Use of 'Genius' in Nicholas Nickleby?

Question

In *Nicholas Nickleby*, people use the word "genius" to describe people they don't even know and in such a way that I do not believe it has the same meaning as we now use it with.For instance, Mr Crowl says the following in Chapter 15:> "and I'll tell you what's more-I think these two geniuses, whoever they are,..."This is not the only time I have come across the word used strangely; however, I have also read it used as we use it now: describing someone of exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability.What is Dickens's meaning when he uses it in this other way?

Answer 1

Like many words in the English language, "genius" has more than one definition. Dickens (a genius himself) uses the word in more than one sense. Early in the book he uses it in its original definition to mean "the attendant spirit of a person or place." The closest word I can think to compare it to is "guardian."

Later he definitely uses it in one of the senses we are most familiar with--genius for something, as in having a gift or talent for something. In chapter 15 it's very hard to tell. He appears to be using it sarcastically to mean the opposite of a high I.Q.