Sketches by Boz-Charles Dickens (Chapter XXV-----A Visit to Newgate)

Since I was not familiar with this prison, I found the following information about it. Newgate was a prison in London located at the corner of Newgate and Old Bailey Street within the city limits. It was initially placed at the site of a gate in the Roman London Wall and remained in use for over 700 years (1188-1902). It was also the site of public executions in the 19th century.

“Sketches by Boz” is a collection of short pieces of Charles Dickens published while using his pen-name (Boz) in 1836. Dickens did not believe in inhumanity and used his travel as a way to observe and report the injustices in the world. He wanted mankind to be aware of what they thought they were not a part of. Upon the entry into the gates of the prison, Dickens illustrates its view. “How dreadful its rough heavy walls, and low massive doors, appeared to us – the latter looking as if they were made for the express purpose of letting people in, and never letting them out.” (e-text) The building formed a square with various winding turns causing a maze of confusions for the visitors and prisoners.

Once inside the prison, he had to be cleared for the visit through the keepers (wardens) of the institution. They, in turn, provided an escort for the event. All occupants are unclean and dressed in tattles. The tour consisted of him seeing the separation of women, children who attended school, men awaiting their sentence, and men awaiting execution from each other. A wardswoman/man (prisoner with good conduct) is assigned to preserve order. They all had an area in the yard for visitation of family, but only the men were not allowed to have human contact. The women/men were located in the sunroom with a large fireplace. It served as their dining room and sleeping quarter (mat on the floor). A wardswoman is assigned to preserve order. The women are given jobs during incarceration. The boys under fourteen are offered a chance of redemption by going to a school within the institution, but none seen to understand its importance. The condemn area holds prisoners who have been slanted for execution and are waiting for the effected date. They are removed from the sunroom at 5:00 pm to a cell and lights out at 10:00 pm until seven the next morning. The press-room holds prisoners that will be executed that day.

The prisoners seemed not to care that they were being observed or they lacked a future. Ones who went to the chapel, they received a show of disrespect towards the individuals slotted for execution. They sat on a pew labeled “The Condemned Pew” and a coffin was placed next to them. This was their seat for that Sunday preceding their execution. This was Boz’s account from the visit to Newgate.

So when we use cliché, we need to think of what this means to us and what it means to others. “it is not a little remarkable that those who use it most as applied to others, unconsciously afford in their own persons singular examples of power which habit and custom exercise over the mind of men, and of the little reflection they are apt to bestow on subjects with which every day’s experience has rendered them familiar” (e-text)

We should look into the mind of a condemn man, the night before his execution. He thinks of ways he can escape, of favors he can request, of appears he can create, of the mistakes that got him here, of the important family he will leave behind, and dreams of all. The clock strikes 8:00 am and your cell door begins to open.

Dickens travels and articles have played a role in making people aware of the inhumanities within the world. Personally, I believe injustice must be seen to be corrected.