A Christmas Carol

### Symbols

Marley's Chains, Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, Ignorance and Want, food

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**A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story**, commonly known as **A Christmas Carol**, is an 1843 novella by Charles Dickens. It tells the story of the greedy, elderly miser Ebenezer Scrooge who learns the true meaning of Christmas and transforms into a kind, loving man with the help of the ghost of his business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

*A Christmas Carol* was hugely successful after publication, with the first edition selling out within a week before Christmas. Dickens' novella is often regarded as one of his most beloved works and his famous Christmas story.

Dickens and *A Christmas Carol* created new traditions for the holiday season, such as family gatherings and a joyful atmosphere. It has also never been out of print, translated into several languages, and adapted numerous times for film, stage and other media.

## Plot Summary

On a cold Christmas Eve afternoon, Ebenezer Scrooge, a cruel, greedy moneylender, is working inside his counting house. It has been seven years since his business partner Jacob Marley died, and was his only friend.

Scrooge keeps a strict eye on his clerk Bob Cratchit, who is forced to work in the cold office without coals for a fire. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, visits him and invites him to his Christmas party, but Scrooge rejects his invitation. Two charity gentlemen arrive to collect money for the poor, and Scrooge refuses, claiming the poor are better off in the workhouse or prison. The charity gentlemen leave empty-handed.

At closing time, Scrooge reluctantly agrees to let Cratchit have a day off tomorrow but makes him promise to return to work the following day. He goes home to his cold, dark apartment, where he is greeted with the apparition of Marley's face on his door knocker. Marley's Ghost appears, covered in heavy chains, when Scrooge makes himself comfortable in his room. The Ghost reveals that as punishment for his greedy, mean-spirited life, he is forced to walk the earth in chains forever and hopes he will save his business partner from suffering the same fate. Marley informs Scrooge that three spirits will visit him before he disappears.

Scrooge falls into a deep sleep but is awakened by the first spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Past, a childlike phantom with a glowing, bright head. It guides Scrooge into his past, passing through the memories of his youth, such as a child Scrooge spending a lonely Christmas at his school, his apprenticeship as a young man to the jolly merchant Fezziwig, and his romance with a woman named Belle, who leaves him after his love for money ruins their future together. Scrooge sheds tears of regret at this vision before the Ghost returns him to his room.

Scrooge next meets the Ghost of Christmas Present, a merry giant wearing a green robe atop a Christmas feast. It guides Scrooge through the London streets, the moors and overseas on Christmas Day to visit the joyful citizens celebrating.

Scrooge and the Ghost visit Cratchit's home. Despite Cratchit's young family living in poverty, they happily celebrate by preparing a Christmas dinner in their small home. Scrooge discovers Cratchit's young, crippled son Tiny Tim, whose bravery and kind heart touch Scrooge. Afterwards, The Ghost transports him to his nephew Fred's home, where they watch Fred and his guests sing and play games. The Ghost ages rapidly as the day progresses, and in the final moments of its life, it shows Scrooge two starved children under its cloak, named Ignorance and Want. The Ghost warns Scrooge to beware of Ignorance before it disappears.

The third and final spirit, The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, appears. Its face is hidden in a shrouded, dark cloak, and instead of speaking, it points its long, bony finger to certain scenes for Scrooge to see. They first watch some gentlemen discussing the death of a rich, miserable man. They also witness Scrooge's laundress and other scavengers trading in the dead man's stolen possessions for money and a dark room where Scrooge sees a body covered in sheets. They even visit the Cratchit household, where the family is mourning the death of Tiny Tim.

Scrooge is taken to a churchyard, where the Ghost points to a neglected grave. He discovers his name engraved on the tombstone, realizing he is the dead man everyone doesn't miss in the future he has seen. He begs the Ghost he has learned his lesson and vows to become a changed man. The Ghost vanishes, and he is back in his room.

