Completed on 17th of February 2018
Rated at 4 stars
Review:
As usual with Dickens, despite some sentimentalism and a
number of one-dimensional characters, I find his stories full of humour and wit.
Sometimes, the fact that the novel has been originally published in the instalments,
feels like its author was paid by the length, and the revised version could be
much more compact. Nevertheless, having had it re-read decades after the
original read, still find it fresh and lively as before.
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Plot:
The novel starts with introduction of Nickolas Nickleby
family’s background. His father, having lived his whole life by honest means,
has suffered a major drawback by losing his inheritance in ill-advised
speculation to improve the situation of his young children. His uncle – Ralph
was a quite opposite character, involved in usury and other means to create and
maintain his considerable wealth. His grandfather – Godfrey Nickleby was lucky
to receive an unexpected inheritance from his uncle, another Ralph Nickleby,
after he had accidently died and his life policy was realised.
The story begins with a meeting of the shareholders and
directors of the “United Metropolitan Improved Hot Muffin and Crumpet Baking
and Punctual Delivery Company”, where Ralph Nickleby is one of the directors.
They issue a petition to the Parliament to enable the company to monopolise the
market. This is supported by the chairman and two other Members of Parliament.
As the company would profit greatly from such arrangements, the shares are
oversubscribed with twenty five percent premium.
Following the meeting, Ralph visits his recently widowed
sister-in-law and her children. Before he sees them, he talks to their
land-lady and advises her to stop letting her attic to his poor relatives. He
is very rude to his relatives and blames his brother for making his family so
poor. He advises Nicholas to apply for a job of teacher and promises to find
some lodgings for his mother and sister. He and Nicholas immediately leave to see Mr Squeers, the
schoolmaster and find him in the local tavern, where Ralph convinces Squeers to
hire Nicholas for fa fee of five pounds per year.
The following day Nick travels with Mr Squeers to his school
in Yorkshire. He finds decrepit buildings, full of scared and almost starving
students. They are being bullied by Mr Squeers and his imperious wife. The
students are virtually imprisoned there, with no holidays and without any means
of communicating with their families. They are mostly unwanted by their parents
or orphans offloaded by their guardians.
A couple days into his new employment Nick is spotted by
Miss Squeers, who falls immediately in love with him. She organises a tea with
her friend and her fiancé, which fails to get Nick interested in the ugly Miss
Squeers.
Meanwhile, Ralph organises for Kate an employment with
Madame Mantalini, a local dress maker. He also organises for her and her mother
to move to one of his deserted and neglected houses to save on rent.
Nick’s rejection of Miss Squeers brings about her antipathy
towards him, and then is gradually shared by her mother and father. In order to
harm Nick, they pick up on Smike - Squeers’ servant, who is devoted to Nicholas,
for being only the one who sympathises with him. This results in Smike being
often beaten by one of the Squeers. At the end Smike cannot stand it anymore
and escapes the school. He is discovered a few days later by Mrs Squeers and
brought back to the school for another beating in front of all the students.
Nick cannot stand such a treatment of Smike by Mr Squeers, takes away his cane
and turns it on Mr Squeers instead. Having done so, he returns to his lodgings,
packs up his belongings and leaves the place.
On his way out, he is approached by John Browdie, a fiancé
of Miss Squeers’ friend, who congratulates him on this achievement and lends
him some money. Nick decides to walk back to London and the following morning
discovers that Smike is following him as well. Smike begs to stay with Nick,
who reluctantly agrees to have him as his companion.
Having returned to London they approach Newman Noggs - Ralph’s
underpaid secretary, who accommodates them for the first couple days. Nicholas
attempts to find employment with the local MP, but considering poor pay and the
required range of duties he has to decline the offer. Instead, Noggs finds him
a job of French teacher to a group of young daughters of Mrs Kenwigs, living in
the same house as Noggs.
In the meantime, Kate starts with Mrs Mantalini, under the
care of her supervisor Miss Knag. Her modest manners win over Miss Knag, but
when Kate is specifically asked by the customers to assist with their purchases
instead Miss Knag, she becomes her mortal enemy. Shortly after, uncle Ralph
invites Kate to dinner at his house. Upon arrival Kate finds herself in the
company of his gentlemen friends who admire her beauty. She feels very awkward
throughout and is assaulted by Sir Mulberry afterwards. She is dismayed by such
a treatment from her uncle and returns home.
