Bleak House CHARLES DICKENS  

Plot Overview

 Esther Summerson describes her childhood and says she is leaving for the home of a new

guardian, Mr. Jarndyce, along with Ada Clare and Richard Carstone. On the way to the home,

called Bleak House, they stop overnight at the Jellybys' chaotic home. When they finally reach

Bleak House, they meet Mr. Jarndyce and settle in. They meet Mr. Skimpole, a man who acts

like a child. 

The narrator describes a ghost that lurks around Chesney Wold, the home of Lady and Sir

Leicester Dedlock. Esther meets the overbearing charity worker Mrs. Pardiggle, who introduces her to a poor

brickmaker's wife named Jenny, whose baby is ill. Esther says she is sure that Ada and Richard

are falling in love. She meets Mr. Boythorn, as well as Mr. Guppy, who proposes marriage.

Esther refuses him. At Chesney Wold, Tulkinghorn shows the Dedlocks some Jarndyce documents, and Lady

Dedlock recognizes the handwriting. Tulkinghorn says he'll find out who did it. He asks Mr.

Snagsby, the law-stationer, who says a man named Nemo wrote the documents. Tulkinghorn

visits Nemo, who lives above a shop run by a man named Krook, and finds him dead. At the

coroner's investigation, a street urchin named Jo is questioned and says that Nemo was nice to

him. Later, Tulkinghorn tells Lady Dedlock what he's learned. Richard struggles to find a suitable career, eventually deciding to pursue medicine. But he is

more interested in the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit, which he believes will make him rich.

Neither Esther nor the narrator ever fully explains the lawsuit, because nobody remembers what

originally prompted the parties to begin the suit. In London, Esther meets a young girl named Charlotte who is caring for her two young siblings.

A lodger who lives in the same building, Mr. Gridley, helps care for the children as well. 

A mysterious lady approaches Jo and asks him to show her where Nemo is buried. Mr. Jarndyce tells Esther some details about her background. He reveals that the woman who

raised Esther was her aunt. The next day, a doctor named Mr. Woodcourt visits before leaving

on a trip to China and India. An unidentified person leaves a bouquet of flowers for Esther. Richard begins working in the law. Esther, Ada, and others visit Mr. Boythorn, who lives near

Chesney Wold. There, Esther meets Lady Dedlock for the first time and feels a strange

connection to her. Lady Dedlock has a French maid, Mademoiselle Hortense, who is jealous

that Lady Dedlock has a new young protégée named Rosa. A man named Mr. Jobling, a friend of Mr. Guppy's, moves into Nemo's old room above Krook's

shop. Two men, George and Grandfather Smallweed, talk about some money that George owes

Smallweed. They reach an agreement, and George leaves. Tulkinghorn introduces Bucket and Snagsby, and Snagsby introduces Bucket to Jo. Bucket

figures out that the woman Jo led to the burial ground was disguised in Mademoiselle

Hortense's clothes. Mademoiselle Hortense soon quits her post at Chesney Wold. Caddy Jellyby tells Esther she is engaged to Prince Turveydrop. Charley Neckett becomes

Esther's maid. Mr. Jarndyce warns Ada and Richard to end their romantic relationship since

Richard is joining the army. Gridley dies. Smallweed visits George and says that Captain Hawdon, a man he thought was dead, is

actually alive, and that a lawyer was asking about some handwriting of his. He asks George if

he has any handwriting to offer. George visits Tulkinghorn, who explains that George will be

rewarded if he gives up some of Hawdon's handwriting. George refuses. Guppy visits Lady Dedlock in London and tells her he thinks there is a connection between her

and Esther. He says that Esther's former guardian was someone named Miss Barbary and that

Esther's real name was Esther Hawdon. He says that Nemo was actually named Hawdon, and

that he left some letters, which Guppy will get. When Guppy leaves, Lady Dedlock cries: Esther

is her daughter, who her sister claimed had died at birth. Charley and Esther visit Jenny and find Jo lying on the floor. He is sick, and Esther takes him

back to Bleak House, putting him up in the stable. In the morning, he has disappeared. Charley

gets very ill. Then Esther gets extremely ill.

 Guppy and his friend Jobling want to get Hawdon's letters from Krook. But when they go down

to Krook's shop, they find that he has spontaneously combusted. Later, Grandfather Smallweed

arrives to take care of Krook's property. Guppy eventually tells Lady Dedlock the letters were

destroyed. Smallweed demands payment from George and the Bagnets, on whose behalf he borrowed the

money. Desperate, he tells Tulkinghorn he'll turn over the Hawdon's handwriting if he'll leave the

Bagnets alone. Esther recovers slowly. Miss Flite visits her, telling her that a mysterious woman visited Jenny's

cottage, asking about Esther and taking away a handkerchief Esther had left. She also tells

Esther that Mr. Woodcourt has returned. Esther goes to Mr. Boythorn's house to recover fully.

She looks in a mirror for the first time and sees that her face is terribly scarred from the

smallpox. While there, Lady Dedlock confronts her and tells her she's Esther's mother. She

orders Esther to never speak to her again, since this must remain a secret. Richard pursues the Jarndyce lawsuit more earnestly, aided by a lawyer named Vholes. He no

longer speaks to Mr. Jarndyce, who doesn't want anything to do with the suit. Esther visits Guppy and instructs him to stop investigating her. Tulkinghorn visits Chesney Wold and hints that he knows Lady Dedlock's secret. She confronts

him and says she will leave Chesney Wold immediately because she knows her secret will

destroy Rosa's marriage prospects. Tulkinghorn convinces her to stay, since fleeing will make

her secret known too fast. When Tulkinghorn is back home, he is visited by Mademoiselle

Hortense, who demands he help her find a job. He threatens to arrest her if she keeps

harassing him. Esther tells Mr. Jarndyce about Lady Dedlock. He reveals that Boythorn was once in love with

Miss Barbary, who left him when she decided to raise Esther in secret. Mr. Jarndyce gives

Esther a letter that asks her to marry him. Esther accepts. Esther tries to convince Richard to abandon the Jarndyce suit. While she is visiting him, he tells

her he has left the army and devoted himself entirely to the lawsuit. Esther sees Mr. Woodcourt

on the street. She asks Mr. Woodcourt to befriend Richard in London, and he agrees. In London, Woodcourt runs into Jo on the street and gives him some food. He discovers that Jo

once stayed with Esther. Jo tells him that a man forced him to leave and that he's now scared of

running into him. Woodcourt helps Jo find a hiding place at George's Shooting Gallery. Jo soon

dies. Lady Dedlock dismisses Rosa with no explanation in order to protect her. Tulkinghorn is

enraged and says he'll reveal the secret. That night, Tulkinghorn is shot through the heart. The

next day, Bucket arrests George for the murder. Ada reveals to Esther that she and Richard have been secretly married. Bucket investigates Tulkinghorn's murder. He receives a few letters that say only “Lady

Dedlock.” He confronts Sir Leicester and tells him what he knows about Lady Dedlock's past.

Instead of arresting Lady Dedlock, however, he arrests Mademoiselle Hortense, who killed

Tulkinghorn and tried to frame Lady Dedlock. Meanwhile, Mrs. Rouncewell, the housekeeper at Chesney Wold, finds out that George is her

long-lost son. She begs Lady Dedlock to do anything she can to help him. Guppy arrives and

tells Lady Dedlock that the letters were actually not destroyed. Lady Dedlock writes a note to Sir

Leicester, saying she didn't murder Tulkinghorn, and then she flees. Sir Leicester collapses from a stroke. Mrs. Rouncewell gives him Lady Dedlock's letter, and he

orders Bucket to find her, saying he forgives her for everything. Bucket asks Esther to join him,

and they set out in search of Lady Dedlock in the middle of the night. While Sir Leicester waits

at home, unable to speak clearly, Esther and Bucket search. Eventually Bucket figures out

where to find her. They finally find Lady Dedlock at the gate of the burial ground where Hawdon

is buried. She is dead. Richard is sick and still obsessed with Jarndyce and Jarndyce. Ada is pregnant and hopes the

baby will distract Richard from his obsession with the lawsuit. After visiting Richard one night,

Woodcourt walks Esther home and confesses he still loves her as he once did. She tells him

she is engaged to Mr. Jarndyce. Smallweed finds a Jarndyce will among Krook's property and gives it to Vholes. George moves to Chesney Wold, where he helps tend to Sir Leicester. Esther begins to plan the wedding. Mr. Jarndyce goes to Yorkshire on business and then sends

for her. When she arrives, she finds out that Mr. Jarndyce has bought a house for Woodcourt

out of gratitude. He shows her the house, which is decorated in Esther's style, and tells her that

he's named the house Bleak House. Then he reveals that he knows she loves Woodcourt and

that they should be married. He says he will always be her guardian. Woodcourt appears, and

he and Esther reunite. The Jarndyce and Jarndyce case is finally dismissed. No one gets any money since the

inheritance had been used up to pay the legal fees. Richard dies. Esther says she and Woodcourt have two daughters and that Ada had a son. She is very

happy.

Character List

 Esther Summerson -  The narrator and protagonist. Esther, an orphan, becomes the

housekeeper at Bleak House when she, Ada, and Richard are taken in by Mr. Jarndyce.

Everyone loves Esther, who is selfless and nurturing, and she becomes the confidante of

several young women. Although she eventually does find her mother, circumstances prevent

them from developing a relationship. At first a hesitant, insecure narrator, Esther's confidence in

her storytelling grows, and she controls the narrative skillfully.

Esther Summerson (In-Depth Analysis)   

Mr. John Jarndyce -  Esther's guardian and master of Bleak House. Mr. Jarndyce becomes the

guardian of the orphans Ada and Richard and takes Esther in as a companion for Ada.

Generous but uncomfortable with others' gratitude, Mr. Jarndyce provides a warm, happy home

for the three young people. When Esther is an adult, he proposes marriage, but he eventually

rescinds his offer when he realizes she's in love with someone else. Mr. Jarndyce has sworn off

any involvement whatsoever with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Ada Clare - A ward of Jarndyce. Kind, sweet, and naïve, Ada becomes Esther's closest

confidante and greatest source of happiness. She falls in love with Richard, and although they

eventually marry and have a baby, she never finds full happiness with him because of his

obsession with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Richard Carstone -  A ward of Jarndyce. Affable but lazy, Richard can't decide on a career and

seems to have no passion for a particular field. Eventually, he becomes obsessed with Jarndyce

and Jarndyce and ultimately sacrifices his life for the lawsuit. He pursues the suit for Ada's sake

but never succeeds in providing a real home for her.

 Lady Dedlock - Mistress of Chesney Wold, married to Sir Leicester, and Esther's mother. Lady

Dedlock, revered and wealthy, has kept the secret of her illegitimate child throughout her life,

believing the child died at birth. She reveals her true identity to Esther but is wary of pursuing a

relationship because she believes Sir Leicester's reputation will suffer. When the truth threatens

to come out, she runs away, certain that Sir Leicester will hate her. She dies outside of a

cemetery.

Lady Dedlock (In-Depth Analysis)   Sir Leicester Dedlock -  Master of Chesney Wold. Sir Leicester is a strong, respected man

who ultimately withers and weakens because of Lady Dedlock's disappearance. Fully willing to

forgive her, Sir Leicester does his best to find her, but he is too late. 

Mr. Tulkinghorn -  A lawyer involved in the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Mr. Tulkinghorn

shares Lady Dedlock's secret and threatens to reveal it. He is eventually murdered by Lady

Dedlock's former maid, Mademoiselle Hortense. Mrs. Baytham Badger -  A woman who talks incessantly about her former husbands. Mr. Badger - A doctor who agrees to take Richard on as an apprentice. Mr. Matthew Bagnet -  A soldier who owns a musical instrument shop. Mr. Bagnet incurred

debts to help George Rouncewell. Mrs. Bagnet - A woman who does all the talking for her husband. Inspector Bucket -  A detective hired by Tulkinghorn to investigate Lady Dedlock's past. Bucket

eventually winds up investigating Tulkinghorn's murder and arrests Mademoiselle Hortense for

the crime. His wife helps him with his detective work. Mr. Lawrence Boythorn -  Mr. Jarndyce's friend who is given to hyperbole. Mr. Boythorn feuds

with Sir Leicester about trespassing. He was once in love with Lady Dedlock's sister, Miss

Barbary, who left him when she decided to secretly look after Lady Dedlock's illegitimate child,

Esther. Mr. Chadband - A pompous preacher who takes any opportunity to orate. 

Mrs. Rachael Chadband -  Esther's former caretaker. Volumnia Dedlock -  Sir Leicester's cousin. Miss Flite - An insane elderly woman who lives above Krook's shop. Mr. Gridley - A man who gave up his life for the Jarndyce and Jarndyce suit. Mr. William Guppy -  A clerk at Kenge and Carboy. Mr. Guppy proposes to Esther, but she

refuses him. He investigates her parentage with the hope of changing her mind and reveals to

Lady Dedlock that Esther is her daughter. Guster - The Snagsbys' maid, given to having fits. Captain Hawdon (Nemo) -  Krook's dead lodger. Hawdon is Lady Dedlock's former lover and

Esther's father. Mademoiselle Hortense -  Lady Dedlock's French maid. Mademoiselle Hortense is jealous of

Lady Dedlock's attention to young Rosa. She kills Tulkinghorn and frames Lady Dedlock. Mrs. Jellyby - A blustery woman who is obsessed with her “mission,” Borrioboola-Gha in Africa.

She neglects her family entirely. Mr. Jellyby - The defeated husband of Mrs. Jellyby. Caroline (Caddy) Jellyby -  Mrs. Jellyby's put-upon daughter and a friend of Esther's. Jenny - The wife of an abusive brickmaker. Jo - A street urchin who helps Lady Dedlock find Captain Hawdon's grave. Mr. Tony Jobling (Mr. Weevle) -  A friend of Mr. Guppy's, who takes Captain Hawdon's old

room. Mr. Krook - Owner of the rag-and-bottle shop. Mr. Krook collects documents even though he

can't read. He dies by spontaneous combustion. Liz - The wife of an abusive brickmaker. 

Charlotte (Charley) Neckett -  The oldest of three orphaned siblings. Charley becomes

Esther's beloved maid. Mrs. Pardiggle - An obnoxious do-gooder who forces her sons to give their money to her

charities. Rosa - Lady Dedlock's protégée, who is in love with Watt Rouncewell. Mr. George Rouncewell -  Mrs. Rouncewell's wayward son and a soldier. He runs a shooting

gallery. Mr. Rouncewell - An ironmaker who is George's brother. Mrs. Rouncewell -  The loyal housekeeper at Chesney Wold. Mr. Watt Rouncewell -  Mrs. Rouncewell's grandson, who wants to marry Rosa. Harold Skimpole -  A friend of Mr. Jarndyce, who calls himself a “child” and claims to have no

idea about time or money. Mr. Skimpole borrows money liberally with no thought of repaying it.

He eventually betrays Mr. Jarndyce by telling Inspector Bucket that Jo is in the stable at Bleak

House. Bartholomew (Chick) Smallweed -  Grandfather Smallweed's grandson. Judy Smallweed - The granddaughter who accompanies her chair-bound grandfather

everywhere. Grandfather Smallweed -  A shrill old man who can barely sit upright in his chair. Grandfather

Smallweed threatens and wheedles other people to get his own way. He lends George money. Grandmother Smallweed -  The put-upon wife of Grandfather Smallweed. Mr. Snagsby - A law-stationer. Mr. Snagsby gets inadvertently caught up in everyone else's

secrets, although he pays Jo not to tell anyone a secret of his own. He sneaks around to avoid

his wife's prying eyes. Mrs. Snagsby - Mr. Snagsby's suspicious wife, given to drawing inaccurate conclusions from

her eavesdropping and spying. 

Phil Squod - A crippled lodger at George's Shooting Gallery. Mr. Turveydrop - A man proud of his deportment. Prince Turveydrop -  The young dancing teacher who marries Caddy Jellyby. Mr. Vholes - The sneaky, immoral lawyer determined to get as much money as possible out of

Richard's involvement with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Allan Woodcourt -  A doctor and friend of Mr. Jarndyce. Mr. Woodcourt marries Esther, and

they live together in the new Bleak House. Mrs. Woodcourt - Allan Woodcourt's mother, who stays at Bleak House to observe Esther's

steadfast commitment to Mr. Jarndyce.

Analysis of Major Characters

 

Esther Summerson 

Esther Summerson, the narrator and protagonist of Bleak House, is relentlessly modest and

frequently disparages her own intelligence, but she proves to be a confident narrator who never

misses the opportunity to relate others' compliments of her. When we first meet Esther, she is a

hesitant narrator who feels she won't be able to properly relay the story because she isn't

“clever.” However, far from proceeding meekly, she launches into detailed storytelling, setting

scenes and describing characters easily. She generally refrains from editorializing about her

own behavior, but when she does something good—such as when she successfully cares for

the Jellyby children before she even reaches Bleak House—she includes others' praise of her in

her narration. As her narrative gains breadth and depth, her confidence as a narrator grows.