Scrooge wakes up overjoyed that he has the chance to redeem himself. After realizing it's Christmas Day from a passing boy outside his house, Scrooge happily sends a prized turkey anonymously to Cratchit's house, offers a large donation of money to the charity gentlemen, and attends Fred's Christmas party. The next day, he surprises Cratchit by giving him a raise and promising to help his family.

For many years afterward, Scrooge keeps his promise to be a kind, generous man. He never sees the Ghosts again but still honours the Christmas spirit with all his heart. Tiny Tim recovers from his illness, and Scrooge becomes a "second father" to the boy, treating everyone with love, warmth and generosity.

## Characters

Ebenezer Scrooge- A cold-hearted miser who owns a counting house in London. He hates the Christmas holidays, refuses to offer generosity to the less fortunate, and is lonely with no friends or close loved ones. On the night of Christmas Eve, the ghost of his deceased business partner Jacob Marley visits him and warns him of the consequences if he still carries on with his selfish, greedy nature. He is guided through his past, present and future by Three Spirits, and by the end of the story, he redeems himself by cherishing the Christmas spirit and showing love and kindness to all.

Bob Cratchit- Scrooge's clerk. His employer mistreats him, and he lives in poverty with his large family. However, he is a loving, humble man who stays loyal to Scrooge despite his mistreatment and works hard to support his family, who he cherishes and values the most. He symbolizes the kind-hearted people of the lower class who are still happy with themselves despite their impoverished lives and encourages the upper class to be more generous to others.

Jacob Marley- Scrooge's greedy business partner and only friend. In life, they ran their counting house business named "*Scrooge and Marley*." He died seven years before the story begins on Christmas Eve, and as punishment for his cruel-hearted life, he is forced to spend eternity walking the earth covered in heavy chains. On the seventh anniversary of his death, his ghost visits Scrooge to warn him he still has a chance to escape his fate and informs him Three Spirits will visit him within a single night.

Tiny Tim- Bob Cratchit's young crippled son. His family loves and adores him, and his father occasionally carries him on his shoulders. Despite his disability, Tiny Tim is a brave, jovial boy whose presence fills people's empty souls with the Christmas spirit, even the miserable Scrooge. When his death is seen in the future, Scrooge is filled with remorse for mistreating his fellow human beings and vowing to make things right. After Scrooge redeems himself and supports the Cratchit family, Tiny Tim becomes healthy, and Scrooge becomes his loving father figure.

The Ghost of Christmas Past- The first spirit to visit Scrooge. It is a childlike phantom with a glowing head who guides Scrooge into his childhood and adulthood. Appearing old and young, its body shimmers like a candlelight that symbolizes rebirth. When Scrooge extinguishes its flame with its candle extinguisher cap, it means that it dies and then returns to life every Christmas.

The Ghost of Christmas Present- The second spirit to visit Scrooge. It is a giant phantom dressed in a green robe and wears a Christmas wreath on its head. It guides Scrooge through the streets of London and overseas on Christmas Day to witness the townsfolk, the Cratchits, and Fred as they celebrate with love, generosity and happiness. The Ghost symbolizes generosity and goodwill toward Scrooge's fellow men.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come- The third and final spirit to visit Scrooge. It is a frightening, silent phantom who wears a black, hooded cloak and its face hidden. It guides Scrooge into an ominous future, where nobody mourns the death of a greedy moneylender before the Ghost shows Scrooge his lonely grave, allowing Scrooge to redeem himself. The Ghost symbolizes the fear of a lonely death, and Scrooge fears this Spirit the most, as he is later determined to live out his life as a generous, loving man.

Fred- Scrooge's nephew and only living relative. He is a cheerful young man who embraces the Christmas spirit, and every year attempts to invite his uncle Scrooge to his annual Christmas party, and is not easily driven away by Scrooge's grumpy behaviour. Towards the end of the story, Scrooge does attend his nephew's party, which pleases Fred and his wife.

Fezziwig- A warehouse merchant who Scrooge was apprenticed to as a younger man. He is a jolly old man who hosts a lively Christmas party at the warehouse where he works. When Scrooge revisits this scene with the Ghost of Christmas Past, he is moved by his employer's kindness in allowing him a day off on Christmas and is exposed to the generosity of the Fezziwigs and their guests.