Nicholas, having returned to London decides to visit his
mother and sister and sees them just when his uncle complains about Nicholas’
“assault” of Mr Squeers. Before leaving Nicholas warns his uncle that if he
wrongs his mother and sister, his day of reckoning will come sooner or later.
Kate remains home for three days to recover from her uncle’s
dinner. In the meantime, Mrs Mantalini’s business is put in the liquidation,
due to outstanding debts made by Mr Mantalini. The shop is purchased by Miss
Knag and Kate’s employment is terminated. She then answers an ad in the papers
and is successful in applying for a position of a companion to Mrs Wititterly,
and moves in to her apartments.
Nicholas decides to seek his luck at Portsmouth, with
possibility of signing up as a sailor. He leaves London walking with Smike. On
their way, they meet Mr Crummles, who is a theatre manager, and he offers them
an employment with his company. Nicholas starts adopting a French drama and has
his debut as an actor. He is very successful in that role and attracts a lot of
new custom for the theatre under his new name of Johnson. He attends wedding of
Mr Lillyvick with Miss Petowker. Having earned money he sends some to Kate
through Newman Noggs, who warns him that Kate may be in trouble and require his
presence in London, but that he would inform him separately when required.
Back in London, Kate is being pursued by Sir Mulberry, who
has found out where she lives. Her employers are delighted to associate with
him and force Kate to put up with his daily visits. In desperation Kate visits
her uncle and begs him to stop this.
Nicholas does not wait for Noggs’ letter and leaves the
theatre to return to London. Having arrived, he cannot contact his mother or
Noggs, which had been arranged by Noggs to let Nicholas cool down and only be
told about the whole issue later at night. In his wonderings Nicholas steps
into one of the upmarket restaurants and accidently overhears Sir Mulberry
bragging about his conquest of Kate. He wants to identify the man but the man
refuses to do so. Nicholas determined to find out his name stays close to him
until a carriage arrives and the man attempts to flee. A brief fight injures
Nicholas and Sir Mulberry, and his carriage crashes during the escape. Nicholas
finally arrives at Noggs’ lodgings and learns about the whole issue. The
following day he takes Kate from Wititterly’s household to protect her from any
further sufferings there. Noggs delivers the Nicholas’ letter to Ralph, in which
he breaks all the connections between him and his brother’s family.
Soon after Nicholas starts looking for a new job, and by
accident meets Mr. Cheeryble – one of the twin brothers who own the trading
business. Having listened to Nicholas’ story, Mr. Cheeryble takes him to
introduce him to his brother and both offer him a job as a clerk in their
business. They also offer him accommodation in one of their cottages. Luck
finally dawns of Nicholas’ family and they all move there to live together.
Nicholas visits Kenwigs and informs them of marriage of
their uncle with Miss Petowker. Mr Kenwig gets a fit and claims that all their
hopes of getting inheritance have been taken away from them and his children have
been defrauded.
At work Mr Linkinwater is happy with Nicholas’ performance
and Nicholas is taken up for a permanent position.
Whilst returning from visit to Miss La Creevy, Smike is
kidnapped by Mr Squeers, beaten and imprisoned in the house of Mr Squeers’
associate. Soon after, John Browdie arrives in London with his new wife and
Miss Squeers. They visit her father, where Browdie discovers Smike. He helps
him to escape. Smike returns to Noggs, who leads him back to Nicholas.
At work Nicholas comes across a young lady who came to ask
for donation from the brothers. He immediately falls in love and tries to find
out more about her, but to no avail. He commissions Noggs to follow after her
maid and ends up discovering that Noggs had followed the wrong maid and led him
to meet the wrong girl.
At home, Mrs Nickleby discovers a strange gentleman next
door, who throws across her some vegetables and when she is in the garden with
Kate, asks Mrs Nickleby’s hand.
Mr Squeers finds out that Browdie has helped Smike to escape
and Miss Squeers breaks down her friendship with Mrs Browdie. Nicholas, whilst
celebrating with Browdie in the Saracen’s Head hotel comes across fight
initiated by a man who had accused the other man of being ungentlemanly towards
the bar-maid. When the incident is finished he learns that the young man, who had
defended the woman’s honour is young Mr Cheeryble, the nephew of twin brothers.
On weekend one of the Cheeryble brothers and his nephew visit Nicholas and his
family and all have a great time together.
On one of his rounds Ralph is approached by his ex-employee
– Brooker, who 20 years since departed his services. Ralph refuses to help him
in any way and haughtily departs. He visits Mr Mantalini, who fakes taking
poison to protest against his wife’s restrictions on his allowance.