She deliberately withholds information or delays including it to give her story coherence and

dramatic effect, often commenting on her storytelling by telling us that something isn't important

or that she'll tell us more about it later on. And even though she is for the most part a reliable

narrator (a narrator we can trust to accurately tell the story), she is less reliable when relaying

information about her romantic life. For example, she hints at her feelings for Mr. Woodcourt,

but she never addresses them until much later in the novel.

 

Esther nurtures everyone around her, and her first instinct is to be motherly, perhaps because

she has never had a caring mother figure of her own. Mr. Jarndyce takes her in to be a

companion to Ada, but Esther cares for Mr. Jarndyce and Richard just as much as she does for

Ada. Many others, including young Caddy and Peepy Jellby, Charley, and Jo also receive

Esther's devotion. Ironically, Esther, for all her caring and tenderness, is the unwitting cause of

great unhappiness. Because of Esther's illegitimate birth, Lady Dedlock was forever estranged

from her sister, Miss Barbary, and was forced to carry a painful secret. Because Miss Barbary

chose to raise Esther secretly, she was forced to separate from Mr. Boythorn, who never

recovered from his broken heart. Because other unhappinesses, such as Sir Leicester's tragic

fate, radiate from these secrets, we could argue that Esther is indirectly responsible for these as

well. Although no one could possibly say that these difficulties are Esther's fault, her indirect

connection to them gives her relentless nurturing greater depth: in a way, she nurtures as

penance for others' sins.

 

 

Mr. Jarndyce 

John Jarndyce is a good-hearted man who, for all his kindness, has a difficult time expressing

his emotions. Whenever he is agitated or suspects that unpleasant news is on the horizon, he

complains that the wind is coming from the east rather than acknowledging the issue directly. As

Esther, Ada, and Richard catch on to his use of the phrase, the east wind becomes a kind of

shorthand for anything that is upsetting or unpleasant. Mr. Jarndyce is likewise unable to

acknowledge gratitude, immediately telling Esther, Ada, and Richard after first meeting them

that he'll run away if they try to thank him. When Esther does thank him for taking her in, she

does so timidly, and Mr. Jarndyce quickly changes the subject. All this is not to say that Mr.

Jarndyce ignores or overlooks problems when they arise. When he does need to gripe, he uses

the “Growlery” at Bleak House for just this purpose. One exception to his generally suppressed

feelings is his stance on the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. On this, he holds forth willingly,

making no attempt to hide his hatred of it or his firm decision to have nothing to do with it.

 

Mr. Jarndyce is a trustworthy, devoted guardian to Esther, Ada, and Richard and has a large

circle of friends, but in many ways he is lonely, repaid for his devotion by being left alone at

Bleak House. Mr. Jarndyce wants only the best for Ada and Richard, but his initial support of the

match weakens as Richard becomes obsessed with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce suit. The two

marry secretly, however, and Ada moves out. Mr. Jarndyce proposes to Esther in a letter,

revealing that he had always planned to make her the “mistress of Bleak House,” but he

ultimately gives her up so that she can find greater romantic happiness with Mr. Woodcourt. At

the end of the novel, the house he buys for Esther and Mr. Woodcourt, which he names Bleak

House, is a richer, livelier home than the original Bleak House. Even though Mr. Jarndyce is no

longer alone at the end of the novel—widowed Ada and her child move back in—the house has

lost some of the warmth it once had, especially with the sadness Ada brings with her.

 

 

Lady Dedlock 

Lady Dedlock wears a cold, haughty mask because she has a secret to hide: a great passion

that led to an illegitimate child and heartbreak. Until we discover this secret, Lady Dedlock

seems to be little more than an unpleasant member of high society, bored with absolutely

everything and unwilling to be bothered by anyone, including her husband, Sir Leicester. Lady

Dedlock seems not to care about or have any interest in the world around her. When we

discover her secret, however, we know all this to be false. Far from being disengaged from the

world because of snobbery, Lady Dedlock keeps the world at arm's length out of fear and pain:

fear that her secret will be revealed and bring the whole Dedlock family tumbling down, and pain

from events from her past. Regal, stone-cold Lady Dedlock, watched and talked about by the

public as though she is greater than life, has a very human, very messy past that throbs

beneath her unshakeable exterior.

 

When Lady Dedlock finds that her past is catching up with her, she begins acting in a way that

seems shockingly inappropriate for a woman of the Dedlock name. For example, she disguises

herself and asks Jo, a street urchin, to show her the burial ground of the dead lodger, who we

eventually learn was her former lover. When Esther is sick, Lady Dedlock disguises herself

again and tries to find out information about her by going to the brickmaker's cottage. And when

she fears her secret is about to come out, she leaves her jewels and money behind and flees,

eventually dying on the street. Lady Dedlock, who seems at first to have no passion, ultimately

shows herself to be so passionate that she will die to protect those she loves.

Themes, Motifs & Symbols

 

Themes

 

The Search for Love

 

Almost every character in Bleak House is searching for love, a search that proves to be equally

rewarding and difficult. Esther quietly searches for love, even though she seems too busy taking

care of others to think much about her own romantic situation. She refrains from focusing on her

romantic feelings in her narrative, often revealing her feelings only through her stammering

evasions of the subject. When she first meets Mr. Woodcourt, she barely mentions him or

describes him, which is in stark contrast to the thorough treatment she gives everyone else who

crosses her path. Only when her search for love is over, culminating in her marrying Mr.

Woodcourt, does she devote explicit attention to it. Other characters carry on their searches

more openly. Caddy Jellyby gleefully marries Prince Turveydrop, for example, and Rosa and

Watt Rouncewell intend to marry.

 

The search for love is not successful for everyone, and it even ends with heartbreak for some.

Mr. Guppy tries and fails to become engaged to Esther, making two ridiculous proposals that

Esther roundly rejects. Esther accepts Mr. Jarndyce's proposal, but he calls off his search for

love when he acknowledges that the love between them is not the kind of love that will make

Esther truly happy. Ada, although she finds true love with Richard, is eventually heartbroken

when Richard dies. Sometimes the search for love is literal, and these searches never end well.

For example, Lady Dedlock engages in a literal search for love when she tries to find out where

her former lover is, and Sir Leicester endeavors to find Lady Dedlock when she disappears from

Chesney Wold. Whether pleasing or tragic, the search for love always proves to be a force that

changes characters dramatically.

 

The Importance and Danger of Passion

 

In Bleak House, passion is both important and dangerous, sometimes healthy and satisfying,

sometimes harmful and destructive. Many characters recognize the importance of passion for a

fulfilling life. For example, Mr. Jarndyce and Esther worry when Richard can't find a career. Both

hope he'll settle on a career that he'll feel passionate about, but Richard flits from one thing to

the next, never finding anything truly compelling. Esther recognizes the importance of passion in

love, which is why she cries as she decides to accept Mr. Jarndyce's proposal—she loves him,

but not in the passionate, romantic way she's dreamed of loving someone. Even Mr. Jarndyce

understands the importance of passion. Although he knows he and Esther could have a happy

life together at Bleak House, he also knows their love is built on affection rather than passion.

He releases her from her acceptance and settles her with Mr. Woodcourt, who he knows is

Esther's true love.

 

Although passion is a key element in a fulfilling life, it can be destructive when it is taken to an

unhealthy level. Mrs. Jellyby, who is obsessed with her “mission” to help Africa, is criminally

negligent of her family and has removed herself from them so much that she barely cares about

Caddy's engagement and wedding. Mrs. Pardiggle, the charity worker who forces her young

sons to give up their money for her causes, is oblivious to her sons' unhappiness and can't see

that she is an intolerable person. More sinister is the violent passion Richard feels for the

Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. For the first time, he is excited about something, willing to

devote himself wholeheartedly to it and make it his single goal. This passion was absent from all

his previous pursuits, but it is not welcome or healthy here. Rather than enliven and satisfy him,

it robs him of reason and moderation and, eventually, his life. Passion, though essential, can be

dangerous when it becomes all consuming.

 

The Ambiguous Definition of “Mother”

 

Throughout Bleak House, the role of mother is filled by women who often are not “real” mothers

at all. Charley, a child herself, cares for her two young siblings, all of them orphaned and

struggling. Jenny and Liz, the brickmakers' wives, care for each other's children. Liz cares for

Jenny's child when it is sick, and after it dies, Jenny takes to calling Liz's child her own. Lady

Dedlock reveals a motherly side in her affection for Rosa. And Mrs. Rouncewell becomes a kind

of mother figure to Sir Leicester when he becomes ill at the end of the novel.

 

Esther is undoubtedly the character who best knows the true flexibility of the title “mother.”

Esther fills the role of mother for several people, including Ada, Richard, Caddy, and Charley.

To a lesser extent, she mothers Jo, Jenny's sick baby, and Peepy Jellyby—in other words,

nearly every child who crosses her path. When Ada has her child after Richard dies, Esther is

so involved in the child's upbringing that the child says it has two mothers. Esther herself is

raised by Miss Barbary and Mrs. Rachael, neither of whom is her “real” mother. Occasionally,

other women tend to Esther, including Mrs. Woodcourt, the women at the inn she meets when

she goes in search for Lady Dedlock, and, in a reversal of roles, Charley, who tends to Esther

when Esther gets smallpox. Lady Dedlock, Esther's real mother, is actually the least motherly

figure in Esther's life. Their interaction is fleeting, and though Esther finds comfort when Lady

Dedlock hugs her, it is temporary at best. When Lady Dedlock disappears, Esther takes up the

mothering role once again, frantically searching for Lady Dedlock in the middle of the night.

 

Motifs

 

Secrets

 

Secrets are everywhere in Bleak House. The most dramatic secret belongs to Lady Dedlock,

who must hide her past transgressions to save her and her family's reputations. Her secret

takes on a life of its own, eventually roaring into her life and leading to her death. Esther has

secrets, despite her generally reliable narration. For example, she doesn't tell us right away

about her feelings for Mr. Woodcourt or his feelings for her, although she drops some vague

hints. Mr. Jarndyce has secrets as well. He had always planned to make Esther his wife,

although he never revealed those plans to her until he wrote a letter to her. Later, he secretly

arranges her reunion with Woodcourt. Some characters are not so good at keeping their

secrets. For example, Ada and Richard try to hide that they're falling in love, but they are not

really successful. They are better at hiding the fact that they got secretly married. Mr.

Tulkinghorn and Inspector Bucket make their livings from other people's secrets. Tulkinghorn

makes it his mission to find out what Lady Dedlock is hiding, and Bucket is charged with the

task of investigating her. The success they have in uncovering the truth suggests that no matter

how determined one is to keep a secret, that secret isn't safe from anyone obsessed with

exposing it.

 

Suicide

 

Suicide appears several times in Bleak House, and the deaths and attempted deaths

emphasize the sense of desperation that exists at the heart of the novel. First, we learn of Tom

Jarndyce, who committed suicide over the Jarndyce and Jarndyce suit. Indeed, the suit proves

dangerous to anyone who gets too wrapped up in it. Richard, who becomes obsessed with the

suit at the expense of his and Ada's happiness and wellbeing, eventually dies. Although he

didn't kill himself per se, one could argue that he worked himself to death. Suicide is often

referred to in passing, such as when George and Grandfather Smallweed discuss a seemingly

successful man who tried to kill himself, and when Tulkinghorn reminisces about a friend who

hanged himself. At one point, when Tulkinghorn and Lady Dedlock are having a difficult

conversation about the secret, Tulkinghorn fears that Lady Dedlock will jump out the window

and kill herself. When Bucket confronts Mademoiselle Hortense about the murder, he fears that

she'll try to jump out a window as well. Lady Dedlock ultimately kills herself by fleeing into the

cold night, which was undoubtedly her intention when she set out.

 

Children

 

Children are everywhere in Bleak House, but they are rarely happy or adequately cared for.

First, we have the “wards of Jarndyce” themselves—Ada and Richard—shipped off to a cousin

they've never met. The Jellyby children are woefully neglected by Mrs. Jellyby, who is more

concerned with her African “mission” than with her family. The children are filthy, hungry,

unhappy, and cold. The Pardiggle children are no less unhappy, as their obnoxious mother

forces them to give all their money to her charities, oblivious to their discontent. Charley and her

two siblings are orphaned, and Charley, a mere child, must work to support them. Finally, there

is the street urchin Jo, moving from place to place and always, it seems, in someone's way.

Some of these children do find care and happiness: Ada and Richard have a happy home at

Bleak House; Caddy Jellyby finds a gentle husband; and Charley, and later her younger sister,

Emma, become Esther's maid. The same cannot be said for Jo. He finds temporary kindness

and shelter at Bleak House but is quickly intimidated by Bucket into leaving and dies soon after.

 

Symbols

 

The East Wind

 

The east wind represents any vexing event, person, or possibility that upsets or threatens to

upset Mr. Jarndyce. Mr. Jarndyce, steadfast and good-natured, rarely expresses displeasure

with anyone or voices his unhappiness or worry. Instead, when he is agitated, he remarks that

the wind is in the east, and those who know him understand what he means. Mr. Jarndyce

refers to the east wind frequently when Esther first meets him, but as the novel progresses, the

wind, so to speak, seems to die down. At one point, Mr. Jarndyce even tells Esther that there

can be no east wind when she is around, which reveals the extent of her influence on him and in

Bleak House. The use of wind to represent troubling issues also suggests how changeable and

unpredictable life can be. Just as the wind can change direction without warning, lives are set

on new courses when secrets are revealed or when long-absent people return unexpectedly.

 

Miss Flite's Birds

 

Miss Flite's remarkable collection of caged birds represents the unfortunate people who have

been trapped after becoming involved with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Miss Flite, who

has followed the suit faithfully for years and has never stopped expecting a judgment, plans to

release her birds when the judgment finally comes. The lawsuit, however, has gone on so long

that the birds keep dying, at which point she then gets new ones, which eventually die as well.

The birds, dying before a judgment is rendered, represent the people who have also died while

waiting for a judgment, including members of Miss Flite's family. Miss Flite has given her birds

names that suggest the things that have also died as Jarndyce and Jarndyce has droned on,

such as Hope, Joy, and Youth, or that have been brought about by the suit, including Waste,

Ruin, Despair, Madness, and Death. Miss Flite does eventually release the birds after Richard

dies and the suit has been dismissed, but their freedom comes at the expense of many lives.

 

Mr. Woodcourt's Flowers

 

The flowers Mr. Woodcourt gives Esther before he goes to sea initially represent a secret

burgeoning love but later represent a past that can never be revisited. Esther doesn't tell us very

much about the flowers, only hinting at who gave them to her and what they signify. After her

face has been scarred by smallpox, however, she confronts the flowers directly in her narrative.

After Mr. Woodcourt gave them to her, she dried them and saved them in a book, but she now

feels as though she shouldn't keep them since she looks so different from before. Instead, she

decides to keep them to remember the past, not as a romantic keepsake from a man she once

loved, but as a reminder of the woman she used to be and the possibilities that had been open

to that woman but have now been lost forever. Esther doesn't make many overtly romantic

gestures in the novel, so this admission of her affection for Mr. Woodcourt, as well as the

suggestion that she really does mourn the loss of her beauty, makes the flowers all the more

significant. Later in the novel, after accepting Mr. Jarndyce's proposal, she burns the flowers,

which testifies to the depth of her devotion.

Chapters 1–5

 

Summary: Chapter 1, “In Chancery” 

In London, the Lord High Chancellor sits in Lincoln's Inn Hall in the High Court of Chancery. It is

November and very foggy. Several counsels and solicitors are looking through the paperwork of

a court case called Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which has gone on for generations. An old woman

who appears to be crazy sits at the side of the room. She may be a party in the lawsuit. The

case is so old that no one really remembers what it is about anymore, and it has corrupted

countless people. A man named Mr. Tangle knows more about the case than anyone else. The

chancellor determines to send two young people, a girl and a boy, to live with their uncle.

 

Summary: Chapter 2, “In Fashion” 

The narrator points out the triviality and evil in the world of fashion, although there are good

people in it as well. Lady Dedlock has come home with her husband, Sir Leicester Dedlock. He

loves Lady Dedlock, but she is cold and distant. The Dedlocks' lawyer and legal advisor, Mr.

Tulkinghorn, visits them and updates them on the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case. Lady Dedlock

asks him who copied the documents, claiming that she likes the handwriting. Tulkinghorn says

he'll find out. Lady Dedlock feels ill and retreats to her room.

 

Summary: Chapter 3, “A Progress” 

Esther Summerson takes over as a first-person narrator. She claims to be unintelligent. She

remembers a doll she had when she was a child that she felt was the only person she could talk

to. Esther's godmother, Miss Barbary, raised Esther, and Esther believes that she was fully

virtuous but distant and strict. She says her birthday was always the saddest day of the year.

On one birthday, Esther demanded to know what happened to her mother, and her godmother

revealed that Esther was her mother's “disgrace” and that her mother was a disgrace as well.

As a result, the distance between Esther and her godmother grows wider. One day, a stranger

comes to the house and looks Esther over. Then he leaves.

 

Two years later, when Esther is fourteen, her godmother dies suddenly. The stranger reappears

and introduces himself as Kenge. He reveals that Esther's godmother was actually her aunt. He

asks her if she's ever heard of a lawsuit called Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which she has not.

