Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge (/ˌɛbɪˈniːzər ˈskruːdʒ/) is a fictional character and the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 short novel, A Christmas Carol. Initially a cold-hearted miser who despises Christmas, his redemption by three spirits (the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come) has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday in the English-speaking world.
| Ebenezer Scrooge | |
|---|---|
| A Christmas Carol character | |
Scrooge (left) encounters "Jacob Marley's ghost" | |
| Created by | Charles Dickens |
| Based on | Possibly John Elwes, Daniel Dancer, Jemmy Wood |
| Portrayed by | See below |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Significant other | Belle (fiancée of Scrooge) |
| Relatives |
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| Nationality | English |
Dickens describes Scrooge thus early in the story: "The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice." Towards the end of the novella, the three spirits show Scrooge the errors of his ways, and he becomes a better, more generous man.
Scrooge's last name has entered the English language as a byword for greed and misanthropy, while his catchphrase, "Bah! Humbug!" is often used to express disgust with many modern Christmas traditions.