John Browdie and his wife visit Nicholas’ homestead. Their
visit is interrupted by Ralph coming with Mr Snawley, who claims to be Smike’s
father and wants to take him away. They present some documents to prove their case
but depart threatening to sue Nicholas for keeping Smike.
At work, Nicholas is asked by Charles Cheeryble to pretend
to be an art dealer and buy some from Madelaine Bray, who supports her bankrupt
father. Both Cheeryble brothers have known her mother, and were to marry her
and her sister, but tragedy stroke and Madelaine’s aunt died and the wedding
got cancelled. Madelaine’s mother married a man who wasted her fortune and led
her to her early grave. Nicholas visits her and recognises she is the
mysterious beauty he had fallen in love with.
Ralph gets a visit from his old competitor – Arthur Gride,
an old money lender, who shares with him his plan to marry Madelaine, by buying
his father’s debts, as Ralph and himself were his main creditors. All this is
overheard by Noggs, who hides in the closet. They visit Mr Bray and make a
proposal. Bray asks for a week to convince his daughter.
Nicholas comes across a bill advertising Mr Crummles’
theatre last performance in London. He visits them at dinner and renews his
acquaintance. They are on their way to America, where Mr Crummles intends to
settle.
Mrs Nickleby and Kate are visited by Miss La Creevy, Tim
Linkinwater and young Frank Cheeryble. During the visit they discover Mrs Nickleby’s
neighbour coming down the chimney and proposing to Miss La Creevy. He gets
escorted back to his carers.
Sir Mulberry and Lord Frederick put up an appearance at a
Racing Carnival. They end up the day drinking with their associates. They start
a quarrel about Sir Mulberry’s plans to revenge his defeat with Nicholas. It
ends with Lord Frederick hitting Sir Mulberry and with Sir Mulberry demanding
satisfaction in duel at dawn. They meet and Sir Mulberry kills Lord Frederick
in exchange of pistol shots.
With wedding of Madelaine’s agreed with her father, Arthur
Gride get visit from Nicholas who attempts to appeal to his conscience, but to
no avail.
Morleena Kenwigs, the eldest daughter of Kenwigs’ is invited
for an excursion with some other young people. Her mother sends her to have her
hair done at the local hairdresser. She spots there Mr Lillyvick, who looks
very desolate. They start talking on her way back and arrive at Kenwigs’ place,
where Mr Lillivick apologises to Mrs Kenwigs, his niece, and announces that his
recently married wife had eloped with an officer. He gets consoled by his
family and promises to leave his legacy to his niece.
On the morning of the wedding, Arthur Gride and Ralph Nickleby
go to Madelaine’s place to join Madelaine and her father. He promises to give
her a few more minutes as she needs to get ready. He shares his doubts with
Ralph and tells him his dream of falling through the floor and waking up in his
grave. Ralph promises him that once his daughter gets married and he gets his
allowance he will have no time left to worry about his dreams as he will be
busy spending his money. Suddenly Nicolas and Kate appear and declare to Ralph
that they want to appeal to Mr Bray’s heart not to allow his daughter to suffer
so much. Suddenly, they hear a cry from Mr Bray’s rooms and having running up
there, they find despairing Madelaine who cries over his father having heart
attack and suddenly dying. In all the commotion Kate and Nicholas take care of
Madelaine and organise a carriage to take her to their house. Despite Ralph’s
protests they succeed and leave the place.
Smike’s condition deteriorates and doctor’s advice is to
take him away from London and spend some time in countryside. Nikolas heeds the
advice and leaves with him to stay at least till Smike gets better.
Having recovered from shock, both Ralph and Gride get into a
carriage and return to Gride’s home. They attempt to enter are unsuccessful and
they have to climb the ladder over the fence to get in through the back door.
Their attempt to find the housekeeper – Peg Sliderskew are unsuccessful. Gride
discovers that he has been robbed, but does not want Ralph to call police, nor
he wants to say what it was, apart from saying that this would ruin him.
Ralph has meeting with Squeers and they discuss their plan
to get Smike by paying Snawley to pretend he was his father. Ralph wants to
implement yet another plan in which they would destroy an evidence that
Madelaine should have received a significant inheritance. Apparently, this
information is in the documents Peg has stolen. Ralph promises Squeers 100
pounds if he can track her, get into her confidence and get the document back
to be destroyed.