Kenge says that as part of the lawsuit, Esther will live with Mr. Jarndyce. She will be educated

and comfortable, but she must not ever leave the grounds without informing Mr. Jarndyce.

Esther says goodbye to the housekeeper, Mrs. Rachael, who shows no emotion. Esther buries

her beloved doll in the garden.

 

Kenge takes her away in the coach, then drops her off near Reading. A maid, Miss Donny,

leads her to a carriage and they go to an estate called Greenleaf, as arranged by Esther's new

guardian, Mr. Jarndyce. Esther spends six years at Greenleaf. One day, she receives a letter

from Kenge, saying she will be placed in a new home in five days.

 

Esther leaves Greenleaf sadly but talks herself out of crying. At Kenge's office, she meets a

young girl named Ada Clare, and Ada's cousin, Richard Carstone. All three young people are to

be taken to Bleak House, where Mr. Jarndyce lives. Esther has been chosen as Ada's

companion. Ada and Richard are somehow related to the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case, but

Esther isn't.

 

Outside, a mad old woman approaches the three young people and claims that a judgment

concerning the Jarndyce case will come soon.

 

Summary: Chapter 4, “Telescopic Philanthropy” 

Kenge tells Esther, Ada, and Richard that they will spend the night at the Jellybys' house and

says goodbye, leaving them to Mr. Guppy, the driver. At the Jellybys', a child has his head stuck

in a railing, and Esther helps him. Many dirty children are swarming through the house when

Mrs. Jellyby introduces herself. Esther observes an older child, pale and quiet, sitting at a

writing desk. Mrs. Jellyby tells them about her charity work in Africa and ignores her children.

Caddy, the girl at the writing desk, is writing out a letter that Mrs. Jellyby dictates.

 

The Jellybys' house is in utter disarray, and there is no hot water or heat. Dinner is chaotic.

Priscilla, the cook, is drunk. A man named Mr. Quayle discusses Africa with Mrs. Jellyby, while

Mr. Jellyby sits silently.

 

That night, Caddy appears at Esther's door and professes her unhappiness at home. She says

she wishes the whole family were dead.

 

Summary: Chapter 5, “A Morning Adventure” 

Esther goes walking with Miss Jellyby after washing one of the children, Peepy. Miss Jellyby

complains about Mr. Quayle. Richard and Ada join them. The old lady they'd seen days ago

appears in front of them. She leads them to her house nearby and stops at a shop below, where

a sign says “Krook, Rag and Bottle Warehouse” and “Krook, Dealer in Marine Stores.” There

are many signs requesting things to be bought; nothing seems to be sold. Dirty bottles fill the

windows. Esther recognizes the handwriting on some of the law books scattered around as

being the same as papers from Kenge. An old man opens the door and greets them, saying

they should come into the shop. The old woman identifies the man as her landlord, Krook. He

seems insane. He knows a lot about the Jarndyce case and tells them how Tom Jarndyce shot

himself. In the old woman's room, she shows them her birdcages. She tells them that the other

lodger is a law writer. Esther, Ada, Richard, and Miss Jellyby soon leave.

 

Soon, Esther, Ada, and Richard leave the Jellybys' and continue on toward Bleak House.

 

Analysis: Chapters 1–5 

Fog, which appears throughout the beginning of Bleak House, both sets the mood of the novel

and highlights the muddled state of the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Fog literally covers

London when the third-person narrator sets the scene on the first page of the novel. “Fog

everywhere,” he says simply. The narrator provides three paragraphs of gloomy, evocative

description before introducing us to the Lord High Chancellor and the disaster that is the

Jarndyce and Jarndyce case. Much as London is covered in fog, our own understanding of

what, exactly, this case entails is unclear. The narrator doesn't tell us exactly who is involved in

the case or exactly what issue the case addresses. Indeed, the narrator acknowledges that “no

man alive knows what it means”—the fogginess of the case is chronic. The gloomy aspects of

fog are also connected to this case, and the narrator tells us that “no man's nature has been

made better” by the doings. This pervasive image sets the tone of the narrative to come and

adds to the already gloomy atmosphere the novel's title suggests.

 

In chapter 3, Esther Summerson replaces the third-person narrator, a shift that has the effect of

pulling us deeper into the story. Although Esther claims to have difficulty in telling her story and

asserts right away that she isn't very clever, her voice is clear and unhesitating as she tells us

about herself and how she became involved in the Jarndyce case. Esther comes across as

slightly self-pitying in her descriptions of her strict, emotionally distant godmother and her

unhappy birthdays, but her self-deprecation and constant denial of her own intelligence are

manipulative gestures that both endear us to her and give her an excuse in case we don't like

the story. In other words, she is so insistent that she is not clever and is so doubtful of her ability

to tell the story correctly that she has a lot of leeway to tell the story according to her own very

subjective view. If things turn out to be different from the way she describes them, she can claim

she warned us of her fallibility from the start. Also, even though Esther claims to be unimportant

to the story, she clearly relishes talking about herself.

 

In the space of just five chapters (out of a novel of sixty-seven), Dickens manages to introduce

us to a host of lively, vivid characters. For example, in chapter 2 we meet Mr. Tulkinghorn, who

Dickens describes as “old school . . . generally meaning any school that seems never to have

been young.” The chaotic Jellybys appear in chapter 4, when Dickens introduces the

unforgettable Mrs. Jellyby, who is more concerned with writing letters about Africa than she is

with her filthy, unhappy children. One of Dickens's greatest skills is his ability to draw such

striking portraits with so few details in so little space. Dickens dismisses his characters and

moves on to new ones after a few lines, paragraphs, or pages, giving the effect of a rollicking,

speeding story that can stop for no one, not even the most interesting, quirky people that cross

his protagonists' paths.

Chapters 6–10

 

Summary: Chapter 6, “Quite at Home” 

Esther, Richard, and Ada leave the city and head deep into the country. The wagon stops, and

the driver comes around to talk to them. In his hat are three notes, one for each child. The notes

are from Richard and Ada's cousin, John Jarndyce, and contain a message welcoming each

child to his home. Richard and Ada have the impression that their cousin is chronically unable to

accept thanks and that he will go to great lengths to avoid having people express gratitude. The

three are excited and nervous to meet him.

 

Bleak House sits atop a hill and finally comes into view. Mr. Jarndyce greets the trio

enthusiastically and takes them all inside. Esther recognizes him as a man she had seen in a

stagecoach many years ago. Mr. Jarndyce encourages them to say what they really think about

Mrs. Jellyby, then worries that the wind is in the east. Ada extols Esther's behavior, telling Mr.

Jarndyce that she cared for the children and made herself useful. Mr. Jarndyce asks Richard

about the wind and is relieved that it is coming from the north, not the east.

 

Esther describes Bleak House, which is made up of a complex warren of rooms that one can

easily get lost in. She, Ada, and Richard like the house.

 

Mr. Jarndyce announces a visitor for dinner, who he claims is a child but not a real child. He

says that this person has many children but doesn't look after them because he himself is a

child. He then notes that the wind seems to be stirring up.

 

Mr. Jarndyce gives Esther two bunches of keys for the housekeeping. Esther is pleased that he

trusts her so much.

 

Harold Skimpole, the childlike man, arrives. He describes himself and says that he has no idea

about time or money and has therefore never made much of himself. He just wants to live freely.

Everyone is enchanted by him. Richard and Ada sing together by the piano, and Mr. Skimpole

greatly admires Ada's beauty. Esther thinks Mr. Jarndyce gives her a look suggesting that he

hopes Richard and Ada's relationship will grow deeper someday.

 

Richard and Mr. Skimpole go off together and eventually Richard sends for Esther. He tells her

that Mr. Skimpole has been arrested for debt and needs money. She and Richard gather the

sum he needs and give it to him so that he doesn't have to go to jail or to Coavinses, a

poorhouse. Later, Mr. Jarndyce is horrified that they have given him money and says that Mr.

Skimpole relies on everyone to keep him out of debt. He then complains of the wind. Then he

relaxes and claims that Mr. Skimpole's irresponsibility is just part of his childishness and must

be excused. Everyone goes to bed.

 

Summary: Chapter 7, “The Ghost's Walk” 

The narrator returns while Esther sleeps. He says it is raining on the Ghost Walk by a house

called Chesney Wold in Lincolnshire. Sir Leicester is not there; both he and the lady are in

Paris. The housekeeper, Mrs. Rouncewell, has been there more than fifty years.

 

Mrs. Rouncewell had two sons. One became a soldier and never came home. The other

became an engineer of sorts, which Mrs. Rouncewell sees as a failing. However, his wife gave

a grandson, Watt, who visits her at Chesney Wold.

 

Watt asks Mrs. Rouncewell to tell him about a young girl that he has seen at the house, and

Mrs. Rouncewell tells him it is Rosa, a widow's daughter. She is a maid and lives with Mrs.

Rouncewell. Rosa enters the room and tells Mrs. Rouncewell two men had come by, one of

whom gave her a card for Mrs. Rouncewell. Watt reads the card, which says “Mr. Guppy.” Rosa

says that he and the other man were from London and had heard about Chesney Wold. Mr.

Guppy said he was not from Mr. Tulkinghorn's office but that Mr. Tulkinghorn knows him.

 

Mrs. Rouncewell invites the men in and they look around the house. She tells them that a

portrait over the fireplace is of Lady Dedlock. Mr. Guppy recognizes her and is stunned. He

admires a terrace, and Mrs. Rouncewell tells him it is called the Ghost's Walk, after an old family

story. The men leave.

 

Mrs. Rouncewell then tells the story to Watt and Rosa. She believes the family deserves a

ghost. The story goes as follows: Sir Morbury Dedlock's wife betrayed the family by giving

information to King Charles's enemies. She eavesdropped on conversations between her

husband and the king's allies. She and Sir Morbury were not suited for each other. Sir Morbury's

relative killed her favorite brother in the civil wars, and now she hates Sir Morbury's family and

the king's cause. She often hurt the horses when Sir Morbury and other men were to ride out for

the cause. One night, Sir Morbury caught her, grabbed her, and in the process her hip was hurt

and she began to waste away. Every day she tried to walk on the terrace, and one day she

collapsed. She declared that she would die where she had walked and would haunt the terrace

until the house's pride was destroyed. Mrs. Rouncewell says that footsteps are always heard

but that disgrace has never come to the house.

 

Summary: Chapter 8, “Covering a Multitude of Sins” 

Esther narrates once again. She gets dressed and does her housework. At breakfast, Skimpole

discusses the irrationality of considering the bee a model of virtue. He cheers everyone. Esther

returns to her work and then joins Mr. Jarndyce in a room he calls the Growlery, where he goes

when he is in a bad mood or when the wind is blowing from the east. Esther is overcome with

emotion and kisses his hand in gratitude for everything he's done for her, but he quickly stops

her effusiveness. He tells her the Chancery business with the Jarndyce case is about a will and

costs. The longer it goes on, the more costs there are. The money the will was to have

distributed has now been spent on the lawsuit. He says that Tom Jarndyce, the man who shot

himself, was his uncle. Bleak House used to belong to Tom, who had called it the Peaks. He

says that there is some property in London that is also part of the suit.

 

Mr. Jarndyce tells Esther that he trusts her discretion and says he believes she is clever

enough. He compares her to an old woman in a rhyme, and Esther gets the nickname “Old

Woman.” He then asks Esther's advice for what Richard should do in the future. He suggests

that Esther talk to him about it. She once again thanks him effusively.

 

Esther describes the bustling life at Bleak House. She answers all of Mr. Jarndyce's letters for

him, many of which are from people asking him for money. One woman who is consumed by

charity work is Mrs. Pardiggle. Mr. Jarndyce always complains of the wind when talking about

Mrs. Pardiggle. One day, she visits with her five sons and brags about how the boys donate

great sums of their allowances to charity. The sullen boys say nothing. Mrs. Pardiggle praises

Mrs. Jellyby's work with Africa and says her boys have contributed to the cause. She explains

that her boys go everywhere with her.

 

Mrs. Pardiggle says she loves hard work and never gets tired. She commences to make her

rounds, asking Esther and Ada to go with her. Esther says she has housework and that she is

not clever enough, but Mrs. Pardiggle insists. On their way to a brickmaker's house, the boys

tell Esther how miserable they are and tell her that their mother forces them to give away their

money. When they reach the brickmaker's house, Mrs. Pardiggle brashly enters into a very

unpleasant scene involving a woman with a black eye nursing a baby and other people who're

openly hostile to Mrs. Pardiggle. She sits down anyway and reads to them from the Bible.

Esther and Ada are uncomfortable.

 

When Mrs. Pardiggle finally leaves, Esther and Ada stay behind to see if the baby is sick. The

nursing woman cries uncontrollably. Another woman enters, calling for Jenny and approaches

the crying woman. She too looks as though she has been beaten. Esther and Ada leave. Later

that night, they return with Richard with some provisions for the family. Jenny's friend meets

them at the door, terrified that her husband will catch her away from home. Ada cries over the

baby, they leave their provisions, and then they depart.

 

Summary: Chapter 9, “Signs and Tokens” 

Esther expresses astonishment that she is still writing about herself. She says that Richard is

very fond of Ada and that they are falling in love. Esther hides their secret. Richard thinks of

becoming a sailor. Mr. Jarndyce writes to a relative named Sir Leicester Dedlock to see if he

can advance Richard's career, but Sir Dedlock confesses that he can be of no help. Richard is

not bothered by this news.

 

Esther observes that Richard is quite careless, although he believes himself to be very cautious.

She explains herself by telling us that when Mr. Jarndyce repaid the money she and Richard

had loaned Skimpole, Richard spent the money quickly and considers it to be profit since he

had assumed the money was gone forever.

 

One morning, Mr. Jarndyce gets a letter from an old classmate named Lawrence Boythorn.

Jarndyce describes him as loud, impetuous, and hearty, with incredibly strong lungs and a

tendency to speak in extremes. When Boythorn visits Bleak House, he proves himself to speak

always in superlatives and to have a house-shaking laugh. Everyone likes him. At dinner,

Boythorn introduces his small pet bird, who sits on his head. Boythorn tells Jarndyce he should

be more forceful in settling the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit.

 

Boythorn describes a trespassing suit he is involved in with his neighbor, Sir Leicester. He hates

the whole family, although his anger is mitigated by his laugh and the bird sitting on his head.

 

Later in the evening, Esther asks Jarndyce if Boythorn had ever been married, and, hearing that

he hasn't, asserts that Boythorn looks so kind that surely he wanted to have been. Jarndyce

says she is right, and that a woman broke his heart. Now he is alone except for the bird.

 

In the morning, Kenge and Carboy's clerk, Mr. Guppy, arrives to see Boythorn. Esther is happy

to see him and tells him that she will serve him lunch when he has finished his meeting. He asks

if she will be there, and she says yes. At lunch, Mr. Guppy reveals that he is in love with her and

wants to marry her. Esther is horrified and refuses him. He tells her that his feelings will never

change and that she should contact him if she changes her mind. Once he is gone, Esther cries.

 

Summary: Chapter 10, “The Law-writer” 

The narrator takes over. He introduces Mr. Snagsby, Law-Stationer, who deals with legal

documents at his firm, Peffer and Snagsbywith. Peffer is never seen in court anymore and may

be insane. A niece lived with Peffer in the law-stationering office, a woman Snagsby eventually

married.

 

The Snagsbys live with a young woman named Guster, a charity case prone to throwing

hysterical fits. Mrs. Snagsby takes care of all aspects of the business, and many men consider

her to be the model wife.

 

A crow flies across the sky toward Lincoln's Inn, where we find Mr. Tulkinghorn's home. Inside,

everything is locked up. This is both his house and his office. He goes out and walks to the

Snagsby's house, where he meets with Mr. Snagsby. He tells Snagsby that some of the

Jarndyce and Jarndyce documents he copied lately had very nice writing. He asks Snagsby

who wrote them, and Snagsby answers that they were written by a man named Nemo. He takes

Mr. Tulkinghorn to Krook's shop where Nemo lives. Mr. Tulkinghorn thanks Snagsby for

showing him and says he will come back another time.

 

Tulkinghorn, however, doubles back and goes into the shop. Krook gives him a candle and tells

him where to find Nemo. Tulkinghorn knocks on the door, opens it, and his candle goes out. The

room smells terrible and is a mess. A man is lying on the bed. Tulkinghorn greets him loudly, but

the man doesn't wake up.

 

Analysis: Chapters 6–10 

When Esther, Richard, and Ada arrive at Bleak House, they have many chances to form first

impressions of places and people. They first see Bleak House in the distance, on a hill. As they

head quickly toward it, the house appears to disappear in the trees. The house's initial

elusiveness suggests that seeing it completely—that is, understanding the house, its

inhabitants, and what goes on within its walls—will prove difficult once the trio finally makes it

their home. Their first impression of Mr. Jarndyce is formed in the chaos of their arrival, although

his instant effusiveness and affection set them all at ease. Esther's description of the house, its

many rooms, and the abundance of mismatched furniture suggests an overload of first

impressions. As the house is confusing and mazelike, so too are Esther's first impressions,

although Mr. Jarndyce is so welcoming that the impressions are in no way negative. Despite its

name, Bleak House proves to be unintimidating and warm.

