A splendid muse of fiction hath Charles Dickens, But now and then just as the interest thickens He stilts his pathos, and the reader sickens.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A critic praises Dickens's fiction muse but notes that his pathos sometimes becomes excessive and sickens the reader when the plot thickens.
- In plain terms
- Dickens writes well but overdoes emotion at critical moments.
- What can you take from it?
- Balance emotion and plot to keep readers engaged.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why does pathos sometimes fail?
- How should authors balance emotion?
Another view
Some readers may appreciate his heightened emotion.
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