Having located Peg, Mr Squeers moves next door to her and
gets into her confidence. She asks him for an advice about the papers she had
taken out of Gride’s house and he readily agrees to go through them. When he
finds a will for Madelaine and exclaims his joy, he gets hit by Noggs, who
together with Frank Cheeryble have secretly entered Peg’s attic.
Nicholas travels with Smike to the countryside where he and
Kate had spent their childhood. They visit his father grave and Smike wishes to
be buried there as well. Smike enjoys fresh air but continues to get weaker.
Finally, he dies in Nicholas arms.
Ralph gets anxious by absence of Noggs in his office. He is
visited by Charles Cheeryble, who tells him that if he wanted to know what he
had done he should visit him and his brother in their office, and leaves. In
the afternoon Ralph decides to visit Snawley’s house. His wife refuses him
entry and tells him not to visit her husband any more. He then goes to the inn
which Mr. Squeers frequented and not finding him there, goes to his new place,
but he is not there as well. Having inquired with the lodgers he learns that Mr
Squeers left last night with two gentlemen, who shortly afterwards returned for
the old woman who lived on the same floor. Ralph proceeds to Gride’s house, who
refuses to see him. Finally, he goes to see Cheeryble brothers and finds Noggs
there. The brothers tell him that the last night Snawley made confession that
Smike was not his son, and that Squeers and Peg were in prison for not being
able to account for some papers found with them. Ralph unmoved departs.
Ralph drives to the jail and sees Squeers telling him not to
disclose any details of their deal as he would find a way to get him out of the
jail. Squeers refuses and tells him that he intends to reveal all the truth and
Ralph’s involvement in the whole affair. Having returned home, Ralph is visited
by Tim Linkinwater, who urges him to see Cheeryble brothers again as they had
very important news that would be of great importance to him. Reluctantly,
Ralph goes with Tim. This time he finds there Brooker, who tells a story from
Ralph’s past. Ralph married a rich woman and had a boy child with her. The
woman left him for a younger man and left him with the child. As Ralph had to
travel for business for some months, he left the boy with Brooker, who sent him
to Squeers’ school and paid for his stay. On Ralph’s return Brooker told him
that child has died, as was very sick before his departure. As Brooker committed
some financial irregularities he got convicted and transported away. After his
return he wanted to tell Ralph the truth, but he got rejected by Ralph. Brooker
tracked the boy and learnt that the boy, whose name was Smike, has recently
died. Ralph throws down the only light in the office and having restored the
light, they find Ralph gone.
Having returned from the countryside Nicholas learns from
Kate that Frank has asked for her hand, but she had to refuse for being poor.
Nicholas decides not to see Madelaine, for the same reason and goes to see
Charles Cheeryble to help with his decision.
Ralph having returned home is shuttered by the news about
his son. He goes to the attic to see the remains of old furniture and toys left
behind. His sense of guilt drives him to suicide, which he commits in the attic
by hanging.
Brothers Cheeryble organise a dinner and invite all the
interested parties. They persuade Nicholas to ask for Madelaine’s hand, as with
her inheritance Nicholas did not need to earn his fortune anymore. They also
convince Kate to accept Frank’s offer of marriage. At the end Tim Linkinwater
asks Miss La Creevy for her hand and is accepted. Nicholas travels to Yorkshire
to see John Browdie and ask him to attend his wedding. He also shares the news
of Mr Squeers having been sentenced to seven years of transport for holding a
stolen will. John rides to Squeer’s school and comes across mutiny of the
students who earlier learnt about the principal. As on that day Mrs Squeers
normally fed her students “brimstone and treacle” to save on the food, the
students reverse the procedure and feed that mixture to Mrs Squeers and her
children. Following that they all run away.
In conclusion, both Frank Cheeryble and Nicholas become the
partners in the firm and the brothers retire. Sometime later Nicholas buys back
his father’s property and settles there with his family, whilst Kate and her
family settle nearby. Their children often change flowers on Smike’s grave and
commiserate softly about their poor cousin.
Quotes:
Page 1: Two people who cannot afford to play cards for
money, sometimes sit down to a quiet game for love.
Page 451: Among men who have any sound and sterling
qualities, there is nothing so contagious as pure openness of heart.
Characters:
- Master Belling - young student just enrolled in Mr Squeers school.
- Miss Belvawney - an actress in non-speaking roles in in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Mrs Blockson - Miss Knag’s char woman.
- Mr Bonney - Ralph’s associate
- Mrs Borum - supporter of theatre, visited by the actors.
