Dickens 'Takes the Knee': An Author's Changing Views on Suppressing the Slave Trade

Description

While it is well known that Dickens was an opponent of slavery, and expressed his sentiments on the subject in both correspondence and publications, his views on specific measures employed to end this deplorable practice are less well known. This paper takes as its focal point an unpublished letter from Dickens to Captain Joseph Denman (1810-74), who served in anti-slavery patrols on the west coast of Africa between 1834 and 1841, as part of the "African Blockade". There was widespread debate in England concerning the effectiveness of this strategy, which at its peak involved up to 36 vessels and more than 4,000 men, costing an estimated half of all naval spending. Dickens himself wrote to Lord Denman (the Lord Chief Justice, and a vocal opponent of slavery) on 16 December 1850, to say that, on the basis of his reading various Parliamentary reports, he was "not satisfied that the African Blockade advances the great end it is designed to promote". As another indication of his doubtful stance, earlier in the year Dickens had published two articles in Household Words that raised questions about the efficacy of the Blockade. However, on the same day that he penned the letter to Lord Denman, he wrote to his son Joseph (referred to above), to acknowledge receipt of two key pamphlets by Captain Denman, which offered evidence of the Blockade's success: West India Interests, African Emigration and Slave Trade (1848) and The African Squadron and Mr. Hutt's Committee by the Hon. Captain Denman (1850). Dickens undertook to read the material, and "arrive at a right conclusion on the subject".

This lecture will examine Dickens's views on the African Blockade — particularly in light of the articles published in Household Words, the pamphlets published by Joseph Denman, and the unpublished letter — to determine whether his attitudes towards the means by which slavery might be ended were in any way revised by his direct contact with a sailor who had personal experience of the West African squadrons.

Period	01 Jul 2022
Held at	Dickens Society
Degree of Recognition	International