Belle- A beautiful young woman Scrooge was in love with as a young man. She was distraught when Scrooge became obsessed with his moneylending job more than her, and she broke off their engagement. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge a scene where Belle is happily married and happily celebrating Christmas with her children, which makes Scrooge more remorseful of how greedy and selfish he is.

Fan- Scrooge's sister and Fred's mother. As a child, she visits her brother at his school and happily informs him he will finally be coming home. She was a loving girl who Scrooge adored and once enjoyed Christmas with her before he suddenly became a miser. She died as a woman after giving birth to her son Fred.

The Portly Gentlemen- Two charity gentlemen who collect donations for the less fortunate at Christmastime. Scrooge initially refuses to offer them a donation and insists the poor should live in prisons or workhouses. On Christmas Day, Scrooge offers them a larger donation.

Mrs. Cratchit- Bob Cratchit's wife. She is a a loving woman who works hard with her children to prepare their Christmas dinner in their small house.

Martha Cratchit- The eldest Cratchit child, who leaves home to work full time in a miller's shop.

Peter Cratchit- The eldest Cratchit son.

Belinda Cratchit- One of the Cratchit children.

Ignorance and Want- Two starved, neglected children hide under the Ghost of Christmas Present's robe, and warns Scrooge to beware them both.

Old Joe- A pawnbroker who pays thieves some money after they steal Scrooge's possessions after his death, as seen in the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come's vision.

Mrs. Dilber- Scrooge's laundress. In the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come's vision, Mrs. Dilber brings her deceased employer's stolen possessions to Old Joe.

## Writing History/Reception

In late 1843, Dickens was 31 years old and had already become a successful author from his earlier works, such as *Oliver Twist* and *Nicholas Nickleby*. He had also gone on his first successful tour in America and had recently published his next successful novel, *The Old Curiosity Shop*. However, his recent serialized novel, *Martin Chuzzelwitt*, was selling poorly, and he was making only £150. As such, he was going into debt and desperately needed to write a successful novel. At the same time, he was a father to four young children with a fifth child on the way, and he had to support his young family along with his father, John Dickens, who was also in financial gain. Worst of all, his publishers at Chapman and Hall threatened to lower his monthly income if sales continued to decrease.

In early 1843, Dickens toured the Cornish Tin Mines, where he was shocked to see young children working in filthy, dangerous working conditions. He then visited the Field Lane Ragged School in Clerkenwell, where he witnessed dozens of malnourished, impoverished children sent to the school for free education. He also read the *Second Report of the Children's Employment Commission.* This document was published following three years of investigations into Britain’s child labour laws in factories and mines during the Industrial Revolution. He was so horrified by what he had just read that he even planned to write a pamphlet called *An Appeal to the People of England on behalf of the Poor Man's Child*. He ended up deciding to turn his argument into a story. Having grown up in poverty and being forced to work in a blacking factory to support his struggling family as a child, Dickens had a traumatizing experience with poverty and harsh working conditions, which inspired him to feature these factors in his works, including his holiday classic.

On October 5th, 1843, he travelled to Manchester to give a speech at the Manchester Atheneum. He talked about how the impoverished population receives a lack of education and mistreatment by their employers. When he walked through the streets of Manchester, he saw the poorest people suffering from hunger, unemployment and death. In 1843, about 50% of children born to Manchester’s working class citizens died before age five. Thousands of people lined up for hours at soup kitchens, and the streets were filthy, polluted, smelly and infested with disease and rats. Manchester's living conditions were so bad that it was sometimes called “Hell on Earth.” Dickens’ speech at the Atheneum was so well-received that it encouraged him to write his statement about poverty and social injustice in a Christmas story.