 

Even though Esther frequently claims to be modest and uncomfortable with talking so much

about herself, she clearly relishes the chance to do so and never misses an opportunity to

mention her own good deeds and the praise others give her. When Mr. Jarndyce asks about

their stay with the Jellybys in chapter 6, for example, Ada breathlessly tells him how wonderful

Esther was with the children—details that Esther recounts in their entirety. When Mr. Jarndyce

confides in Esther in the Growlery in chapter 8, he compliments her cleverness, discretion, and

good advice, accolades that Esther vehemently denies but includes in her narrative

nonetheless. In chapter 9, Esther goes so far as to claim, “I try to think about myself as little as

possible,” a claim that seems blatantly at odds with her narration so far. Esther's

overabundance of self-denigration suggests that she actually holds the opposite view of herself.

 

Mr. Skimpole and Mr. Boythorn, two vibrant characters Esther meets at Bleak House, are

pleasant company but suggest that contradictions are inherent in every person. Skimpole has

created a childlike image for himself, which allows him to avoid all responsibility and the

consequences of his actions. He also sees himself as beneficent, although he always takes,

never gives. For example, he depends on others to pay his debts for him, then believes that

those people should be the grateful ones because he has given them the opportunity to be

generous. Esther is confused by his twisted logic, calling it a “perplexing and extraordinary

contradiction.” However, she blames her confusion on her lack of cleverness. Mr. Boythorn

exhibits contradictions in a less manipulative way, as his broken heart and the small pet bird

that rest on his head belie his loud voice, explosive anger, and hyperbolic way of speaking.

Esther herself reveals her own internal contradictions in her profession of modesty but clearly

enjoys her own narration and inclusion in the tale.

 

The story of the Ghost's Walk in chapter 7 is the first supernatural element in Bleak House and

adds a layer of dark intrigue to the story. Since Bleak House was originally published as a serial,

it makes sense for Dickens to include such a mystery, since it would surely compel readers to

look forward to the next installment. Indeed, the second installment of the serial ends after

chapter 7. Similarly, Mr. Guppy's out-of-the-blue marriage proposal in chapter 9 seems intended

to add a bit of romance and melodrama to the tale. Mr. Guppy's affection seems so surprising

that it's difficult to understand why Dickens would have included such a scene. On the other

hand, the image of Esther sobbing to herself after Mr. Guppy leaves provides a touching,

emotional moment with our heroine.

Chapters 11–15

 

Summary: Chapter 11, “Our Dear Brother” 

Krook joins Mr. Tulkinghorn in Nemo's room, and they realize he is dead. Miss Flite, the mad old

woman who is also one of Krook's lodgers, arrives and calls for a doctor, who confirms that

Nemo is dead. A young surgeon with a dark complexion says that Nemo bought opium from him

and that he died of an overdose. Mr. Tulkinghorn stands close to the dead lodger's coat,

seemingly unconcerned with what's going on around him.

 

Snagsby arrives, but he knows nothing about Nemo. He sends for a policeman, also known as a

beadle. He says that Mrs. Snagsby had been the one to hire Nemo and that she had seen

something in his manner that suggested she should help him. Snagsby looks around the room

and sees the coat, and Mr. Tulkinghorn acts like he's never seen it before. The beadle arrives,

arousing the neighbors' interest, but there is nothing anyone can do.

 

In court the next day, the coroner asks questions of certain neighbors as part of the

investigation into Nemo's death, but no one knows anything useful. A homeless child named Jo

takes the stand and says that Nemo had given him money and lodging in the past. After the

court session ends, Mr. Snagsby gives Jo a half-crown coin.

 

At home, Mr. Snagsby's housekeeper, Guster, has several seizures from the upsets of the day.

 

Summary: Chapter 12, “On the Watch” 

The narrator describes the rainy scene at Chesney Wold. Lady Dedlock and Sir Leicester are

returning from Paris. Lady Dedlock couldn't wait to leave Paris because she was so bored, a

common complaint. In the carriage, Sir Leicester tells Lady Dedlock while looking through his

mail that Mr. Tulkinghorn sends his greetings and has something to tell her when she returns.

 

At Chesney Wold, Mrs. Rouncewell introduces Rosa to Lady Dedlock, who thinks Rosa is

beautiful and strokes her cheek before going upstairs. Later, Lady Dedlock's maid, a

Frenchwoman named Hortense, is bitterly jealous of Rosa. Hortense has worked for Lady

Dedlock for five years, but Lady Dedlock has always distanced herself from Hortense.

 

Lady Dedlock and Sir Leicester invite many people to Chesney Wold to spend a week or two.

Every night, Lady Dedlock asks if Mr. Tulkinghorn has arrived yet; he tends to arrive

unannounced and goes straight to the tower room that is always reserved for him. Mr.

Tulkinghorn eventually does arrive. The narrator describes Tulkinghorn as looking as though he

has secrets everywhere in his body.

 

Mr. Tulkinghorn discusses the lawsuit concerning Mr. Boythorn with Sir Leicester. Sir Leicester

is unwilling to compromise in any way. Lady Dedlock asks Mr. Tulkinghorn what he wanted to

tell her, and he says it has to do with some handwriting she had asked him about—when he

went in search of the writer, he found him dead. They discuss the man and the fact that no one

knew anything about him. During this conversation, Lady Dedlock and Mr. Tulkinghorn never

look away from each other but seem to take little note of each other in the days that follow.

 

Summary: Chapter 13, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther says that she, Richard, and Mr. Jarndyce have many conversations about what Richard

should become. Esther worries that his unstable upbringing has made him indecisive. Richard is

indifferent and goes along with whatever they suggest, eventually deciding to pursue medicine.

Mr. Jarndyce tries to talk to him seriously about it, but Richard doesn't change his mind. Various

guests support Richard's decision, including Mr. Boythorn and Mr. Kenge. Mr. Kenge promises

to arrange a place for Richard to study medicine with his cousin.

 

Mr. Guppy has begun following Esther around the city, and she spots him whenever she goes to

the theater. He makes her very uncomfortable, but she decides that there is nothing she can do

about it.

 

Mr. Kenge's cousin, Mr. Bayham Badger, agrees to oversee Richard's studies. Everyone goes

to dinner at Mr. Badger's house. Mr. Badger brags about being Mrs. Badger's third husband,

after Captain Swosser and Professor Dingo. Both spouses extol the former husbands liberally

throughout dinner.

 

At home later that night, Ada confesses a secret to Esther: she and Richard are in love. Esther

isn't surprised at all. Richard confides in her as well, and Esther observes that both really love

her. Esther tells the news to Mr. Jarndyce, who approves but advises caution.

 

Offhandedly, Esther remarks that a young surgeon with a dark complexion attended the

Badgers' dinner as well and that she found him quite nice.

 

Summary: Chapter 14, “Deportment” 

Richard begins his new career, but both he and Ada discuss the future, and all their plans

include Esther. Richard is certain that the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit is going to make him

and Ada rich.

 

In London, Mr. Jarndyce, Esther, and Ada visit Mrs. Jellyby, but she isn't home. The next day

Miss Jellyby visits them, along with a very mismatched Peepy. Mr. Jarndyce complains of the

wind. Miss Jellyby is very unhappy and complains about her parents. She asserts that she won't

marry Mr. Quale and reveals that she is secretly engaged to someone else. She tells Esther that

after Esther's initial visit to the Jellyby home, Miss Jellyby was determined to become less

awkward and so began taking dance lessons at Mr. Turveydrop's Academy. There, she fell in

love with the younger Mr. Turveydrop, whose name is Prince. She says that his father, the elder

Mr. Turveydrop, is famous for his deportment. Esther promises to go with her to the dance

academy and meet her new love.

 

At the academy, Esther meets both Turveydrops, and Miss Jellyby begins her dance lesson.

Esther talks to the elder Mr. Turveydrop, who is extremely distinguished and talks incessantly

about the importance of deportment. Later, Miss Jellyby tells Esther that Prince isn't very

scholarly but that it doesn't matter. Esther suggests that she and Miss Jellyby continue to

discuss all this. Together, they go to visit Miss Flite, the old woman who lives above Krook's

shop. Miss Jellyby points out another lodger's room and tells Esther there was a sudden death

there. They meet Mr. Jarndyce and Ada there.

 

Miss Flite is with a doctor, Mr. Woodcourt, who explains that Miss Flite was upset by the death

that had occurred. Miss Flite tells them that she is fortunate because Mr. Guppy gives her

money regularly and that she expects a judgment from the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case soon.

Krook shows up and introduces himself to Mr. Jarndyce. He then names all of Miss Flite's birds.

Krook acts like he has a secret that he wants to reveal and tries to get Mr. Jarndyce to stay

longer, but finally Mr. Jarndyce and the others leave. As they walk out, Krook reveals that he is

teaching himself to read and write, and that he fears someone else will teach him incorrectly.

Mr. Woodcourt assures Mr. Jarndyce that Krook isn't crazy.

 

Esther informs us that Mr. Woodcourt is the surgeon who had been at dinner at the Badgers'

house. She suggests that Ada teases her about something but dismisses it as unimportant.

 

Summary: Chapter 15, “Bell Yard” 

In London, Mr. Quale follows Mrs. Pardiggle everywhere and gushes over her. Another man,

Mr. Gusher, accompanies them as well. All of them excitedly discuss various charities. Mr.

Jarndyce is annoyed by their blustery do-gooding and complains about the wind for weeks.

 

Mr. Skimpole lives in London and visits Mr. Jarndyce, Esther, and Ada. He discusses how silly it

is that his doctor and butcher are demanding payment. Mr. Skimpole brings up Mr. Boythorn,

whom Mr. Jarndyce has promised to visit in Lincolnshire. Mr. Skimpole doesn't like Mr. Boythorn

very much.

 

Mr. Skimpole tells them that his debt collector has been arrested, calling him Coavinses (the

name of a debtors' prison), and that his new debt collector has taken possession of Mr.

Skimpole's house. Mr. Jarndyce agrees to visit the place where the former debt collector lived.

First, they stop at Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane, where Mr. Jarndyce inquires about a

“follower” (someone who follows and arrests debtors) who has died. The man's name was

Neckett. They then go to an alley called Bell Yard where they find the chandler's shop where

Neckett had lived. The woman there gives Esther a key to the apartment, where they find two

Neckett children locked inside. The little boy, Tom, is watching the baby, Emma, and he says

they are waiting for their sister, Charlotte. Charlotte arrives and is just thirteen, yet she is the

sole caretaker of the little family. Mr. Jarndyce, Ada, and Esther are appalled. The woman from

downstairs, Mrs. Blinder, tells them that Charlotte has done the best she could since the parents

died.

 

Mrs. Blinder reveals that she lets the children stay there without paying rent. Another lodger, Mr.

Gridley, is also kind to the children. Mr. Gridley arrives and tells Mr. Jarndyce about an endless

lawsuit he is involved with that has declined into a case about costs. He is enraged, but he is

still gentle with the children. Charlotte leaves for work.

 

Analysis: Chapters 11–15 

As Bleak House progresses, the layers of secrets grow deeper, and it seems as though nearly

every character is hiding something. In chapter 11, for example, Mr. Tulkinghorn stays

mysteriously close to the dead lodger's coat, but he never reveals why and we don't know if he

takes anything from the coat before leaving. After Nemo's cause-of-death trial, Mr. Snagsby

gives little Jo some money and tells him to keep quiet if he ever sees Mr. Snagsby with “a lady,”

which suggests that Mr. Snagsby has a secret too. In chapter 12, the interactions between Lady

Dedlock and Mr. Tulkinghorn suggest that something is going on, and the narrator says that Mr.

Tulkinghorn “carries family secrets in every limb of his body.” In chapter 14, Krook seems

“tormented” by a secret he holds, though he says nothing. Esther is sometimes the confidante

who gets to hear secrets, such as Ada's revelation that she and Richard are in love. Esther has

so far proven to be a conscientious narrator, yet beginning in chapter 13, when she casually

tells us that she “omitted to mention” a young surgeon who attended the Badgers' dinner, she

reveals that she may have a secret of her own as well.

 

Although Esther is a thorough narrator, detailed in her descriptions and recollections, she is not

necessarily a reliable one. In earlier chapters, she has shown herself to be all too willing to paint

herself in a complimentary light, never omitting others' praises or affections for her. In chapter

13, however, when she blatantly neglects to mention the young surgeon at the Badgers' dinner,

she shows herself to be unreliable, perhaps more concerned with keeping her own secrets

private than with telling the entire story. At the end of chapter 14, she leaves out information

again when she tells us that she has not mentioned that the young surgeon is actually Mr.

Woodcourt, Miss Flite's doctor. Then, when Ada begins to tease her, Esther simply cuts her off

and tells us that what Ada said doesn't matter. Here we begin to see that even though we must

rely on Esther to lead us through this meandering tale, we must also understand that she may

not be telling us the whole story.

 

Orphaned, courageous children seem to be everywhere in Bleak House, and their presence

lends an atmosphere of genuine pathos to the novel. For example, Jo, the street urchin who

testifies that the dead lodger was very good to him, is shunned by society and must fend for

himself. A man who had shown him kindness is dead, and Jo has no real outlet for his

mourning, nor any real way of expressing how he feels. He knows only simple truths, such as

that “a broom's a broom” and “it's wicked to tell a lie.” All he gets in return for his honesty is a

coin from Mr. Snagsby, on the condition that he keep quiet if he sees something he shouldn't.

The Neckett children are orphans as well, and although they have each other and Mr. Gridley,

the brunt of the caretaking falls to young Charlotte. She too values hard work and believes it's

the only way to survive. These and other children seem to exist in a bleak universe parallel to

the adult world of the novel. Although some of the portraits Dickens draws of children are

comical, such as of the put-upon Pardiggle children, more often the children are in genuine

distress.

Chapters 16–20

 

Summary: Chapter 16, “Tom-all-Alone's” 

The narrator tells us that Sir Leicester has the gout in his legs, a malady all the men in his family

have suffered from. The narrator ponders what connection there could be between Lady

Dedlock and Sir Leicester, their homes, the young Jo, and many other people.

 

Jo lives in a place called Tom-all-Alone's, where houses collapse. Tom Jarndyce may have

once lived here, but Jo doesn't know for sure.

 

The narrator tries to imagine what it's like to be Jo, not really belonging anywhere and not

knowing anything. Jo moves through the town, observing people and animals trying to get

enough money to go back to Tom-all-Alone's.

 

Mr. Tulkinghorn sits in his office doing work. On the street below, a woman walks by. The

narrator implies she is on some secret errand. Determinedly, she seeks out Jo, who asks her for

money. She ignores him and crosses the street, then beckons him over. She asks if she has

read about the dead lodger in the newspaper because of the court case regarding him. She tries

to get Jo to acknowledge that the dead man looks like him. Jo asks if she knew the dead man,

and she grows defensive. The woman asks Jo to show her all the places he knows of relating to

the death, including where the man was buried. He is to walk far ahead of her and not speak to

her.

 

Jo leads the woman to Cook's Court, Krook's shop, and the burial ground. She gives him some

a gold coin and hurries away.

 

The narrator tells us that Lady Dedlock goes to a dinner and several parties, while Sir Leicester

stays home. Mrs. Rouncewell, the housekeeper, observes that the footsteps on the Ghost's

Walk are louder than they have ever been.

 

Summary: Chapter 17, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther says that Richard visits London frequently. Esther loves Richard but regrets that he

seems unable to concentrate and lacks ambition. Mr. and Mrs. Badger arrive one day and tell

Esther that Richard is a fine young man, but Mrs. Badger confesses that she thinks he has

chosen his profession badly. He is not passionate enough about it. Mr. Badger agrees.

 

When Richard arrives the next day, he confirms that he isn't that interested in medicine, but that

it's good enough. He says each day is too much like the one before, which Esther points out is

how life generally is. She and Ada encourage him to change direction. Richard says he might

like to work with Mr. Kenge and study law. Mr. Jarndyce supports the decision, although he

seems troubled when he looks at Ada.

 

Esther says she has trouble sleeping, but she is evasive about why. She tries to talk herself out

of her low spirits and go to sleep, but she can't. She begins doing some embroidery and goes

downstairs to find some silk. She comes across Mr. Jarndyce, who is still awake and looks

troubled. He tells her she should know more about her history. He tells her that he got a letter

describing a young orphan whom the writer had been raising. The writer feared that if she died,

the child would be alone, and so she wrote to ask Mr. Jarndyce if he would serve as guardian if

that should happen. He wrote back saying yes. He had to agree never to see the writer but to

send a confidential agent, so Mr. Jarndyce appointed Mr. Kenge. The writer said she was the

child's aunt. Mr. Jarndyce says he is so happy to have taken on this child—Esther. Esther

replies gratefully that he is like a father to her, a comment that seems to bother him. Esther

doesn't understand his reaction.

 

The next day, Mr. Woodcourt arrives for a brief visit before going away on a long trip to China

and India. Esther tells us that he isn't rich and is seven years older than she is, although she

says these details are irrelevant. She says everyone is sorry that he's leaving.