- Miss Bravassa - an actress in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Madeline Bray - daughter of a lady one of Cheeryble brothers was to marry when young
- Mr Walter Bray - Madeline’s sick and awful bankrupt father
- Mr Brooker - an old employee of Ralph, 20 years since departed.
- Mr John Browdie - Miss Price’s fiancé.
- Mr Edwin Cheeryble - brought Nicholas to his warehouse
- Mr Charles Cheeryble- trader, who offered Nicholas the position of clerk in his warehouse.
- Mr Frank Cheeryble - the nephew of two Cheeryble brothers.
- Colonel Chowser - a guest at Ralph’s dinner party.
- Mr Crowl - Mr Noggs’ neighbour, exploiting his kindness.
- Mr Vincent Crummles - a theatre company manager, who engaged Nicholas and Smike on their way to Portsmouth.
- Mr Curdle - benefactor of Miss Snevellicci in the theatre, visited by her and Nicholas at his house.
- Mrs Curdle - his wife and arts supporter.
- Mr Cutler - a guest at Kenwigs’ anniversary party.
- Mr Tommy Folair - an actor playing a pantomimic role in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Miss Gazingi - an actress in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Mr Gregsbury - Member of Parliament. Nicholas attempted to become his secretary.
- Arthur Gride - an old money lender, who told Ralph that he was to marry Miss Bride.
- Mrs Grudden - works in in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Sir Mulberry Hawk - a guest at Ralph’s dinner party.
- Mr Kenwigs - an ivory turner, living at first floor, where Mr Noggs lives
- Mrs Kenwigs - wife
- Miss Marlena Kenwigs - oldest daughter
- Miss Knag - the forewoman at Mrs Mantalini’s business.
- Mr Mortimer Knag - Miss Knag’s brother, a library keeper.
- Miss La Creevy - landlady in lodgings taken up by Nicholas’ mother in London.
- Miss Ledrook - an actress in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Mr Lenville - an actor in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Mrs Lenville - works in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Mr Lillyvick - Mrs Kenwigs’ uncle; a water meter collector.
- Tim Linkinwater - an old clerk working for Cheeryble brothers.
- Mr Alfred Mantelini - a young husband of Mrs Montelini, living off her business.
- Mrs Mantelini - an owner of dressmaking business. Kate’s first employer.
- Kate Nickleby - Nicholas’ sister
- Nicholas Nickleby -
- Nicholas Nickleby Senior - Nicholas’ father, lost money having invested in a speculative enterprise, as advised by his wife.
- Ralph Nickleby - Nicholas’ uncle
- Newman Noggs - Ralph Nickleby’s clerk, erstwhile bankrupted investor.
- Miss Petowker - a guest at Kenwigs’ anniversary party. Works in Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
- Mr Pike - visitor at Mrs Nickleby’s Place, together with Pluck.
- Pitcher - young boy with the fever.
- Mr Pluck - a guest at Ralph’s dinner party. Visitor at Mrs Nickleby’s place.
- Miss Matilda Price - friend of Miss Squeers, 18 y.o.
- Mr Pugstyles - Gregsbury’s constituent.
- Sir Matthew Pupker - Ralph’s associate, chairman of the new baking company.
- Mr Scaley - a “professional man”, a debt collector to evaluate Madame Montelini’s assets to pay for Mr Montelini debts.
- Smike - a young man exploited by Squeers, devoted to Nicholas
- Mr Snawley - step-father of two boys to be sent to Mr Squeers’ school. Claims to be Smike’s father as well.
- Miss Snevellicci - an actress in Mr Crummles’ Theatre.
- Mr Snobb - a guest at Ralph’s dinner party.
- Mr Wackford Squeers - the Yorkshire Schoolmaster.
- Mrs Squeers - the schoolmaster’s wife. A half a head taller than her husband.
- Miss Squeers - ugly daughter, 23 y.o.
- Mr Snittle Timberry - a new actor at Mr Crummles’ troupe, met by Nicholas in London.
- Mr Tix - Mr Scaley’s companion at their visit of Madame Mantalini’s establishment.
- Tom - an ugly clerk at the Register-office. Beaten up by Frank Cheeryble after affronting the bar-maid at Saracen’s Head Hotel.
- Tompkins - a young student at Mr Squeers’ school.
- Lord Frederick Verisopht - a guest at Ralph’s dinner party
- Mrs Julia Wititterly - a lady who engaged Kate as her companion
- Mr Henry Wititterly - husband of Mrs Wititterly.
