Nicholas Nickleby, which also goes by the title of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, was Charles Dickens’s third novel. Initially published in a serial format between 1838 to 1839, it was released in the form of a novel in the year 1839.
Dickens was one of the most prolific and celebrated authors of his time and among those writers whose works are relevant even today. The novel discusses social injustice, which’s prevalent even in today’s society.
The autobiographical elements are vividly present in most of Dickens’s works. The same holds for Nicholas Nickleby, in which the writer presented situations drawn from his real-life experiences.
From a very early age, Dickens had to face financial difficulties, forcing him to take on the responsibilities of his family. This feature is similar to the protagonist of the novel.
The treatment of children as laborers and the behavior of upper-class individuals towards those belonging to different social strata are intricately explored in this story.
In this article, we will discuss multiple aspects of this novel. Whether you’re a literature lover exploring a Nicholas Nickleby book review, or a bibliophile hoping to immerse yourself in Dickens’ world, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get right into it.
| Title | Nicholas Nickleby |
|---|---|
| Author | Charles Dickens |
| Publication Date | 1838-1839 |
| Genre | Bildungsroman, social commentary, satire |
| Setting | Primarily in England during the early 19th century |
| Protagonist | Nicholas Nickleby |
| Antagonist | Ralph Nickleby |
| Major Themes | Social injustice, education, family, love, friendship |
| Plot Summary | Nicholas Nickleby is a young man who must support his mother and sister after his father's death. He finds a job teaching at a brutal boarding school and eventually escapes to London, where he becomes involved with a theatrical troupe and falls in love with the beautiful and virtuous Madeline Bray. Meanwhile, Nicholas' uncle, Ralph Nickleby, is a greedy and unscrupulous businessman who schemes to ruin Nicholas and his family. Despite Ralph's efforts, Nicholas ultimately triumphs over his adversaries and finds happiness with Madeline. |
| Major Characters | Nicholas Nickleby, Kate Nickleby, Ralph Nickleby, Smike, Madeline Bray |
| Literary Significance | Nicholas Nickleby" is notable for its sharp satire of the education system and its criticism of the social injustices of the time. The novel features a large cast of memorable characters, including the villainous Ralph Nickleby and the sympathetic Smike, and offers a vivid depiction of Victorian England. It remains a popular and influential work of literature. |
Table of Contents
Summary of Nicholas Nickleby
The story of Nicholas Nickleby begins by informing the readers that Nicholas Nickleby, the story’s central character, has suffered a personal loss in the form of his father’s demise. He died due to financial hardships after losing all his wealth to a bad investment.
Due to this, the responsibility of his mother and sister, Kate, falls on Nicholas’ shoulders. The family turns to his uncle, Ralph, a cruel and insensitive man who is only interested in his business and doesn’t empathize with his relatives.
Ralph arranges jobs for both Nicholas and Kate. While Nicholas begins to work at Dotheboys Hall, a boarding school run by Mr. Squeers, Kate works for a dressmaker named Madame Mantalini. Although Nicholas is apprehensive about the job, he takes it on to prove his competence to his family.
Nicholas soon learns about the scam being run by Squeers. He takes unwanted kids, such as orphans and cripples, to his school and abuses and mistreats them. By charging a high fee from them, he uses that money to live lavishly while the kids starve and are made to live in awful conditions.
Fanny, Squeers’ daughter, fancies Nicholas and wishes to marry him, but he has no feelings towards her. He is also bothered by the way Squeers treats Smike, his unpaid servant. Through Fanny, Nicholas gets to meet a friendly man named John Browdie.
Hoping to run away from Squeers’ abuse, Smile attempts to escape. However, Squeers finds and physically abuses him in front of the school to present him as an example. That’s when Nicholas intervenes and turns the whip to Squeers.
Using Browdie’s help, Nicholas escapes the boarding school. Smike follows him, and the two go away together. Back home, Kate and her mother are forced to live in a dreadful house owned by Ralph in a slum.
Ralph plans to use Kate for financial gain and invites her to dinner with Lord Verisopht and Sir Mulberry Hawk. The men keep leering at her, passing comments, and making her immensely uncomfortable.
Ralph’s liking towards Kate makes him confront Sir Mulberry while he tries to force himself on Kate. But he also threatens her, saying he will stop helping them financially if she reveals anything to her mother about the dinner.
After the Mantalinis go bankrupt, Kate finds a new job as a companion to Mrs. Wititterly, an older woman. Upon returning to London, Nicholas asks for help from Newman Noggs, Ralph’s secretary.
Before meeting his mother and sister, Nicholas believes he should explain everything that transpired at the boarding school to Ralph. However, he realizes that Squeers is out to arrest him, so Nicholas and Smike leave London.
They encounter Mr. Vincent Crummles, a theater manager, who develops a fondness for Nicholas and makes him a part of his theater troupe in Portsmouth. Nicholas not only gets paid well but also enjoys his work. However, he returns to London when Noggs informs him that Kate requires his help.
Just before reuniting with Kate, he overhears Sir Mulberry discussing Kate with other men in a derogatory manner, so he beats up Sir Mulberry. Miss LaCreevy, a family friend, then takes in Nicholas, Kate, and their mother.
Nicholas soon meets a noble and wealthy man named Charles Cheeryble, who arranges for him and his family to reside in a wonderful cottage and provides Nicholas with a well-paying job at his firm. The family is finally happy, and Kate is away from the vicious presence of Sir Mulberry.
