Captain Murderer Essay -- English Literature

Captain Murderer Captain Murderer was written in the 1800’s by Charles Dickens. In this essay I intend to write about exploring character structure, language, social content and themes. Captain Murderer was described as an evil character by the narrator. His position in society was great he was let into the best of parties. ‘The first diabolical character who intruded himself on my peaceful youth was a certain Captain Murderer’ The word diabolical comes from the Latin word Diablo which means devil. He was let into the best of parties and a desirable husband. Charles Dickens introduces Captain Murderer successfully as an evil character by the language he uses. He marries people who have a lot of money because after he kills them he inherits their money. Captain Murderer has a habit of killing his wives who have a lot of money. Charles Dickens shows the reader the ritual that Captain Murderer undertakes with each new wife. These actions are typical of a serial killer. He first takes them out on dates in a coach and six and marries them in a coach and twelve. ‘He made love in a coach and six, and married in a coach and twelve’ He then has his teeth filed sharp, a month and a day before the murder. He then tells her to make a pastry of a pie, if she doesn’t know how to make one he then teaches her. She asks him what is the filling to be. ‘Dear Captain Murderer I see no meat’ He replies ‘Look in the glass’ He chops of her head and puts her in the pie, he salts her, peppers her, and sends it to the bakers then eats it and picks the bones. Captain Murderer follows the structure of a children’s story. This is interesting as the original idea came from Charles Dickens nurse who would... ...uses language we no longer use. E.g. diabolical, matrimony and immense. This shows that the story was written in the 1800’s. Charles Dickens successfully uses language to show that the story was written a long time ago. The theme of this story is based on a murderer who follows his own ritual to kill and eat his wives. And then one sister of twins sacrifices her life for revenge. ‘Before she rolled out the paste she had taken a deadly poison of a most awful character.’ The twin is not a murderer, we feel that Captain Murderers death has been justified. Charles Dickens successfully show the reader the moral of the story instantly at the brink of revenge with a typical children’s story moral that good wins over evil. Dickens uses various details from this fairy tale genre to create this dark tale .however it is not simply a strong fairy tale.