Round the Herne

 Some thoughts on the Jungian archetype of the Trickster, preparatory to a meeting of the Suffolk Jungian Circle (via Teams - 7.30pm on Wednesday 28th January, leave a message if you would like the link). 

 My reading of the fifth and final stave of Charles Dickens' delightful "A Christmas Carol". In the final chapter, Scrooge is redeemed of his wicked ways.

 My reading of the fifth stave of Charles Dickens' classic tale "A Christmas Carol". In which the horrifying spectre of the Ghost of Christmas yet To Come appears before Scrooge and torments him with visions of the future (including one of the most evocative scenes in the book, Old Joe's business premises).

 My reading of the third stave of Charles Dickens' classic tale "A Christmas Carol". Scrooge meets with the bountiful Ghost of Christmas Present, learns about the happiness of others... but also if left with a dire warning.

 My reading of the second stave of Charles Dickens 1843 classic "A Christmas Carol". In this chapter, Scrooge encounters the Ghost of Christmas Past and relieves the highs and lows of his earlier life.

 My favourite non-ghostly Dickensian story, which I listen to in the run-up to Christmas every year for about a decade now, is Simon Callow's abbreviated reading of "Doctor Marigold". For the unfamiliar, Simon Callow is a theatrical luminary and an expert on Dickens who had a whole series of shows (some televised) performing from Dickens' repertoire. Whilst this story takes place over a considerable length of time, the conclusion has a very Christmassy feel to it. Rather than a conventional story, this is a monologue about the colourful life of a travelling trader designed to be performed by Dickens himself on his enormously popular tours of the country where he would read both sections of his novels and also do these monologues. He made far more money from acting out these scenes than he ever did as an author (a lesson there for us all, perhaps). Having enjoyed it for all these years, I thought I'd finally have a crack at reciting it myself. This is the full vers...