The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Why are Rosa and Edwin ill-suited for one another? Why do you think their fathers originally wanted them to marry? Why does it take Rosa so long to finally clarify that they are not legally obligated to marry one another?

In what ways are Neville and his sister Helena similar, and in what ways are they different? Why do Neville and Edwin struggle to get along? Why does Reverend Crisparkle bond with Neville, and why does he always believe the best about the younger man?

How would you characterize John Jasper’s relationship with his nephew, Edwin? Why does Dickens choose to have Jasper be only a few years older than his nephew? Why was Jasper so obsessed with Edwin marrying Rosa, even though he is obsessed with Rosa himself? Do you think that Edwin ever suspected his uncle’s interest in his fiancée?

What is the significance of Jasper’s habit of consuming opium? How does this habit provide insight into his character? Does it serve to make Jasper more of a villainous figure?

Edwin goes missing on Christmas Eve and is not seen again. However, his body is not found. What is the significance of Dickens depicting a disappearance rather than an explicit murder? How does the disappearance build suspense? Do you think that, if Dickens had finished the novel, Edwin would have turned out to be alive?

What does Jasper hope to gain when he confesses his love to Rosa? What does Rosa’s reaction reveal about her character? How does Rosa’s decision to flee to London alone impact the development of the plot and the development of her character?

Choose one of the novel’s minor characters, such as Mrs. Crisparkle, Durdles, Deputy, Mr. Sapsea, or Datchery, and analyze the role they play in the novel. If you are familiar with any of Dickens’s other works, compare and contrast the function of minor characters in that text and in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

If Edwin was murdered on Christmas Eve, the two likeliest suspects are Jasper and Neville. Which one do you find to be more suspicious? What evidence suggests this man may have killed Edwin, and what would his motivations have been? Could any other character plausibly be the killer?