Pickwick Abroad; or, The Tour in France

About this issue

This 1857 penny dreadful continues the adventures of Charles Dickens's Samuel Pickwick and his companions beyond their original English travels. Presented as compiled from Pickwick's private notes, the narrative follows the elderly gentleman, now accompanied by Tracy Tupman, Nathaniel Winkle, and servant Sam Weller, as they embark on a continental journey to Paris in November 1834. The opening chapter depicts their arrival at Calais, where their reputation precedes them—news of Pickwick's landing spreads rapidly through the town, generating public excitement and anticipation. Upon disembarking, Pickwick encounters a tumultuous crowd of English and French onlookers. The narrative employs comic dialogue, particularly through Sam Weller's distinctive cockney speech and witticisms, as the party navigates the confusion and commotion of their French reception. The text blends satire with travel adventure, chronicling the eccentricities and misadventures that ensue during their continental expedition.