Oliver Twist - Publications

Publications

The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial, in monthly instalments that began appearing in the month of February 1837 and continued until April 1839. It was originally intended to form part of Dickens's serial The Mudfog Papers. It did not appear as its own monthly serial until 1847. George Cruikshank provided one steel etching per month to illustrate each instalment. The first novelisation appeared six months before the serialisation was completed. It was published in three volumes by Richard Bentley, the owner of Bentley's Miscellany, under the author's pseudonym, "Boz", and included 24 steel-engraved plates by Cruikshank.

The first edition was titled: Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress.

Serial publication dates.:

• I - February 1837 (chapters 1–2)
• II – March 1837 (chapters 3-4);
• III – April 1837 (chapters 5-6);
• IV – May 1837 (chapters 7-8);
• V – July 1837 (chapters 9-11);
• VI – August 1837 (chapters 12-13);
• VII – September 1837 (chapters 14-15);
• VIII – November 1837 (chapters 16-17);
• IX – December 1837 (chapters 18-19);
• X – January 1838 (chapters 20-22);
• XI – February 1838 (chapters 23-25);
• XII – March 1838 (chapters 26-27);
• XIII – April 1838 (chapters 28-30);
• XIV – May 1838 (chapters 31-32);
• XV – June 1838 (chapters 33-34);
• XVI – July 1838 (chapters 35-37);
• XVII – August 1838 (chapters 38-part of 39);
• XVIII – October 1838 (conclusion of chapter 39-41);
• XIX – November 1838 (chapters 42-43);
• XX – December 1838 (chapters 44-46);
• XXI – January 1839 (chapters 47-49);
• XXII – February 1839 (chapter 50);
• XXIII – March 1839 (chapter 51);
• XXIV – April 1839 (chapters 52-53);