some degree. You yourself,sir, (as David >Copperfield) continually refer to Uriah Heep's red hair calling him at one >time Red Whisker and at another Rufus. I am reminded also of Meryl Streep's >rufous locks in her role as the French Lieutenant's Woman - a lady of >questionable morality. Was there a stigma attached to russet hair or was >it a literary device to damn the character as lacking respectability in the >eyes of the reader? > >The (belated)compliments of the season, sir. > > > >Bob >