Dickens began writing *A Christmas Carol* shortly after his Manchester speech, and he desperately wrote it within six weeks to publish it by Christmas. In the early 1840s, new Christmas traditions were introduced in Britain and how these customs became popular in Victorian England. In 1841, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, introduced the Christmas tree he had brought from his native Germany, and in 1843, Sir Henry Cole sent the first Christmas card. Christmas Carols published over a hundred years ago that had been forgotten were revived in the 19th century and were commonly sung in churches and carollers during the holiday season. Dickens was also inspired by other famous writers’ work associated with Christmas, including Sir Walter Scott, Douglas Jerrod and Washington Irving. He also had fond memories of Christmas during his childhood despite his family’s early struggles, and he even celebrated some of these festivities with his young family, which included telling ghost stories, singing and dancing, and a lavish Christmas feast which included goose, turkey, plum pudding, and mince pies.

While writing his book, Dickens met John Leech, a caricaturist hired to make the book’s illustrations in the first edition. He initially worked for *Punch,* a humorous magazine that included verbal and graphic political satire with light comedy, and it was made to entertain the middle class. Leech supported anti-Americanism and anti-Seminitism, and it was considered ironic when he was chosen to illustrate a book that featured the message of love, generosity and goodwill. As *A Christmas Carol* was close to completion by November, Chapman and Hall were hardly trustworthy of the marketability of Dickens’s works. They suggested that the novella should be sold either as issued in an inexpensive collection of stories or in a new magazine. Dickens wanted to sell his book in higher quality that included coloured illustrations, which was a big issue at the time. He even insisted he would pay for the publication and receive its profits. In addition, the publishers would be paid for the printing costs and the amount of copies sold. It was a plan that the publishers finally agreed to do.

*A Christmas Carol* was published on December 19th, 1843. The first edition was well-received and sold 6,000 copies within a week before Christmas, and the second and third editions sold well in 1844. It also became popular in the United States and sold at least 2 million copies. British writer William Makepeace Thackeray even described the book as a “*national benefit and to every man or woman who reads it, a personal kindness*.” The title was unique as Dickens called it a “Christmas Carol” as a way to have the story repeated and bring people together to spread joy and Christmas spirit like in Christmas songs. Unlike many other books, Dickens used “Staves” instead of chapters, as staves are the five lines used for writing musical notes. Stave is also another word for a song verse. It is as if Dickens was pretending to use the idea that the book is a song.

Dickens hoped that his book would cover his debts, but despite its popularity during the holiday season, he never made much money from it. The publication cost five shillings, and he only earned £230. In January 1844, Parley’s Illuminated Library published a plagiarized version of the story. Dickens sued them for copyright infringement and won, which resulted in Parleys filing for bankruptcy, and Dickens earned small profits from them. Later in life, Dickens would do 127 readings of *A Christmas Carol* during his reading tours until his death in 1870.

*A Christmas Carol* is now considered one of Dickens’ most beloved stories. It has never been out of print and translated into several different languages. Dickens was even considered to be a man who “invented Christmas,” but contrary to popular belief, he actually influenced the common Christmas festivities that are popular today, such as family gatherings, Christmas trees, carols, cards and Christmas feasts. It would also be adapted hundreds of times in movies, TV programs, and even on stage.

## Themes

### Christmas Spirit

Christmas is a Christian tradition commemorating the birth of Christ, which has been celebrated for thousands of years. Dickens's novella teaches readers a morality lesson about morals and religion. Around this time of year, everyone gets together to forget their troubles and happily take part in traditional Victorian Christmas customs, such as carolling, gift exchanging, and attending lavish dinner parties. Dickens may have even designed *A Christmas Carol* to be like a Christmas song using Staves instead of chapters, as staves were the first song verses. As such, this unusual design would still brighten readers with the holiday spirit, no matter what time of year they may be reading it.

Many of the characters in Scrooge's life have the virtues of the Christmas spirit. Firstly, Scrooge's nephew Fred hosts an annual Christmas party, and despite his uncle's stern attitude, he still sends him his Christmas wishes by attempting to invite him to his party. He also spreads the spirit of Christmas with his charity and goodness, which Scrooge doesn't have until later. The Cratchit family cherishes their Christmas traditions despite living in poverty. Tiny Tim values his love and belief in Christ, influencing everyone around him. He wants people to see him that even if he was a crippled child, his spirituality and love for Christmas can easily change those who have been miserable. As a result, they become blissful and charitable during the holidays, especially to Scrooge.

