Little Dorrit and adaptation

This article considers the example of Andrew Davies’ 2008 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit as a means by which to identify his ‘recognizable authorial voice’. When Davies refashioned this text for a millennial audience in a different medium and under the influence of the ‘canonical’ norms of classic novel adaptations, he necessarily confronted the Dickensian text with contemporary insights. This is evident in the way Davies subsequently adapts the Dickensian plot and, in particular, the character of Amy Dorrit. As the analysis of this essay shows, the TV series demonstrates Davies’ skills and distinctive authorial voice, with its characteristic ‘detached sympathetic irony’.