Final Chapter of Edwin Drood

Through rusty gray bars stood the ancient English Cathedral Tower, like a hazy memory for John Jasper. He finds himself rousing himself upward, to peer outward towards the skyline that it pierces. Lost in thought he reviews his actions, his crime.

His unnecessarily well laid plan foiled by a most precious gold ring and the quicklime that refused to devour it; despite dissipating both the body and scarf used to strangle. He did not even know that it was there, having meticulously taken Edwin’s watch, chain, and shirt pin and ditching them near where Edwin and Neville walked previously.

The necessary effort of attempting to frame Neville wore on him in making rumors and keeping up appearances to society as being above the Landless.

The eyes that pleaded flashed to him. All of it unnecessary and for naught. Poor Edwin was not a rival; and Neville passed on in disguise – as Datchery gave chase and was asphyxiated by cruel hands that came from a dark corner.

The chase too was unnecessary. Tarter, on the advice and evidence of Datchery – the disguised Neville who was in turn advised by both Helena and Rev. Crisparkle to figure out the disappearance of Edwin that he may clear his name, took chase alongside Datchery rousing the neighborhood.

It was more unnecessary, no matter how necessary it felt that he end the detective that had crushed his hopes for happiness with solid detective work and the cool logic to ask people questions (to think of it Princess Puffer must have been the true nail in his coffin), in the moment, that during the chase he went and ambushed Datchery seizing his rival’s throat and squeezing. For not even two minutes later did everyone he ever knew corner him as the last breath left Datchery’s lips while the wig fell from his pleading face, revealing Neville. That was the moment he knew he lost Rosa, as she turned crying to Tartar’s shoulder. Poor Helena was turned by Rev. Crisparkle into a comforting embrace from the sight.

Datchery. Neville. The one he tried to pin, pinned him… Neville got his…

“Now will I get mine?”

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Upon a few readings, it is rather obvious that Jasper killed Edwin; he is shown as having means (quicklime and exploration of the church under dubious means), motive (self-explanatory; Edwin had Rosa), and method (His scarf which when missing, whereas no article of Neville’s are noted as missing- clothing that would be spattered from a stabbing or beating. What’s more we see Jasper twice before begin to strangle people – first the Chinaman and again Deputy).

Neville as Datchery I am still unsure of, however; I do not recall Datchery meeting with any of the other main characters besides the ones he met at Mr. Sapsea’s. Furthermore, as Neville is the main suspect- he cannot move about to clear his name; bearing in mind that his sister has disguised herself before it stands to reason that she could teach the skill. Since he cannot move about freely to clear his name lest he either implicate himself or tip-off the actual killer he would therefore be the one most likely to be Datchery. It is but a small stretch of my imagination that Rev. Crisparkle, Neville’s mentor, would have advised him to find a way to clear his name, since the Reverend has a vested interest in Neville’s innocence, both as a man of God and more importantly as Neville’s mentor he would gain a successor. Who is to say therefore, that one night he slipped by his surveillance using a large coat, wig, and scarf or the like to set about creating a genius fiction and then going to live beneath his #1 suspect.

I also feel compelled to share this insert from The Life of Charles Dickens by John Forster, a reputed friend of Dickens, who’s evidence is corroborated by the in text evidence that I mentioned above and as you can tell has driven my variation of the ending though I wish I could make the writing more Dickensian.

Due to Dickens propensity to change his plot line and endings based on the reaction of his readers and reviewers, I recognize that it may not be 100% what Dickens wanted before his death. However with the existing plot coinciding with his expressed desired the events in the story point towards an obvious ending once you line up a few things. Firstly, Dickens would never let Neville Landless acquire Land (He is called landless for a reason) and would likely kill Neville off the moment he has Neville faced against an Englishman. What is more, in my variation I have Neville dying facelessly, so to speak, in disguise Which from all of my readings of Dickens’ writings (especially ones like his noble savage essay) this would have some appeal to Dickens as well as satisfy his desired ending while solving the mystery of Datchery – which appeals to me. Helena he would keep alive however, but she would not marry into a line of power and affluence hence Rev. Crisparkle. Tartar as a character, I cannot help but to correlate to Dickens’ departed son, and his presence paired with gained affluence, would make for a very happy ending for the character indeed if he were to be paired with the main ‘heroine’ of the story who is so beautiful that she has many suitors. What is more is that his presence as a leader in the chase and surviving where the other leader, Neville in this case, fell shows another sense of English perseverance, moral justice, and English superiority.