The Spirits themselves also spread the Christmas Spirit to Scrooge and everyone around him. The Ghost of Christmas Present uses its torch to sprinkle incense on other people who are either poor or cannot make agreements. The Ghost's magic incense can bring the spirit of Christmas to anyone and anywhere, whether big or small and poor or rich. By learning about the true meaning of Christmas and how the most honest, loving people bring everyone together, Scrooge finally expresses remorse for being selfish and vows to cherish the Christmas spirit and spread festive joy to everyone.

### Time

Scrooge's redemption takes place all in one night, even if the Ghosts' visits span for a few days and years. It's clear that the Ghosts are in a race against time to save Scrooge and his redemption, as he is growing old fast and close to death, as well as saving Tiny Tim from dying prematurely of his illness. The main motifs for time in *A Christmas Carol* are bell tolls and clock chimes as reminders that time is quickly wasting away.

Each Ghost has only a limited amount of time to guide Scrooge into his life and show him the errors of his ways. Their goal is to show him all the events in his life before dawn arrives on Christmas morning. The two ghosts arrive at one o'clock in the morning, and the last appears at the final stroke of midnight. Each of their visits is combined into one evening, and since Scrooge went to bed at two o'clock, the visitations would have started at midnight, which would have been two hours after he fell asleep. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge's events in his past in chronological order, from his early childhood to his later adulthood, but they can only visit each event for a certain amount of time before moving on to the next. Even if they are already out of time, The Ghost still manages to show Scrooge one last event where his ex-fiancée Belle has married another man and with a family of her own before his visit ends. The Ghost of Christmas Present has a very short lifespan and only lasts a single day. As his visit with Scrooge progresses, he gradually grows older and older until they reach close to midnight before the Ghost vanishes.

In addition, time is also seen as a threat to society. Scrooge spends all his time in his counting house and obsesses over his money. He is also stuck in his past and living entirely in the present moment. This also affects certain people around him, such as the Cratchits, as it would only be a matter of time until Tiny Tim dies and the family faces even more dire situations, such as losing their home. When Scrooge vows he will live in the past, present and future, he has promised to let go of his past and enjoy every moment he has in the present. With this change, he will still have more time to save the Cratchits from poverty by giving his employee a raise so they can pay for some medical treatment for Tiny Tim and save him from an early grave.

### Generosity and Forgiveness

Christmas is a time when everyone cherishes one another with generosity and forgiveness. Everyone in Scrooge's life is kind and loving, to the point when they sympathize with him for being greedy and cruel. Fred and Bob Cratchit still care about Scrooge, as Christmas represents the Christian ideal of goodness, morality, and love. Since Scrooge preferred to avoid the festivities, he doesn't know or feel what generosity is like until he witnesses it, and forgiveness will have him be accepted. Every year, Fred still visits his uncle and attempts to invite him to his annual Christmas party, and he doesn't get angry or upset when Scrooge loses his temper, as Fred has his goodness and generosity. While having Christmas dinner with his family, Cratchit insists on offering a toast to his employer because he is a forgiving man who refuses to have anyone be blamed or spoken ill of during Christmas.

Even if he receives his redemption, Scrooge still needs to apologize to everyone for how he has treated them over the years. He does this by committing a random act of kindness by sending a large, anonymous turkey to the Cratchit household and offering a large donation for the poor to the charity gentlemen he had previously met in his office and refused a donation. He will be forgiven by changing his ways and embracing the Christmas spirit.

### Greed

The story begins with Scrooge as a greedy, selfish miser obsessed with his money, making everyone's lives miserable, especially if they are less fortunate than him. Dickens had made an important moral that greed will lead to unhappiness. For example, as a younger man, Scrooge referred to his wealth as his "idol," It hurt his fiancee so much that she broke off their engagement and left him for good, seeing that he loves his money more than her. Another example is when he refuses to buy some coal for Cratchit and lets him work alone and suffer from the cold.