 

He brings his mother to dinner. Mrs. Woodcourt is confident that he will meet some English

ladies in India and that birth and lineage are of utmost importance. Esther wonders idly what

Mrs. Woodcourt would think of her own birth.

 

After they leave, Caddy (Miss Jellyby) arrives with a small bouquet of flowers. Esther assumes

they are from Prince Turveydrop because they look like flowers from a lover. Caddy reveals that

they were actually left behind at Miss Flite's by someone for Esther. She hints that this person

was very good to Miss Flite and was going away on a trip. Later, Ada laughs and teases Esther

about the flowers being from a lover. Esther doesn't reveal who they are all referring to.

 

Summary: Chapter 18, “Lady Dedlock” 

Esther, Ada, and Mr. Jarndyce are back at Bleak House, and Richard goes to work for Mr.

Kenge. Mr. Jarndyce finds lodging for Richard in London, and Richard spends money wildly.

 

Esther, Ada, Mr. Jarndyce, and Mr. Skimpole go to visit Mr. Boythorn, who lives in Lincolnshire.

Mr. Boythorn leads them to his house but must take an inconvenient route because he has

sworn not to set foot on Sir Leicester's property, Chesney Wold, which is right next to his own.

However, he tells the guests that they may explore Sir Leicester's park. Esther says that

Chesney Wold appears beautiful and peaceful.

 

In the village, Mr. Boythorn greets a young man who he explains is Mrs. Rouncewell's

grandson, and who is in love with a young girl staying with Lady Dedlock.

 

Mr. Boythorn's house is pretty and comfortable, although Mr. Boythorn has put up several signs

threatening trespassers, namely Sir Leicester. The day after they arrive, the group explores the

park. In a church, they see several pretty young women, including the woman Mr. Boythorn had

commented on. She is standing with the housekeeper. Near her is a Frenchwoman, who is

glaring at her.

 

Esther glances around the church, and a woman catches Esther's eye. Esther has a violent

reaction. She has a feeling that is similar to the feelings she had at her godmother's house,

when she would play with her doll and look at herself in the mirror. In fact, the woman's face is

like a mirror in which Esther sees old memories. But Esther knows she has never seen this

woman before. She figures out that this woman is Lady Dedlock. Esther is incredibly agitated.

 

A week later, Mr. Jarndyce, Ada, and Esther are walking in the park when it begins raining.

They take shelter in a groundskeeper's lodge. Someone asks if it is dangerous. Ada thinks

Esther has spoken, but it is Lady Dedlock, who is also in the lodge. Esther has another violent

reaction to the voice because it makes her think of herself.

 

Lady Dedlock introduces herself to Mr. Jarndyce and Ada. Mr. Jarndyce introduces Esther as

his ward, and Lady Dedlock hastily turns away. Lady Dedlock asks Mr. Jarndyce if he knew her

sister when they were abroad, and he says that he did. Lady Dedlock says she and her sister

have gone their separate ways.

 

A carriage arrives for Lady Dedlock, carrying the pretty young girl and the Frenchwoman. Lady

Dedlock had requested only the young girl, but the Frenchwoman had come as well. There is no

room in the carriage for the Frenchwoman after Lady Dedlock gets in, so she walks after it in the

rain, barefoot.

 

Summary: Chapter 19, “Moving On” 

The narrator describes a long vacation in Chancery Lane. It is summertime, and many courts

are out of session. Everyone goes on vacation. Mr. Snagsby, the law-stationer, relaxes, and he

and Mrs. Snagsby invite Mr. and Mrs. Chadband over. Mr. Chadband has the habit of making

grand lectures instead of speaking normally. He lectures everyone tirelessly.

 

Guster tells Mr. Snagsby there is someone in the shop to see him. It is a police constable

holding a young boy by the arm. The constable tells Mr. Snagsby that the boy won't leave the

area as he had been asked to. The boy, Jo, says he has nowhere to go. The constable says Jo

claims to know Mr. Snagsby, which Mr. Snagsby says he does, from the inquest regarding the

dead man. He doesn't reveal that he gave Jo a half-crown to keep quiet. At that moment, Mr.

Guppy enters the room, and the constable says that Mr. Guppy said that Mr. Snagsby is

respectable. Mr. Guppy had seen the confusion outside and was looking into it.

 

Jo tells everyone about a lady who gave him money to show her where the dead man was

buried. Mr. Guppy is interested in Jo's story about the lady and starts asking him questions.

Mrs. Snagsby invites him upstairs, and Jo follows. Mr. Guppy continues to ask him questions.

Mrs. Chadband reveals that she has known Kenge and Carboy's office for years, because of a

situation concerning a child. She explains that she was left in charge of a child named Esther

Summerson. Mr. Guppy tells her that he met Esther in London.

 

Mr. Chadband compliments Jo and talks on and on about his lot in life. Jo finally escapes.

 

Summary: Chapter 20, “A New Lodger” 

The narrator says that the long summer vacation continues. Mr. Guppy is restless. He and

Richard work together in Kenge and Carboy's office, although Mr. Guppy is jealous that Richard

is staying in Kenge's room. Mr. Guppy suspects everyone of being out to get him. He is glad

that Richard spends so much time reading papers about Jarndyce and Jarndyce, since he

knows only failure can come from it. Another young man is in the office as well, Young

Smallweed (also called Chick), who works as a clerk. Although he is only fifteen he seems

unusually wise.

 

One day a man named Jobling arrives and goes to dinner with Mr. Guppy and Smallweed.

Everyone at the restaurant respects Smallweed. Mr. Jobling eats copiously. They talk about

Jobling's professional problems. Jobling considers enlisting, but Mr. Guppy suggests he try to

get work from Mr. Snagsby. Mr. Guppy hints around at his connection to the Snagsbys—

namely, what happened when he was last at their home—but he refuses to clarify. Mr. Guppy

also says that he has been giving money to Miss Flite, and that he knows about Mr. Krook's

lodging house. He says Mr. Krook could rent Mr. Jobling a room. Mr. Guppy reveals that he

thinks Mr. Krook is very wealthy. Mr. Guppy tells Jobling that Krook's last lodger died, but

Jobling doesn't mind.

 

Mr. Guppy and Mr. Jobling visit Krook, who is asleep. Startled, Krook tries to hit Mr. Guppy, and

then he wakes up fully. Krook shows Jobling the room. Later, Mr. Guppy introduces Jobling to

the Snagsbys, who agree to give him work.

 

Jobling moves into his new room. In town, women gossip about him and speculate that he has

come for Krook's money.

 

Analysis: Chapters 16–20 

Although Dickens has introduced many storylines in the first fifteen chapters of Bleak House, he

doesn't begin to weave those storylines together until chapter 16. Near the beginning of the

chapter, the narrator says, “What connexion can there have been between many people . . .

who . . . have . . . been very curiously brought together!” Indeed, characters and plots that so far

have seemed independent now begin to come together, and characters are revealed to be

related to one another in unexpected ways. For example, we learn that Lady Dedlock knows of

Jo and is strangely interested in learning what happened to Krook's dead lodger. Her

appearance in Jo's hardscrabble world is surprising, and her intense reaction to the lodger's

burial place is mysterious. Dickens never explicitly tells us that the woman in those scenes is

Lady Dedlock, but context clues suggest that this is the case. We also learn that the Snagsby's

friend Mrs. Chadband was Esther's old guardian, Rachael. Perhaps most important, we begin to

see a connection between Esther and Lady Dedlock. The first clues arise when Esther visits Mr.

Boythorn's home, which is next to Chesney Wold, and spots Lady Dedlock at church. When

their eyes meet, Esther is stunned—she thinks she recognizes Lady Dedlock somehow, but she

is certain she has never met her before. During this same visit, Lady Dedlock alludes to a time

in the past when Mr. Jarndyce was well acquainted with her sister. These clues, suggestions,

and interconnections add richness and intrigue to the world of Bleak House.

 

Richard's struggle to find a vocation suggests the importance of passion in building a fulfilling

life. Richard idly follows whatever path is suggested to him, never thinking very deeply about

what he truly wants to do. He is happy enough in his medical studies, but the Badgers tell

Esther that he is not committed enough to his work and suggest that medicine is not a “ruling

passion” for him. Richard's blasé acceptance of it suggests a lack of engagement with his life

and an absence of ambition. Esther places so much importance on the idea of finding what one

is passionate about that she encourages Richard to change fields. The idea of passion is not,

however, equal to the idea of excitement. Richard, true to his indecisive, wayward nature, wants

to find a career that is not so “monotonous,” but Esther points out that life itself is quite

monotonous. Mr. Jarndyce agrees that Richard should change paths, but the concerned look he

gives Ada suggests that he is worried about Richard's restlessness and inability to commit

himself completely to one single undertaking.

 

Esther is a strong, confident narrator when she is talking about other people, but she falters and

stutters when she touches on matters that are very personal to her. Her descriptions are usually

vivid and detailed, and her voice is smooth and mature, but at times her storytelling breaks

down entirely. For example, she tells us in chapter 17 that she was low-spirited and having

trouble sleeping, but when she tries to explain why, she blurts out, “I don't know why. At least, I

don't think I know why. At least, perhaps I do, but I don't think it matters.” This barely coherent

babbling suggests that Esther does, indeed, know the root of her troubles but is unwilling to

disclose it. This makes sense when we find out that Mr. Woodcourt is arriving the next day to

say goodbye, as he leaves for a very long journey. When she describes the dinner, she stops

frequently to correct her narration. “I believe—at least I know—that he was not rich,” she says,

and “I think—I mean, he told us—that he has been in practice three or four years.” It is as

though she is making an effort to be as accurate as possible in her narration, while at the same

time covering up any possible hint of how she really feels about these aspects of Mr.

Woodcourt's character. Her stumblings suggest that there is more to the story than she is

revealing.

Chapters 21–25

 

Summary: Chapter 21, “The Smallweed Family” 

The narrator describes the home of Mr. Smallweed, whose first name is Bart. There have been

no true children in the Smallweed family for several generations—all of the children act like

adults. Only Mr. Smallweed's grandmother acts childlike because she is so old. His grandfather

is old too, and even though his body is falling apart, his mind is active. The grandfather's father

was obsessed with money, which he wound up losing. The family motto is to “go out early and

marry late,” and the grandfather became a clerk in a scrivener's office when he was twelve. His

son is the father of Bart and his twin sister, Judy. There is no amusement in the Smallweed

home. Grandfather Smallweed sits in a chair, a drawer under which is reported to hold a large

fortune. He and Grandmother Smallweed bicker endlessly.

 

Judy has never played with toys, and she doesn't know how to laugh. Bart also never engaged

in childish pastimes. Judy calls for the maid, Charley, and reprimands her for no reason. Bart

comes home, and Grandfather Smallweed praises him for having someone else pay for lunch.

The two grandparents, Judy, and Bart have tea. Grandfather Smallweed discusses Bart and

Judy's parents, who died a long time ago.

 

Judy is slated to enter the flower business, and Bart is supposed to go into law with the money

Grandfather Smallweed has saved. Both twins are impatient for their grandfather to die. Judy

calls Charley and gives her some tea, then quickly sends her back to work.

 

George arrives at the Smallweed home. He asks Grandfather Smallweed for a pipe, referring to

an agreement they have—a pipe out of two months' interest. He gives Grandfather Smallweed

the money, then he smokes the pipe. He asks if Grandfather Smallweed just sits there all day.

Grandfather Smallweed says he hates reading.

 

The two men discuss Grandfather Smallweed's friend in the city, who lent George some money.

Grandfather Smallweed says he knows this friend will be hard on George if the money is not

repaid. He then swears at Grandmother Smallweed and asks George to shake him out of it.

George does so.

 

Grandfather Smallweed asks if George has relatives who can help him pay off the loan, but he

says he doesn't want to do that. Grandfather Smallweed says he regrets that George was not

willing to be “made.” Judy enters the room, and George seems fascinated by her. The two men

then talk about a business opportunity from long ago that George never engaged in. George

discusses Captain Hawdon, who never repaid money he owed to Grandfather Smallweed,

wound up poor, and was perhaps intentionally drowned.

 

George leaves the Smallweed home and goes to the theatre. He then goes to George's

Shooting Gallery, &c. A little man wearing a green baize apron and cap is asleep on the floor.

George calls his name—Phil—and wakes him up. Phil is lame, is missing one eyebrow, and has

hands that are bruised and scarred. He shoots a couple of rounds, then goes to bed.

 

Summary: Chapter 22, “Mr. Bucket” 

Mr. Tulkinghorn relaxes with a glass of wine in his office. He thinks about a friend, much like

him, who hanged himself. Mr. Snagsby is there as well, without his wife knowing. He tells Mr.

Tulkinghorn what Jo said to the guests at his house recently. Mr. Snagsby then spots another

man in the room, whom Mr. Tulkinghorn introduces as Mr. Bucket. He is a detective. He asks

Mr. Snagsby to take him to Jo and assures him Jo will not be harmed. Mr. Bucket suggests that

the dead lodger was perhaps entitled to some property, which he suspects the woman Jo

encountered may be after.

 

Bucket asks Snagsby if he knows of a man named Gridley, who lost his temper, threatened

some people, and has a warrant out for his arrest. In Tom-all-Alone's, they find where Jo is

staying. Jo has gone out, but the men talk to a few people in the home. There are men lying

unconscious on the floor, and a woman named Liz says they are hers and Jenny's husbands.

Liz is holding a child. Jenny says she had a child too, but it died.

 

Jo appears with some medicine he had gotten for the woman. Then he, Bucket, and Snagsby

go to Mr. Tulkinghorn's. Jo shouts that he sees the woman, there in the room. A figure wearing

a flowing scarf and robe is standing there. But when the figure shows her hand, Jo says it is not

the lady, whose hand was whiter, smaller, and adorned with different rings. The figure speaks,

and Jo says it's not the voice he remembers. Bucket gives Jo some money and dismisses him.

The woman takes off her scarf. It is Mademoiselle Hortense, the French maid of Lady Dedlock.

She reminds Mr. Tulkinghorn that he promised to help her find a job, and she leaves.

 

Bucket asserts that the lady Jo saw must have been wearing the Frenchwoman's clothes.

Snagsby leaves. When he gets home, he finds Mrs. Snagsby in bed. She had sent Guster to the

police station to report that Mr. Snagsby was missing.

 

Summary: Chapter 23, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther says they left Mr. Boythorn's after six weeks. They hadn't seen Lady Dedlock again,

except at church. Esther has an idea that her presence is as vexing to Lady Dedlock as Lady

Dedlock's is to her. Esther recounts an incident that occurred before she left Mr. Boythorn's

house. One day, the Frenchwoman sends for Esther. She says how wonderful Esther is and

tells her that she has quit her post as Lady Dedlock's servant. She asks Esther to hire her as a

maid. Esther says she keeps no maid, and the matter is closed.

 

Richard visits Bleak House regularly, but Esther worries that he is too fixated on the Jarndyce

and Jarndyce lawsuit. During one visit, Esther asks if he feels settled, and Richard admits that

he doesn't because he's in debt. He worries that he is hurting Ada by being so adrift. He's no

longer interested in law and plans to enlist in the army.

 

Esther meets up with Caddy Jellyby, who tells her that Prince Turveydrop respects her deeply.

Caddy asks Esther to accompany her and Prince when they tell their parents of their

engagement. At the Turveydrops, the elder Mr. Turveydrop accepts their news and graciously

tells them that he will live with them and that they will provide him with his usual comforts. At the

Jellybys' home, Caddy tries to tell Mrs. Jellyby her news, but Mrs. Jellyby is opening mail and

pays little attention to her. She says she would be upset by the news if she wasn't so busy.

 

That night, Charley arrives at Bleak House. Mr. Jarndyce has hired her to be Esther's maid.

Esther and Charley are very happy.

 

Summary: Chapter 24, “An Appeal Case” 

Richard tells Mr. Jarndyce he's planning to enlist in the army, and Mr. Jarndyce calls Richard,

Ada, and Esther together for a discussion. Richard admits that he's in debt, but he feels

confident that the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit will serve as his security. Mr. Jarndyce

explodes in anger and says that it's better to die than get involved with the Jarndyce and

Jarndyce suit. He tells Richard and Ada that they must dissolve their romantic relationship and

go back to being just cousins because Richard is leaving for a post in Ireland. If they will be

together in the future, then it will happen in the future. The two reluctantly agree. Esther says

that this is the beginning of an estrangement between Richard and Mr. Jarndyce.

 

Richard, Mr. Jarndyce, and Ada go to London. George, a former cavalry soldier, visits them at

their lodging. He says Richard could be a good swordsman if he would put his mind to it.

George glances repeatedly at Esther and asks if he knows her from somewhere. Esther says

no.

 

George tells them about his students, including one Chancery suitor named Gridley who

erupted in such violent practice shooting that George asked him to leave. Esther and Mr.

Jarndyce are surprised by the coincidence. Gridley is in hiding, and George says he doesn't

know where.

