Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens is an intricately plotted novel that tells the story of a young man determined to make his way into “respectability” despite the fact that his background is steeped in illegitimacy, murder and secrets. The novel opens with the mysterious death of John Harmon- a wealthy businessman who has set up his will in a complicated way so that the individual who can identify his body will inherit the entirety of his fortune. While his closest friends and family struggle to uncover the truth behind the death, their search leads them to the Boffins- an elderly couple who find themselves in possession of the fortune.
The Boffins embrace their new found wealth and employ a young man called John Rokesmith to serve as their secretary. John is from a humble background and aspires to be an accepted member of the gentry- something that he believes will bring him the respectability he yearns for. Through his friendship with the Boffins, John finds himself in a close relationship with Bella Wilfer- a beautiful young woman of dubious parentage and whose hopes and dreams of life in high society have yet to be realized. Although his feelings towards Bella are strong, John finds himself torn between his devotion to the Boffins and his growing fondness for Bella.
Meanwhile, the Harmon will falls into the hands of the Veneerings- an ambitious, nouveau riche couple who are obsessed with climbing the social ladder and disregarding etiquette. Against the backdrop of their ambitions, the plot thickens as the truth of John Harmon’s past starts to emerge and the plot’s many other colourful characters (such as the miserly and eccentric Silas Wegg and the obnoxious head of the Boffin household Mr. Boffin) start to reveal the intrigues of their own respective stories.
The plot culminates with the revelation that John Harmon is still alive and has been posing under an assumed name all this time in order to prevent the rightful heirs from acquiring the fortune. Built up over the course of a tumultuous story where secrets, lies and dishonesty prevail, the novel reaches its crescendo as John and Bella finally come together as a couple and pledge their love for one another while all their wrongdoings, misunderstandings and misfortunes unravel.
Through its intricate plotting and colorful characters, Our Mutual Friend is a classic novel that manages to tell both an enticing love story and a vivid commentary on 19th century class structures and the social implications of life in Victorian England. Its characterization and narrative structure still strike a chord with modern audiences and its themes remain highly relevant in today’s society- making it one of the great works of literature.