Jacob Marley was also consumed by greed. So much so that he missed out on so many opportunities in his lifetime, and greed becomes his punishment. As a ghost forced to wear heavy chains and condemned to walk the earth shackled, he also warned Scrooge about the consequences of greed. Scrooge partly received some of the punishment when the Ghosts showed him the poorest people were happily celebrating Christmas without him, and he offered Cratchit a small salary that was only enough to pay for his family's food and clothing and not for the most necessary needs such as medical care for Tiny Tim and paying off their house mortgage. After witnessing everything he sees, Scrooge then realizes how his greed made everyone suffer around him and that it would also lead to a lonely death, where everyone will forget about a greedy man who won't even offer a single penny to a street beggar.

### Poverty

Since Dickens had been nearly traumatized by his impoverished childhood, he used the theme of poverty to argue how the less fortunate were mistreated and were lowlives in society. Most of *A Christmas Carol*'s characters were poor and didn't have many necessities like Scrooge, and Scrooge even said that the poor deserve to live in the workhouse or prison and didn't care if they would die as he thinks there are already too many people in the world.

Dickens often depicted his impoverished characters as kind, loving people who are still grateful for what they have and are happy when they keep their families close together. Sometimes, several people who are better off than them offer compassion and are determined to improve their lives. The portly gentlemen collect donations every year to give the poor some important necessities around Christmastime, as they see Christmas as a time of giving and caring for the impoverished. Despite their poverty, the Cratchits lovingly host their Christmas festivities inside their tiny home, filled with love and joy. Mrs. Cratchit even decorated her plain dress with ribbons to freshen up her old clothes during the Christmas season. The family is even blessed when they have a decent Christmas dinner instead of a lavish feast. However, poverty also represents the harsh realities of life in Victorian England for the impoverished. Ignorance and Want are ragged, filthy children are seen as how the wealthy social class abandons the poor in society.

## Symbols

### Marley’s Chains

After his death, Jacob Marley is forced to spend the rest of his afterlife wandering the world covered in chains as punishment for his selfish, greedy life. The chains symbolize Marley's sins and guilt for not supporting the less fortunate. The chains also symbolize an ominous warning to Scrooge that everything he has prioritized in life will be shackled to him forever in death.

### The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future

Each Ghost has different symbolisms that represent Scrooge's life and sins. For example, the Ghost of Christmas Past symbolizes the memories that he can never change and how they shaped him into the man he is now. The glowing light on the Ghost's head also represents where Scrooge's memories are kept.

The Ghost of Christmas Present symbolizes generosity, warmth and the Christmas spirit. With his visits, he teaches Scrooge how everyone, including the Crachits, celebrates Christmas with love and joy whenever they live in poverty. The Ghost also carries a scabbard instead of a sword, symbolizing peace.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a dark figure wearing a black cloak and never talks. The Ghost symbolizes a bleak future where Scrooge will die alone. However, because its face is never seen and is a terrifying spectre, it also represents that Scrooge's future hasn't been set yet but can still change if Scrooge changes his ways.

### Ignorance and Want

Just before the Ghost of Christmas Present disappears, it reveals two starved, neglected children to Scrooge, and they are called Ignorance and Want. They symbolize Victorian society's impoverished population, which Scrooge had despised and ignored. They also represent mankind's responsibility for how they had treated their fellow human beings.

### Food

Food symbolizes well-being and generosity, as it emphasizes the lives of the rich and poor and how their attitude is displayed during Christmas. Fezziwig displays generosity and excitement by providing plenty of food for his employees and guests. The Ghost of Christmas Present is surrounded by large amounts of food as he wants to provide for those in need and sprinkles his magic essence onto the meals of the poor to improve their meals. The Cratchits never complain about the small portions of their Christmas dinner and are happy for the love they share. Near the end of the story, Scrooge displays his love, generosity and the Christmas spirit by anonymously sending a turkey to the Cratchits and attending Fred's Christmas dinner.