 

The morning before Richard's departure, he and Esther go to the court to hear some of the

Jarndyce and Jarndyce case. The lord chancellor and many solicitors are gathered there. Bags

and piles of papers are brought in, but the case is cut short and the papers must be brought

back out again. Before Esther and Richard leave, a woman approaches Esther and introduces

herself—it is Mrs. Rachael, from her godmother's house, now Mrs. Chadband. The two

exchange brief pleasantries and part. George then approaches them and tells them that Gridley

is hiding at his place. He says Gridley wants to see Miss Flite and asks Esther to get her.

 

At the door to George's Shooting Gallery, they encounter an old man who says he is a

physician, here to see Gridley. George lets him in, and the man instantly turns brusque, saying

his name is Bucket and has a warrant against Gridley. Bucket says he spotted Gridley from the

roof through the skylight.

 

They all go in to Gridley's room with Miss Flite. Gridley is surrounded by writings. Miss Flite sits

beside him and holds his hand. Gridley says the tie between him and Miss Flite is the only tie

the Jarndyce case hasn't broken. Bucket tries to console Gridley, but Gridley is despondent.

Bucket is worried that Gridley is giving in to despair. Then Miss Flite screams—Gridley has died.

 

Summary: Chapter 25, “Mrs. Snagsby Sees It All” 

The narrator says that Mr. Snagsby is unsettled by the role he has played in the affair with

Bucket, Jo, and Mr. Tulkinghorn. He doesn't know what is going on and feels like he is “party to

some dangerous secret.” He is edgy and gets nervous when anyone comes to the shop looking

for him.

 

Mrs. Snagsby knows Mr. Snagsby has a secret, and she searches his letters, pockets, ledger,

and safe while he's sleeping. She listens at doors and watches at windows. She is constantly

alert. She incorrectly pieces together the random bits of things she learns and hears.

 

Mr. Chadband has run into Jo on the street and asked him to come to Cook's Court to be

improved. Mrs. Snagsby decides that she will watch Jo and someone else very closely—nothing

will get by her. When the group arrives at the house, including the Chadbands, Jo, Guster, and

the apprentices, Mrs. Snagsby watches Jo carefully. She thinks he looks right at Snagsby when

he enters the room and thinks that Snagsby is sending a signal when he coughs. She jumps to

the conclusion that Jo is Mr. Snagsby's son.

 

Mr. Chadband orates relentlessly about Jo's lot in life and the need for improvement. Mr.

Chadband likes to fixate on one person in his audience to give his lectures more effect, and

tonight he focuses on Mr. Snagsby. Mrs. Snagsby is convinced that Chadband's glances are

weighted with meaning, and she reacts strongly and audibly to his words, eventually sobbing

and giving way to spasms. She has to be carried upstairs. Jo finally gets to go home. Before he

leaves the house, Mr. Snagsby slips Jo a half-crown and says it was right for Jo to say nothing

about seeing him with a lady the other night. The narrator says that Mrs. Snagsby will be with

Mr. Snagsby like his own shadow.

 

Analysis: Chapters 21–25 

Suicide appears in both chapter 21 and chapter 22 and, coupled with the reputed suicide of

Tom Jarndyce that was discussed earlier in the novel, forms a dismal motif. In chapter 21,

George discusses with Grandfather Smallweed an attempted suicide of a seemingly successful

man and then his eventual death by not-quite-accidental drowning. George is using the story as

a kind of justification for why he never let himself be “made” by another person. In chapter 22,

Mr. Tulkinghorn remembers a friend much like himself who hanged himself when he decided life

was too monotonous. Although neither George nor Mr. Tulkinghorn are themselves

contemplating suicide, their invocations of it suggest that they are well aware of what can

happen when seekers do not find what they are searching for, or when life loses its meaning.

Echoes of Richard's complaint—that his work is too monotonous—are evident in the complaint

of Mr. Tulkinghorn's unfortunate friend, adding to the suggestion that a life without passion and

deep engagement ultimately becomes unbearable.

 

Worlds collide violently in chapter 22, creating a sense of building tension, intrigue, and mystery

in the story. The two women caring for a sick baby during Mrs. Pardiggle's charity visit reappear

in this chapter, this time meeting with Mr. Bucket and Mr. Snagsby. Jenny reveals that her baby

died, but now her friend, Liz, has a baby of her own. Lady Dedlock's French maid,

Mademoiselle Hortense, surprisingly appears in Mr. Tulkinghorn's office, adding to the not-so-

mysterious mystery of who the woman is that Jo took to the dead lodger's grave. And Jo, who is

becoming an integral figure in the novel, seems to be the one common denominator among

these different worlds, leading characters to one another and serving as the link between them.

Although Jo makes the same claim again and again that he doesn't know anything, the fact that

he seems to know everyone suggests that he's aware of much more than he lets on.

 

Mr. Jarndyce's outburst regarding Richard's fixation on the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit in

chapter 24 adds a significantly darker note to the already disturbing case. Richard has always

casually referred to his certainty that the lawsuit will provide for him and Ada in the future, but

Mr. Jarndyce and Esther usually dismiss his claims wearily. This time, however, Mr. Jarndyce

cries that it is “better to borrow, better to beg, better to die” than look to the lawsuit to provide.

The extremity of his claim, and his unusual show of passion, shocks Richard, Ada, and Esther.

The lawsuit, with its tedious, endless proceedings, usually seems like a hum in the background

in the story, a strange mystery that no one is in too much hurry to unravel. At this moment,

however, the true danger and darkness of the suit break the surface. When Mr. Jarndyce orders

Richard and Ada to dissolve their romantic relationship, in a way he may be trying to protect

Ada from Richard's fervor over the suit.

Chapters 26–30

 

Summary: Chapter 26, “Sharpshooters” 

The narrator describes George of the shooting gallery and his servant, Phil, getting ready for

their day. George asks Phil if he dreamed of the country that night, and Phil says yes. George

tells him that he himself was born and raised in the country. Phil asks if George's mother is

dead, and George says no, then changes the subject. George asks Phil how old he is, but Phil

doesn't know. The two men reminisce about how they met, when George rescued the crippled

Phil from the street.

 

Grandfather Smallweed and Judy visit George. Grandfather Smallweed is alarmed by Phil's

handling of the guns in the gallery. He reminds George that George owes him money. George

gets out a pipe and lights it, distracting Grandfather Smallweed. Then Smallweed tells him that

his friend in the city, Carstone, has done some business with a student of George's. George

suggests that his friend avoid any future dealings in that area, and that he thinks the friend has

come to a “dead halt.” Smallweed says that Carstone is still good for something.

 

Smallweed then mentions a man named Captain Hawdon and claims that he's not dead. A

lawyer has been asking about him, requesting some of Hawdon's handwriting so he can

compare it to some writing he already has. Smallweed says he has only Hawdon's signature

and asks George if he has any of Hawdon's writing that's more substantial. George says that he

wouldn't give it to Smallweed even if he did have some, which he may or may not. Smallweed

suggests George visit the lawyer for himself, and George agrees.

 

Summary: Chapter 27, “More Old Soldiers than One” 

The group arrives at Lincoln's Inn Fields, where they visit Mr. Tulkinghorn. George sees that Sir

Leicester Dedlock is one of Tulkinghorn's clients. Tulkinghorn explains to George that since

George once served under Captain Hawdon and was a friend, he thought George might have

some of Hawdon's handwriting. He will reward George for anything he provides. George seems

troubled and says he wants nothing to do with any of this. Tulkinghorn refuses to explain why he

wants the handwriting. George says he'll consult a soldier friend of his about the matter.

Privately, Smallweed tells Tulkinghorn that he saw George slip some handwriting into his

pocket.

 

George visits Mr. and Mrs. Bagnet in their musical instrument shop. He greets their two

daughters, Quebec and Malta, and asks after their son, Woolwich. When Mr. Bagnet comes

home, they all have dinner. Later, George tells the Bagnets what's going on. They tell him to

have nothing to do with it. On his way home, George stops at Tulkinghorn's and says that he

hasn't changed his mind. Tulkinghorn asks George if Gridley was found in his shooting gallery,

and George says yes. Tulkinghorn declares that Gridley was “threatening, murderous,

dangerous.” A clerk who is coming up the stairs hears Tulkinghorn and, seeing George walk

down the stairs, thinks the words are being directed at him.

 

Summary, Chapter 28, “The Ironmaster” 

The narrator says that Sir Leicester Dedlock, great as he is, has poor relatives, all of whom are

his cousins. Several of them visit Chesney Wold, which Sir Leicester Dedlock endures

uncomplainingly. One cousin currently staying at Chesney Wold is Volumnia Dedlock, who is

sixty years old and usually receives financial support from Sir Leicester Dedlock. The narrator

also describes the Honourable Bob Stables, who makes food for livestock. All the poor cousins

who visit revere Lady Dedlock.

 

One evening, Volumnia mentions that she frequently sees a pretty girl on the stairs. Sir

Leicester says it is Lady Dedlock's protégée, Rosa. Volumnia then compliments the

housekeeper, Mrs. Rouncewell. Sir Leicester tells Volumnia that Mrs. Rouncewell has two sons.

He says that Mr. Tulkinghorn told him that one of Mrs. Rouncewell's sons was invited into

Parliament but declined. Sir Leicester says that Mr. Rouncewell is called an “ironmaster.” He

tells Lady Dedlock that this man has requested to speak with them about Rosa.

 

Mr. Rouncewell comes in. He says that his son is in love with Rosa and wants to propose

marriage. Mr. Rouncewell thinks they are much too young, but he says that if he does give his

consent, Rosa must leave Chesney Wold. He explains that he isn't ashamed of Rosa's position

there, but that he doesn't want his son to make an unequal marriage and would want to educate

Rosa first. Sir Leicester is insulted, since Rosa has attended a school he supports. He tells Mr.

Rouncewell that the decision is his to make. Mr. Rouncewell says he will try to get his son to

forget about Rosa.

 

Later, Lady Dedlock asks Rosa if she is in love. Rosa says yes and begins to cry. Lady Dedlock

comforts her and suggests she isn't yet ready to leave Chesney Wold, and Rosa agrees. Lady

Dedlock tells Rosa that she'll make her happy.

 

Summary: Chapter 29, “The Young Man” 

Chesney Wold is shut up, and the Dedlocks go to their house in town. Tulkinghorn visits

frequently, and the narrator suggests that Lady Dedlock is afraid of him. One day, Mr. Guppy

visits. Sir Leicester finds out that Lady Dedlock has told Guppy he can visit when he wants. He

leaves Guppy and Lady Dedlock alone. Guppy has apparently written many letters to Lady

Dedlock, and she has finally agreed to see him. He tells her that he works for Kenge and

Carboy, which is connected to the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case, but that he isn't here about

that. He says that if he had Jarndyce and Jarndyce matters to discuss, he would have gone to

Tulkinghorn, with whom he is acquainted. This gets Lady Dedlock's attention.

 

Guppy requests that Lady Dedlock not complain of this visit to Kenge and Carboy to

Tulkinghorn, and she agrees. He then asks if Lady Dedlock knows Esther Summerson, and she

says she met Esther last fall. Guppy asks if Esther reminded her of any of her relatives. Lady

Dedlock says no but doesn't take her eyes off Guppy as he speaks. Guppy persists and says

that he sees a strong resemblance between Esther and Lady Dedlock—he saw Lady Dedlock's

portrait at Chesney Wold.

 

Guppy then says that Esther's birth and upbringing are mysteries, and that he hopes to

somehow prove that she is part of Lady Dedlock's family so that she can be made a party to

Jarndyce and Jarndyce. He is doing all this to try to get Esther to reconsider his marriage

proposal. He tells Lady Dedlock that he has found out that Esther's guardian before Mr.

Jarndyce was a Miss Barbary.

 

Lady Dedlock turns pale. She says she did once know a Miss Barbary, but that, to her

knowledge, there was no family connection. Guppy says that although Miss Barbary said very

little, she did tell Esther that her real name is Esther Hawdon. Lady Dedlock is shocked but

covers it quickly. She says she never heard the name Hawdon. Guppy then says that the lodger

who was found dead at Krook's was named Hawdon. After the death, a strange woman followed

a young boy to Hawdon's grave. Guppy asks if Lady Dedlock would like to see the boy; she

says no. He remarks on the boy's observation that the woman had many rings on her fingers.

The narrator says that Lady Dedlock is wearing many diamond rings. Finally, Guppy says that

Hawdon left behind some letters, which he will obtain tomorrow. If the letters connect Lady

Dedlock to all of this, he will bring them to her. He leaves.

 

Lady Dedlock falls to her knees. She realizes that Esther is her daughter, who her sister told her

had died at birth.

 

Summary: Chapter 30, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther says that a lady named Mrs. Woodcourt has come to stay for a few days at Bleak House.

Mrs. Woodcourt quickly befriends Esther, which Esther finds annoying. Esther claims not to

really know why she finds her so annoying. Then she says that she does know why, but that it

doesn't matter. Mrs. Woodcourt tells Esther all about her son, Allan, and his marriage prospects.

She predicts that Esther will marry someone rich and much older. This all makes Esther

uncomfortable, and sometimes she suspects Mrs. Woodcourt of being “cunning.” Esther then

digresses and wonders why it was so annoying to talk to Mrs. Woodcourt and yet at the same

time wonders why it's so important to her that Mrs. Woodcourt like her. She says she'll explain

all this eventually.

 

When Mrs. Woodcourt leaves, Caddy Jellyby visits. Caddy says she is getting married in a

month. She and Esther agree that Caddy should stay at Bleak House for a few weeks so Esther

and Ada can help her make a dress. Esther also helps Caddy learn housekeeping. After three

weeks, Esther goes to stay with Caddy at her new home for a week. Esther must convince Mrs.

Jellyby that the marriage is really happening and that she must find something to wear. Esther

and Caddy try to clean the Jellyby home, which proves to be a daunting task. Mr. Jellyby tells

Caddy never to have a mission.

 

The wedding guests include Mr. Jarndyce, the Pardiggles, Mr. Quayle, and Mr. Quayle's

fiancée, Miss Wisk. Mr. Jarndyce says that Miss Wisk's mission is to prove that the only true

mission is to make grand, public resolutions. Miss Wisk also claims that to say that a woman's

mission is only in the domestic realm is “slander.” Esther observes that no one with a mission

cares for anyone else's mission.

 

The wedding complete, Caddy and Prince go on a weeklong vacation. Mr. Jarndyce and Esther

hope the marriage will be successful.

 

Analysis: Chapters 26–30 

The death of Krook's lodger resurfaces in chapters 26, 27, and 29, as Dickens picks up the

thread of the death and weaves it back into the story. In chapter 26, when Grandfather

Smallweed approaches George for a fragment of the lodger's handwriting, the lodger gets a

name—Captain Hawdon—and is revealed to be at the center of an as-yet-unexplained mystery,

in which his handwriting is key. Tulkinghorn is part of the mystery, being one of the men who

looking for the handwriting, as is Guppy, who has learned that the lodger and Esther shared the

same last name. While some people are looking for the lodger's handwriting, Guppy claims to

have it, in the form of a bundle of letters. The mystery of the lodger propels the story forward

and complicates the relationships between characters.

 

The third-person narrator adds a twist to the strange relationship between Lady Dedlock and

Tulkinghorn in chapter 29, when he suggests that Lady Dedlock is afraid of Tulkinghorn. The

narrator makes Tulkinghorn a more ominous character by describing him as feeling no remorse

or pity and perhaps even being cold and cruel. Even though it seemed possible in previous

chapters that Lady Dedlock and Tulkinghorn were involved in a secret love affair, their

uncomfortable interactions now suggest that something more sinister is going on. By introducing

these new layers to their relationship, the narrator foreshadows Tulkinghorn's eventual role in

Lady Dedlock's life and suggests that Lady Dedlock may indeed have something to hide. When

Guppy visits Lady Dedlock and craftily reveals his connection to Tulkinghorn, he succeeds in

getting Lady Dedlock's attention. His own intimations take on a darker shade thanks to the

narrator's previous descriptions of Tulkinghorn.

 

Lady Dedlock's discovery that Esther is actually the daughter she believed dead is the first true

climax of Bleak House and sets up the primary conflict and storyline of the second half of the

novel. Lady Dedlock—who has seemed so cold, haughty, and privileged—suddenly becomes

much more sympathetic. Not only does she have a secret that could destroy her reputation and

social standing, but she suffered a traumatic loss long ago. For her, Esther has practically risen

from the grave, and the revelation is so overwhelming that she falls to her knees. The newly

established connection between Esther and Lady Dedlock complicates everything and makes

us question how much the other characters really know. We know that Guppy is nosing around,

for example, but we aren't sure how much he knows. The same can be said for the

Frenchwoman, Mademoiselle Hortense. This may also explain why Lady Dedlock is so afraid of

Tulkinghorn—unless she's hiding another secret that hasn't yet been revealed. The revelation

that Esther is Lady Dedlock's daughter explains why Esther had such a strange, violent reaction

when she first met Lady Dedlock at Chesney Wold. The revelation also changes the way we

view Esther as a narrator. When we return to her narrative in chapter 30, we do so with

knowledge that she is not yet privy to. And although Esther is narrating the story from a point in

the future, she does so with a measured pacing. For now, we as readers have secret inside

knowledge.