The Cheeryble brothers are kind bosses who financially support Madeline Bray, a young woman who devotedly looks after her father. Nicholas falls in love with Madeline. However, another man-Arthur Gride, Ralph’s associate, vies for her attention.
Arthur illegally possesses Madeline’s will, which is due to fetch her a small fortune. Nicholas learns of Arthur’s schemes and prevents the wedding from taking place. Meanwhile, Madeline’s father passes away. Nicholas takes her to his cottage, where he and Kate care for her.
Ralph contacts Squeers to locate the will, which Arthur’s servant has now stolen. Eventually, the will makes its way to Madeline, and Squeers is arrested.
Smike falls ill, and his condition is reported to be quite serious. Nicholas brings him to his childhood home to spend his remaining days. During this time, Kate gets close to Frank, Charles’ nephew. Smike passes away, and Nicholas and Kate decide not to act on their feelings for their loved ones.
Through a surprising turn of events, it’s discovered that Smike was Ralph’s son. On learning this, Ralph cannot tolerate the revelation and commits suicide.
In the end, Nicholas and Kate get married to Madeline and Frank, respectively, and begin their harmonious, married lives together.
Nicholas Nickleby Book Review
Charles Dickens‘ works can be divided into two categories. There are the youthful novels that were written during the initial stage of his career, and then there are the more mature stories that came later on. Nicholas Nickleby belongs to the former category, as is evident from the plotlines and character interactions.
The themes of social injustice and class inequality are also present in this story, much like his other works, reminding the readers of how Dickens utilized his observations as social commentary in the development of his novels.
The author presents a stark dichotomy between kindness and cruelty through an array of intriguing and colorful characters.
Dickens delves deep into how the loss of one’s family makes an individual desperate to find that familial warmth elsewhere. It’s evident in Nicholas’ search for a dependable and generous paternal figure, showing his readers that family doesn’t always end with blood connections.
A critique of the socioeconomic conditions of Victorian society is presented in the novel through the gap between people of various backgrounds.
Dickens perfectly balances grim discussions and comic relief by assigning his characters with memorable personalities and distinct quirks. He gives us a protagonist who has a commendable journey, along with female characters who distinguish themselves through the part they play in his life.
Nicholas Nickleby keeps readers hooked and entertained through its colliding plotlines, interesting personas, and imperative themes.
Characters In The Novel “Nicholas Nickleby”
Like Dickens’ other novels, Nicholas Nickleby is brimming with quirky characters. Some of them are as follows:
1. Nicholas Nickleby
Nicholas is the main protagonist of the novel. He goes through emotional and mental development throughout the story.
2. Catherine Nickleby
The mother of Nicholas and Kate.
3. Kate Nickleby
Kate is Nicholas’ sister. She marries Frank by the end of the novel.
4. Ralph Nickleby
Ralph is Nicholas and Kate’s cunning uncle.
5. Madeline Bray
A wonderful woman who looks after her father. She gets married to Nicholas in the end.
6. John Browdie
John becomes a close friend of Nicholas and proves to be a loyal ally all his life.
7. Charles And Ned Cheeryble
Charles and Ned Cheeryble are twin brothers and Nicholas’ employers. They are generous, charitable, and kind-hearted individuals.
8. Frank Cheeryble
Frank is Charles and Ned’s nephew, who eventually marries Kate.
9. Vincent Crummles
Vincent is the head of a theater troupe who brings in Nicholas to be a part of his professional group.
10. Arthur Gride
Ralph’s associate who attempts to marry Madeline, hoping to gain possession of her fortune.
11. Newman Noggs
Noggs is Ralph’s clerk who becomes Nicholas’ good friend.
12. Smike
Smike is a young man ill-treated by Squeers and later becomes a close part of Nicholas’ life. After his demise, it is discovered that he is Ralph’s son.
13. Wackford Squeers
Squeers is the wicked and malicious man who runs Dotheboys Hall.
Famous Quotes From The Novel
Dickens was famous for his dialogues and phrases, among other things. A couple of the most popular quotes from Nicholas Nickleby include:
“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.”
“Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes.”
“Pride is one of the seven deadly sins; but it cannot be the pride of a mother in her children, for that is a compound of two cardinal virtues — faith and hope.”
“Gold conjures up a mist about a man, more destructive of all his old senses and lulling to his feelings than the fumes of charcoal.”
Movies And TV Adaptations
Many of Dickens’ novels have been adapted into movies and TV shows, and Nicholas Nickleby is no different. Some of the movie and TV adaptations to know about are:
- A TV show on BBC (1957)
- A series on BBC, with Christopher Barry as the director (1977)
- An animated TV movie produced by Burbank Films Australia (1985)
- A movie starring Charlie Hunnam, directed by Douglas McGrath (2002)
- A five-part series on BBC (2012)
Conclusion
Very few writers immortalize themselves through their works, and Charles Dickens was surely one of them. By shedding light on the social and political conditions of 19th-century England, he reflected on the people’s mannerisms from the Victorian era.
Through his writing, descriptions, and engaging commentary in Nicholas Nickleby, we get a glimpse of the social inequality that existed back then, reminding us why Dickens’ novels have stood the test of time, remaining relatable and relevant even in the current times.