## Adaptations

* A film adaptation, titled *Scrooge*, was released in 1935. Directed by Henry Edwards, it features Sir Seymour Hicks as Ebenezer Scrooge, Donald Calthrop as Bob Cratchit, Robert Cochran as Fred, Claude Rains as Jacob Marley, and Phillip Frost as Tiny Tim. It was the first film adaptation of the novel to feature sound, and its script is closely linked to Dickens’s words. Hicks also played the younger and older version of Scrooge, and also previously played the role of Scrooge in an 1913 silent film of the story.
* A film adaptation was released in 1938. Directed by Edwin L. Marin, it features Reginald Owen as Scrooge, Gene Lockhart as Bob Cratchit, Barry MacKay as Fred, Leo G. Carroll as Jacob Marley, and Terry Kilburn as Tiny Tim.
* A film adaptation, titled *Scrooge*, was released in 1951. Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, it features Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge, Mervyn Jones as Bob Cratchit, Brian Worth as Fred, Michael Horden as Jacob Marley, and Glyn Dearman as Tiny Tim.
* A musical film adaptation, titled *Scrooge*, was released in 1970. Directed by Ronald Neame, it features Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge, David Collings as Bob Cratchit, Michael Medwin as Fred (named Harry in this version), Alec Guinness as Jacob Marley, and Richard Beaumont as Tiny Tim. The film was nominated for four Oscars, winning one for Best Original Song.
* An animated film adaptation, titled *Mickey’s Christmas Carol*, was released in 1983. Directed by Burny Mattinson, it features Scrooge McDuck (voiced by Alan Young), as Ebenezer Scrooge, Mickey Mouse (voiced by Wayne Allwine), as Bob Cratchit, Donald Duck (voiced by Clarence Nash in his final role), as Fred, Goofy (voiced by Hal Smith and Hannes Schroll) as Jacob Marley, and Morty and Merdie Fieldmouse (voiced by Dick Billingsley) as Peter Cratchit and Tiny Tim. The film features characters from past Disney films, and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film.
* A TV adaptation was released in 1984 on CBS. Directed by Clive Donner and filmed in the town of Shrewsbury, it features George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge, David Warner as Bob Cratchit, Roger Rees as Fred (also the narrator), Frank Finlay as Jacob Marley, and Anthony Walters as Tiny Tim.
* A modern comedy film adaptation, titled *Scrooge*, was released in 1988. Directed by Richard Donner, it features Bill Murray as Frank Cross (Ebenezer Scrooge).
* A musical film adaptation, titled *The Muppet Christmas Carol*, was released in 1992. Directed by Brian Henson (the son of late Muppets creator Jim Henson), it features Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, The Great Gonzo as Charles Dickens (the narrator), Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig (Fezziwig), Steven Mackintosh as Fred, Statler and Waldorf as Jacob/Robert Marley, and Robin the Frog as Tiny Tim. The film was released after Jim Henson’s death, and received mostly positive reviews, making it one of the most popular adaptations of the story.
* A TV adaptation was released in 1999 on TNT. Directed by David Jones, it features Patrick Stewart as Ebenezer Scrooge, Richard E. Grant as Bob Cratchit, Dominic West as Fred, Bernard Lloyd as Jacob Marley, and Ben Tipper as Tiny Tim.
* An animated fantasy Disney film was released in 2009. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, it features Jim Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge (who also voiced the Ghosts or Christmas Past, Present and Future, Gary Oldman as Bob Cratchit and Jacob Marley, Colin Firth as Fred, Robin Wright Penn as Belle/Fan, and Bob Hoskins as Fezziwig. The film received mixed reviews and was only of two films produced by Zemeckis’ filming company ImageMovers.
* A TV adaptation was released in 2019 on FX. Directed by Nick Murphy, it features Guy Pearce as Ebenezer Scrooge, Andy Serkis as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Charlotte Riley as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Joe Alwyn as Bob Cratchit, and Lenny Rush as Tiny Tim.