 

Chapters 31–35

 

Summary: Chapter 31, “Nurse and Patient” 

Esther tells us that Charley isn't making much progress in her handwriting lessons. Charley asks

Esther if she knew a woman named Jenny. She says that Jenny has been coming to the house

hoping to see Esther and that Charley ran into her at the doctor's office. Charley tells Esther that

Jenny was buying medicine for a poor orphan boy. Charley and Esther decide to visit Jenny. As

they walk to her cottage, Esther observes that, on this night, she didn't yet know what was going

to happen to her.

 

At the cottage, Esther, with her veil still down, greets Jenny and looks at the boy on the floor.

The boy says immediately that he won't take her to the burial ground. Jenny asks him what's the

matter, calling him Jo. When Esther lifts her veil, Jo says she looks like the lady he took to the

burying ground. Jo tells Esther and Charley about his sickness. Jenny shows Esther Liz's baby,

whom she calls her own. She tells Esther that Jo must leave before her husband gets home. Liz

arrives and says both their husbands are on their way home. Esther takes Jo home with her.

 

At Bleak House, Esther finds Mr. Skimpole, who tells Mr. Jarndyce to send Jo away. He says

Jo's illness makes him unsafe to be around. But Mr. Jarndyce tells Esther to settle him in the

stable.

 

In the morning, Jo is gone. They look for him everywhere, but to no avail. Charley, meanwhile,

has gotten sick (ostensibly with smallpox) and becomes much sicker very quickly. Esther nurses

her, forbidding anyone else to come into the room, including Ada. Charley nearly dies, but she

slowly recovers. Esther, however, contracts smallpox and becomes very sick too. She confides

in Charley, who agrees to nurse her. She gets sicker and temporarily goes blind.

 

Summary: Chapter 32, “The Appointed Time” 

The narrator describes nighttime in Lincoln's Inn. Two women, Mrs. Piper and Mrs. Perkins,

gossip about Krook's alcoholism, his lodger, and their own children. Krook has gone to bed, and

his lodger, Mr. Weevle (Jobling), paces restlessly from his room to the street and back. Mr.

Snagsby, uneasy at the mystery he has somehow become involved in, comes to Krook's shop

and is surprised to find Weevle outside. Mr. Snagsby tells Weevle that he would find it troubling

to live in a room where a man died. He tells Weevle how strange it is that the lodger had been a

writer for him, just as Weevle is. Mr. Snagsby hurries home. Meanwhile, Mrs. Snagsby has

followed him.

 

Weevle was waiting for Mr. Guppy, who arrives after Mr. Snagsby has left. They go inside.

Weevle tells Guppy he is depressed in his room. Guppy says he saw Mr. Snagsby talking to him

but thought it best to stay hidden until he left. Weevle asserts that they are as secretive as

they'd be if they were murdering someone.

 

Guppy looks around Weevle's room and sees a portrait of Lady Dedlock, believing it to be a

good likeness. Guppy tells Weevle his attitude isn't appropriate for the matter at hand, picking

up the lodger's letters from Krook. Krook has arranged to meet them at midnight. Weevle

assures Guppy that Krook can't read. Guppy notices that his coat sleeve is covered in soot, and

it won't brush off. The men agree to make copies of the letters as soon as Krook turns them

over. When Guppy sits on the windowsill, he gets yellow liquor all over his hands. Weevle

denies pouring anything out of the window, even though the liquor is dripping from the

windowsill.

 

At midnight, Weevle goes to Krook's to get the letters, but he comes back quickly and says that

Krook is gone. Both men go back downstairs to Krook's and look around. They find a burnt

patch on the floor and some other evidence of burning. What they think is a burnt log is actually

a piece of Krook, and the men run screaming into the street. Krook has spontaneously

combusted.

 

Summary: Chapter 33, “Interlopers” 

Weevle and Guppy give their statements at a tavern called Sol's Arms. No one sleeps that

night; everyone goes to look at Krook's house. Miss Flite stays at a room at the Sol's Arms.

Sol's Arms stays open all night, and Weevle and Guppy tell everyone about what they saw. Mr.

Snagsby arrives, along with Mrs. Snagsby. She tells him she can't say for sure he wouldn't

spontaneously combust. Mr. Snagsby secretly wonders if he was in some way responsible for

what happened.

 

Weevle and Guppy go for a walk. Both men deny that they've been conspiring but agree that

they don't need to mention the letters. Weevle tells Guppy he can't stay in his room anymore,

but Guppy tries to convince him to stay and investigate. Weevle says Guppy can stay there if he

wants.

 

Grandfather and Grandmother Smallweed and Judy arrive in a coach. Grandfather Smallweed

asks them to carry him into the public house in the court. He is surprised to learn that Guppy

discovered Krook's death and says Krook was Grandmother Smallweed's brother. Grandfather

Smallweed has come to deal with Krook's property. His lawyer is Mr. Tulkinghorn.

 

Mr. Guppy eventually meets with Lady Dedlock and tells her he doesn't have the letters. He

says he believes they were destroyed along with Krook. On his way out of the room, he runs

into Mr. Tulkinghorn, who gives Lady Dedlock a suspicious look.

 

Summary: Chapter 34, “A Turn of the Screw” 

George looks at a letter, confused by it. He calls Phil over and reads him the letter. It is from Mr.

Smallweed, declaring that the debts Mr. Bagnet owes George will be due tomorrow. The

Bagnets soon appear at the gallery and are alarmed that they may be ruined, but George

assures them he'll take care of it. George wonders if someone would buy the shooting gallery.

He and Mr. Bagnet set out to visit Mr. Smallweed. On the way there, Mr. Bagnet talks about his

wife's many virtues.

 

Mr. Smallweed asks Judy to bring the pipe, but George says he doesn't want to smoke it.

George refers to the understanding that he has always had with Mr. Smallweed and reminds

him that Mr. Bagnet doesn't have any money. George asks Mr. Smallweed to explain the

understanding to Mr. Bagnet, but Mr. Smallweed smashes the pipe on the floor and says he will

destroy George. He tells him to go to his lawyer.

 

George and Mr. Bagnet visit Tulkinghorn. A client comes out: it is Mrs. Rouncewell. She greets

them, saying that she once had a son who became a soldier. Tulkinghorn tells the men they

must pay the money and that there's no other option. George asks to speak privately with

Tulkinghorn. He says that he will provide the handwriting sample Tulkinghorn had requested if

he'll let the Bagnets off the hook. Tulkinghorn says that if he leaves the writing, the Bagnets will

never again be bothered about this matter, and that all will be as it once was. George gives him

the writing—a “letter of instructions.”

 

Later, at dinner at the Bagnets' house, George is despondent. He tells the Bagnets' son,

Woolwich, to value his mother and never to be responsible for turning her hair white. He says

that Woolwich should have this to think of when he is a man.

 

Summary: Chapter 35, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther tells us that she was sick for many weeks but doesn't want to talk about it much. At one

point, she knew she would see again. Ada had tried to visit her, but Charley forbade her in

accordance with Esther's instructions. As Esther's sight returns, she reads letters from Ada and

feels happy in the quiet house. She begins growing stronger and eventually sits up in bed. She

notices the tidiness of the room but also notices that Charley has removed the mirror. When she

delicately mentions this to Charley, Charley begins sobbing. Esther reassures Charley that she

will be fine even without her old face.

 

When Mr. Jarndyce visits her, he is overcome with relief and affection, despite her changed

face. He tells her how miserable he and Ada were without her and that the Jarndyce and

Jarndyce suit has changed Richard. Richard now suspects Mr. Jarndyce of having conflicting

interests. Mr. Jarndyce and Esther hope Richard will come to his senses.

 

Esther requests to stay in a country home for a week before seeing Ada. Mr. Jarndyce says

Boythorn has already offered his house. He also says that Miss Flite is determined to visit her,

and they arrange a time for her to come.

 

Miss Flite is overcome with happiness to see Esther, and she borrows a handkerchief to wipe

her eyes. She then says that a poor woman—Charley identifies her as Jenny—followed her and

Charley from the coach and said that a woman in a veil had been at the cottage, asking after

Esther. This woman took a handkerchief from Jenny that had belonged to Esther. Charley tells

Esther that she had left the handkerchief there when Jenny's baby died. Miss Flite speculates

that the woman is the lord chancellor's wife. Esther suspects it is Caddy Jellyby.

 

Miss Flite tells Esther that she still expects a judgment from Jarndyce and Jarndyce, just as all

her relatives had before they died. She warns Esther that someone must rescue Richard from it.

 

Miss Flite then tells Esther that her wonderful doctor, Mr. Woodcourt, has been very kind to her.

Esther says Mr. Woodcourt is far away, and Miss Flite fills her in on what has happened. There

was a shipwreck, but Mr. Woodcourt survived and heroically saved lives.

 

Esther then confesses a secret: she thinks Mr. Woodcourt once loved her and that she would

have been happy if he'd told her. But she is relieved that he doesn't have to be with her now,

since her face is so changed. There is no need to release him from any obligation, because

there never was an obligation.

 

Analysis: Chapters 31–35 

The idea of contagious illnesses appears twice in Bleak House: the smallpox that Jo, Charley,

and Esther suffer from, as well as the contagious fervor of the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case, of

which Richard is the latest victim. Both Esther and Richard are irrevocably changed by their

illnesses. Although Esther survives her smallpox, she suffers greatly—even going temporarily

blind—and emerges with a scarred face. Her appearance is so altered that Charley removes all

the mirrors from her rooms, and for several chapters Esther doesn't attempt to see what she

looks like. Although she puts up her usual strong front and resists the urge to indulge in self-pity,

the very absence of any melancholy wallowing in her narrative is itself evidence of her sadness.

For his part, Richard has ceased to be the loving, warm young man Mr. Jarndyce, Esther, and

Ada know and love. Instead, his passion for Jarndyce and Jarndyce has made him suspicious,

angry, and distant. Esther knows that she'll never be beautiful again, but she retains the hope

that Richard will see the error of his ways.

 

The complicated financial arrangement between George, Mr. Smallweed, and the Bagnets,

which is nearly impossible to understand, reflects both the tangled web of Jarndyce and

Jarndyce as well as the interconnecting threads of the novel's many storylines. We have the

facts, or what seem to be the facts: George once borrowed money from Mr. Bagnet to buy his

shooting gallery; Mr. Bagnet borrowed this money from Mr. Smallweed with the understanding

that George would repay it; and Mr. Smallweed, generally willing to collect interest instead of

demanding repayment, is now demanding payment in full because he's upset that George

wouldn't provide the lodger's handwriting. The vaguer aspects of this situation include the many

references to the “arrangement” George has with Mr. Smallweed; Mr. Smallweed's “friend in the

city,” who may be Richard or who may be no one at all; and George's deep devotion to the

Bagnets. Dickens does not spend much time elaborating on every element of this messy

grouping, and a full understanding of the particulars isn't the point. Instead, we get a clear sense

that characters are linked to each other in complicated ways, that loyalties can be tested, and

that motivations are not always what they seem. The shadowy dealings of Mr. Smallweed and

George's growing desperation add more sinister tones to the developing plot.

 

Esther's confession about Mr. Woodcourt at the end of chapter 35 isn't a complete surprise, but

it is remarkable in that it reveals the skill and agility of Esther's storytelling. Although Esther had

dropped hints earlier in her narrative about her feelings for Mr. Woodcourt, confirming those

feelings here—at the moment when she knows she is no longer beautiful—heightens the

emotional effect. Now we understand, in part, why she never revealed her feelings before—as

the narrator, she knew that she would get smallpox and indulging in romantic speculations and

digressions may therefore have been painful or even irrelevant to her. Only at this point, when

discussing Mr. Woodcourt's heroics and return does Esther finally reveal that he may have

loved her. This confession threatens to be egotistical, since she has just been told what a

valiant hero Mr. Woodcourt is. However, the twist to her confession—that she is happy he never

told her his feelings—stops it from being so. Instead, Esther reveals that she is glad she would

not have to be a “chain” for him to “drag,” assuming he would never love her in her changed

state. This assumption, and her selfless relief that Mr. Woodcourt is free, are moving, even

more so because Esther states her case so briefly and simply, almost as a reluctant

afterthought.

 

Chapters 36–40

 

Summary: Chapter 36, “Chesney Wold” 

Esther, Charley, and Mr. Jarndyce go to Lincolnshire to stay at Mr. Boythorn's house. Esther

cares for Mr. Boythorn's bird while she's there. When she's alone, she looks in a mirror for the

first time and sees her scarred face, barely recognizing herself. She believes her beauty has

entirely disappeared. Esther confesses that she has secretly kept Mr. Woodcourt's flowers. She

decides to keep them still, to remind herself of her former beauty.

 

Esther and Charley stay outdoors all day, to help restore Esther's health. They ride horses

through town and stop to rest at Esther's favorite place in the woods. Though Chesney Wold is

very close, Esther says she never ventured close to it, for no good reason. One day, Esther

spots Lady Dedlock approaching in the woods. Lady Dedlock approaches her and inquires

about her health. Esther is shocked to see Lady Dedlock holding her handkerchief, the one

she'd given to Jenny. Instantly understanding, Esther sends Charley away, and Lady Dedlock

cries and says she is Esther's mother.

 

Lady Dedlock begs for Esther's forgiveness and says that she must continue to keep this secret

for Sir Leicester's sake. Lady Dedlock is overcome with grief and guilt but says they can never

communicate again. Esther asks if the secret is safe, and Lady Dedlock says that Tulkinghorn

may reveal it soon. She tells Esther to confide in Mr. Jarndyce if she wishes. Esther tells us that

Lady Dedlock gives her a letter but says that she'll tell us the contents of the letter another time.

 

Ada arrives at Lincolnshire and has no negative reaction to Esther's changed appearance.

 

Summary: Chapter 37, “Jarndyce and Jarndyce” 

Esther tells no one about Lady Dedlock. One day, Mr. Grubble, the landlord of the public house

Dedlock Arms, summons Esther. When she arrives, she finds Richard there. He is on leave and

has come to check up on his interests in the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Mr. Skimpole is

with him and is glad Richard's involved with the suit. Esther brings Richard to Ada, but she

suspects Richard doesn't love her as he says he does.

 

The next day, Richard tells Esther more about his pursuit of Jarndyce and Jarndyce. He says he

and Mr. Jarndyce have parted ways and that the suit is his one goal now. Ada writes Richard a

letter trying to dissuade him, but to no avail. Esther tries to convince Mr. Skimpole not to support

Richard's goal, since it's irresponsible, but Mr. Skimpole says he can't possibly be responsible.

Later, when Richard goes off to meet someone, Mr. Skimpole says he is going to meet Mr.

Vholes, his legal advisor. Skimpole admits that Vholes paid him to be introduced to Richard.

 

Richard returns with Vholes and introduces him to everyone. Vholes says he does everything

for the sake of his three daughters and his aging father. He and Richard depart so that Richard

can attend to the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case the next day. Ada tells Esther that she'll love

Richard even if the lawsuit ruins him.

 

Summary: Chapter 38, “A Struggle” 

Esther returns to Bleak House in full health and visits London on the pretense of visiting Caddy.

Caddy and Prince Turveydrop live with Mr. Turveydrop, and Mr. Jellyby visits every evening.

Caddy is practicing to be a dancing instructor. There are also several children in the house who

are learning to dance. Esther attends one of the dance practices.

 

Afterward, Esther and Caddy go to see Mr. Guppy, and Esther speaks to him alone. Mr. Guppy

is intent on reminding Esther that she refused his proposal and that he will not renew it. Esther

agrees readily that the proposal is now defunct. Esther then reminds him that when he made the

proposal, he suggested that he could find out information about her background. Esther asks

him to cease all investigation if he hasn't already, and Mr. Guppy agrees to honor her wish.

 

Summary: Chapter 39, “Attorney and Client” 

The narrator describes Mr. Vholes and his small, dark office in Symond's Inn. Mr. Vholes claims

to be a respectable man, fully devoted to his clients and their affairs. Mr. Vholes wholeheartedly

promotes the idea that the backbone of English law is that it must make business for itself. Yet

he convinces Richard that they will make progress in the suit. Richard trusts him completely.

 

Mr. Guppy and Mr. Weevle see Richard on the street, and Mr. Guppy observes that Richard is

now in debt because he wouldn't stay away from the suit. Mr. Guppy then tells Mr. Weevle that

he no longer wishes to find the letters from the now dead Krook. He asks Mr. Weevle to tell him

if there's any chance the letters didn't burn and might be hidden in Krook's shop.

 

Grandfather Smallweed has been coming to the shop every day, searching through Krook's

belongings, but he never finds anything of value. Mr. Guppy and Mr. Weevle go to the shop,

chat briefly with Grandfather Smallweed, then go upstairs to Mr. Weevle's old lodging. Mr.

Tulkinghorn appears. He congratulates Guppy on being able to meet with grand ladies. Guppy

grows red and tells Tulkinghorn that he doesn't have to explain himself. Tulkinghorn leaves.

Guppy admits to Weevle that he's been in communication with a member of the aristocracy, but

that this must end and be forgotten.

 

Summary: Chapter 40, “National and Domestic” 

The narrator discusses the state of England, which is in disarray. Mrs. Rouncewell suspects that

the family may be needed, and she prepares Chesney Wold accordingly. But the house seems

dismal. A groom tells Mrs. Rouncewell that Lady Dedlock is not well. She and Sir Leicester and

a large group of people go to Chesney Wold the next day; people come and go from the house

constantly for the next several weeks. Each day, Volumnia asks Sir Leicester how the country is

doing, and Sir Leicester says “tolerably” and that people are opposed to the government. He

says that the party has incurred great expenses.

 

Volumnia observes that Tulkinghorn must be very busy, but Sir Leicester says he doesn't know

of Tulkinghorn's helping any clients. A servant named Mercury says that Tulkinghorn has arrived

at Chesney Wold. He appears in the room and tells Sir Leicester that he has lost the election.

Tulkinghorn says that Mr. Rouncewell was involved in this election and was running against Sir

Leicester, aided by his son, who is in love with Rosa. Sir Leicester is enraged. He suggests that

Lady Dedlock advise Rosa to stay away from the boy. Tulkinghorn says that the boy will likely

leave Rosa instead, since the family has too much pride.

 

Tulkinghorn then tells a story: He has learned that a man of similar social standing from the

same town as Mr. Rouncewell had a daughter that was favored by an aristocratic woman. This

woman had a secret: she had once been engaged to a captain and had an illegitimate child.

The captain died, but the woman's secret was discovered because she made an impudent

mistake. Her husband was devastated, and the townsman forbade his daughter from spending

any more time with the woman. He took his daughter away.

 

Throughout this tale, Lady Dedlock has sat very still. Tulkinghorn asks her forgiveness for the

painfulness of the story.

 

Analysis: Chapters 36–40 

When Esther looks at herself in the mirror and sees her scarred face for the first time, she

reveals her vulnerability more than at any other point in the novel. Never one to indulge in self-

pity, she plainly observes that even though she had never been beautiful, what little beauty she

had is now gone completely. The simplicity of her statement—“It was all gone now”—is

characteristic of Esther's clear, direct narrative style, but it also reveals how deeply she feels the

loss. No matter how fond others are of her, no amount of affection, love, or respect can alter the

fact that her face has been ruined. Although she goes on once again to count her blessings and

get over her sadness determinedly, this plain statement suggests that there is great pain

beneath Esther's relentless cheerfulness. Her decision to keep Mr. Woodcourt's flowers also

suggests the depth of her sadness. Although she claims to be fully content with her lot in life,

she keeps the flowers to remind her of how she used to look. She may go on with her life

uncomplainingly, but she does not go on without a secret reserve of regret.

 

The revelatory confrontation between Lady Dedlock and Esther brings a secret to the surface,

but their brief encounter focuses on the necessity of protecting that secret still further. Esther

divines Lady Dedlock's secret as soon as she sees the handkerchief and, like Lady Dedlock, is

overcome with violent emotion. Their happiness at finding each other is brief, and the

overarching tone of this encounter is fearful. Esther is unsettled to see Lady Dedlock at her feet,

asking her forgiveness. Lady Dedlock is newly consumed by her own guilt, referring to the “dark

road” she must follow and declaring herself to be “wretched and dishonoring.” Lady Dedlock's

fear of being discovered overshadows any happiness or relief she may feel at finally revealing

her secret. She has just connected with the daughter she thought was dead, and yet she

asserts that they can never meet or talk again. She is almost looking over her shoulder as they

speak, and she and Esther conspire about who suspects their relationship. Both vow to keep

the secret at all costs, and while they can't pursue a public relationship, this secret binds them

together.

 

The narrator's scathing portrayal of Mr. Vholes in chapter 38 indicts the legal system as a self-

perpetuating waste and lawyers as cannibals. The narrator draws an analogy that directly

connects Vholes and his family to “cannibal chiefs” and says, “Make man-eating un-lawful, and

you starve the Vholeses!” The endless Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit is a dream job for

Vholes, since the case will never end and Vholes can extract money from Richard indefinitely.

The narrator is not subtle in his descriptions, leaving no question that Vholes is immoral,

untrustworthy, and dangerous. These views are underscored by the narrator's repetition of the

statement, “Mr. Vholes is a very respectable man.” The more we know about Vholes, the more

sarcastic this statement becomes. Because of men like Vholes, the legal system has ceased to

serve the people and instead serves only the scheming lawyers who want to make themselves

rich.

Chapters 41–45

 

Summary: Chapter 41, “In Mr. Tulkinghorn's Room” 

The narrator says that Mr. Tulkinghorn goes up to his room at Chesney Wold, happy that he told

the story. He steps outside and looks at the stars. Lady Dedlock appears. He tells her that he

felt he had to let her know that he knew her secret, and that only he knows it so far. She tells

him that he was right, and that she knows what will happen to Rosa if her secret is discovered.

She offers to write down details to save Sir Leicester any trouble, but Tulkinghorn says it isn't

necessary. She tells him that her jewels and other valuables are all in their places. Tulkinghorn

doesn't understand what she means, and Lady Dedlock declares that she is leaving Chesney

Wold immediately. He doesn't try to stop her but wants to tell her something first. She tells him

she wants to move toward the window, and Tulkinghorn fears she'll jump out and kill herself. But

she doesn't. He tells her that his only concern in all this is Sir Leicester and that her

disappearance will destroy him and make her secret immediately known to all. Tulkinghorn

suggests that she stay and continue to hide her guilt. He says he will alert her when he must

make the secret known. She leaves his room.

 

Summary: Chapter 42, “In Mr. Tulkinghorn's Chambers” 

The narrator says that Tulkinghorn goes to Lincoln's Inn Fields in London. Snagsby arrives at

his office with some information about Mademoiselle Hortense. He says his wife is very jealous

because Mademoiselle Hortense has been hovering around his shop, determined that someone

should let her in to see Tulkinghorn. Tulkinghorn says to send her to him.

 

He goes to his chambers. The narrator says it is too dark to see the painted Roman on the

ceiling, who points downward. Tulkinghorn unlocks a series of small chests and retrieves a key.

He intends to go to the wine cellar, but there is a knock at his door. It is Mademoiselle Hortense.

She angrily says that she has done what Tulkinghorn wanted—she showed him her dress that

Lady Dedlock wore, she has met “that boy”—and Tulkinghorn says that he paid her. She says

she hasn't spent the money because she is so angry, and she throws it into a corner. She says

that she hates Lady Dedlock and asks Tulkinghorn to find her a new job. If he can't, she offers

to help Tulkinghorn disgrace Lady Dedlock. She says she will keep coming to him until he gives

her what she wants. Tulkinghorn refuses. He says that if she harasses him, she will go to

prison. She leaves, enraged.

 

Summary: Chapter 43, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther studiously avoids mentioning Lady Dedlock, and she does her best not to think about

her. She says it doesn't matter how she struggled not to think about her voice or how she

obsessively looked for Lady Dedlock's name in public.

 

Esther and Ada talk with Mr. Jarndyce about Richard. Mr. Jarndyce no longer seems to hope

that Richard will give up the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Esther reveals that Skimpole has

been encouraging Richard, but Mr. Jarndyce can't be angry because Skimpole is such a child.

Esther also tells him that Skimpole introduced Richard to Vholes for five pounds, but Mr.

Jarndyce is convinced Skimpole didn't mean any harm. They go to London to visit Skimpole,

who lives in a dingy apartment. He is happy to see them and seems characteristically childlike,

which seems to be a relief to Mr. Jarndyce. He tells Skimpole that he mustn't take money from

Richard, but Skimpole says he can't refuse. He says he thought Richard was rich. He also says

he is unable to stop encouraging Richard in the lawsuit, since he understands nothing about it.

Skimpole introduces them to his three daughters and his wife and prepares to go to Bleak

House with the group.

 

Esther observes that she didn't anticipate at this point that something very remarkable was

going to happen by the end of the day.

 

Sir Leicester visits Bleak House unexpectedly. He tells Mr. Jarndyce, Esther, and Ada that he

hopes that they are not under the impression that, because of his feud with Boythorn, they

aren't welcome at Chesney Wold. He says that Mrs. Rouncewell told him that a friend of theirs

named Skimpole was prevented from seeing the family art. Mr. Jarndyce introduces him to

Skimpole, who is in the room. Skimpole says he will visit again. Sir Leicester says he regrets if

there was any confusion about their welcome at Chesney Wold, especially since Lady Dedlock

respects Mr. Jarndyce.

 

Esther decides to tell Mr. Jarndyce her secret. She asks if he remembers Lady Dedlock

speaking of her sister, and that the two women had parted ways. She asks why they separated,

but Mr. Jarndyce claims not to know. But he asks if Esther knows that Boythorn's old lover was

Lady Dedlock's sister. Esther responds that she hadn't known this. Mr. Jarndyce tells her that

this sister and Boythorn separated because of a quarrel she had with Lady Dedlock. She wrote

Boythorn a letter saying she was dead to him, and he never saw her again.

 

Esther is overcome with grief because she believes that she has caused Boythorn's heartbreak.

She tells Mr. Jarndyce that the sister was her caretaker, and Lady Dedlock is her mother. Mr.

Jarndyce comforts her and Esther is deeply grateful to him for his kindness, feeling that she can

never repay him.

 

Summary: Chapter 44, “The Letter and the Answer” 

Mr. Jarndyce tells Esther that she must keep her secret and not tell anyone. Esther says that

besides Tulkinghorn, she worries that Mr. Guppy and Mademoiselle Hortense may have

suspicions. Before Esther leaves his room, Mr. Jarndyce says he has something to say to her,

but that he would rather write it down in a letter. He also says that no matter what happens, he

will never be changed from as he is right now.

 

On the agreed-upon day, Esther sends Charley to get the letter. Esther isn't surprised that it's a

marriage proposal. She believes that this is a way for her to thank him and make him happy,

and the letter makes her happy, but still she cries, feeling as though she has lost something.

She tells herself that she must be cheerful from here on out, because she will be happy for the

rest of her life. She then remembers Mr. Woodcourt's flowers, which she burns in the candle.

 

A few days later, she tells Mr. Jarndyce she has decided to accept the proposal.

 

Summary: Chapter 45, “In Trust” 

When Esther and Ada are walking in the garden, Esther sees Mr. Vholes and Richard enter

Bleak House. Charley retrieves Esther and tells her to go to Mr. Jarndyce, who introduces her to

Vholes. Vholes explains that Richard's finances are a mess, and that Vholes can make no more

advances. He hopes Richard won't have to leave his commission. Vholes wanted to alert Mr.

Jarndyce to Richard's state of affairs.

 

Mr. Jarndyce asks Esther to try to help Richard, and she agrees to go to Deal, where Richard is

stationed. Charley accompanies her, and Ada gives Esther a letter for Richard. Esther visits

Richard without warning. He looks unhealthy and tired and admits that he's having problems.

He says he has left his commission, since he's too much trouble to the authorities. He cares

only for the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit now and won't let Esther protest. He reads Ada's

letter, in which she offers him a small inheritance. Richard is overcome with despair. He then

becomes angry, certain that Mr. Jarndyce had ulterior motives for trying to separate him from

Ada. He says he won't accept Ada's offer but trusts Vholes to keep moving forward with the suit.

He listens to Esther's pleas, but they do no good.

 

On her way back to the hotel, Esther sees a boat landing on the beach with many excited

people gathered around it. Esther recognizes Mr. Woodcourt and rushes away. At the hotel,

Esther chastises herself and writes a note letting him know that she is there. When Mr.

Woodcourt visits her, Esther believes she can see how sorry he is for her because of her

scarred face. Richard arrives, and he and Mr. Woodcourt converse. Later, Esther asks Mr.

Woodcourt if he will befriend Richard and visit him frequently in London. She says she, Ada,

and Mr. Jarndyce will be very grateful. Mr. Woodcourt agrees.

 

Analysis: Chapters 41–45 

Women wield a great deal of power in Bleak House, and one of the only instances of weakness

occurs when Tulkinghorn convinces Lady Dedlock to stay at Chesney Wold in order to protect

her secret. Excepting her emotional discovery of and reunion with her daughter, Lady Dedlock

has always put on a haughty, implacable front. Society looks up to her, and she is the emblem

of what a great lady is supposed to be. When Tulkinghorn makes it clear that he has the power

to destroy her at any time, Lady Dedlock finds herself at someone else's mercy for the first time.

Tulkinghorn recognizes the shock this must be; indeed, when Lady Dedlock requests that they

speak by the window, he worries that she plans to kill herself. Shortly after this scene,

Mademoiselle Hortense attempts to wield her own power over Tulkinghorn. She, of a much

lesser station than Lady Dedlock, isn't so easily thwarted, and when Tulkinghorn threatens her,

she threatens him right back. The fact that Lady Dedlock does give in to Tulkinghorn reveals the

depths to which she has fallen, making the extent of her desperation clear.

 

Esther is the unwitting cause of many people's unhappiness, which is ironic considering her

selfless, generous nature. She is at the heart of Lady Dedlock's secret, the source of much of

her guilt, shame, and regret. She could easily bring about Lady Dedlock's downfall, as well as

Sir Leicester's and the entire Dedlock clan. Because of Esther's birth, the relationship between

Lady Dedlock and her sister, Miss Barbary, was destroyed, as was the relationship between

Miss Barbary and Mr. Boythorn. Esther, who wants nothing but happiness for those she loves,

has indirectly brought about desperation and heartbreak. When she tells her secret to Mr.

Jarndyce, she seems to half expect him to shun her for the havoc she passively wrought.

 

Although Mr. Jarndyce's marriage proposal is rooted in love, it isn't rooted in romantic love, a

distinction that Esther feels intuitively but can't quite articulate. The letter is full of affection and

admiration, and the picture of her future life that Mr. Jarndyce paints for her is happy and

peaceful, but Esther senses that something will still be missing. She tells herself she is happy

with the proposal, but she does so while sobbing. Burning Mr. Woodcourt's flowers seems to be

her acknowledgment that her hope for romantic love, however small, must now be forgotten

forever. Indeed, since Mr. Jarndyce has always been such a father figure for Esther that his

marriage proposal instantly seems troubling, even inappropriate, and their relationship lurches

into complicated new territory. She still calls him “guardian,” and she says her acceptance

“made no difference.” She kisses him, but it seems devoid of passion, and as Esther's narrative

continues, things seem very much as they have always been. She may be the intended

mistress of Bleak House, but at this point her position seems not to have changed at all.

Chapters 46–50

 

Summary: Chapter 46, “Stop him!” 

The narrator says that Tom-all-Alone's is dark and menacing. In a sort of surreal meditation, he

says that Tom is asleep, but that a lot of fuss has been made about him in Parliament, where

people discuss how to get him off the street or what else to do with him. The narrator says that

Tom gets revenge by contaminating everything around him.

 

Morning arrives. Mr. Woodcourt walks around Tom-all-Alone's and sees a woman sitting on a

stoop. He sees a bruise on her forehead and bandages it, then asks if her husband is a

brickmaker because he believes brickmakers are violent. She says her husband will be looking

for her. He asks if she has a baby, and she says no, although her friend Liz has one that she

thinks of as her own.

 

Woodcourt moves on and soon sees a wretched young boy running toward him, whom he

thinks he recognizes. A woman is running after the boy, yelling for someone to stop him.

Woodcourt grabs him, thinking he has stolen the woman's money. When the woman rushes up,

she exclaims excitedly that she has finally found Jo. Jo admits that he once saw Woodcourt

when he spoke about the dead lodger in front of the coroner. Woodcourt asks the woman if Jo

robbed her, and she says no; rather, he has been very kind to her. She says that a woman took

Jo home with her to care of him when he was sick, but that Jo ran away. She says that the

woman then became sick herself and lost her beauty. Woodcourt is speechless.

 

When he recovers, he asks Jo why he left the house. Jo says he never knew a woman had

been caring for him and that he would never have done anything to hurt her. He says someone

took him away, but he won't name the man, fearful that he'll find out since he seems to be

everywhere. Jo says this man gave him money and told him to “move on.” Woodcourt tells Jo

he'll find him a place to hide. Woodcourt and Jo set off.

 

Summary: Chapter 47, “Jo's Will” 

Woodcourt and Jo stop for breakfast, and Woodcourt puts his hand on Jo's chest, telling him to

breathe. He can't breathe easily. Jo then tells Woodcourt about his recent adventures, including

the story about the woman in the veil whom he led to the graveyard. They approach Krook's old

shop. Miss Flite isn't there anymore; Judy Smallweed tells him she now lives with a Mrs. Blinder

in Bell Yard. Woodcourt and Jo find her, and she greets Woodcourt happily. She tells

Woodcourt that Jo can hide with “General George,” and she leads them to George's Shooting

Gallery. Woodcourt tells George that Jo needs a place to hide, since he fears a man who seems

to be everywhere. Woodcourt tells George that the man hunting for Jo is Inspector Bucket.

George responds that Jo is welcome to stay with him and Phil. Woodcourt warns George that Jo

is ill and may not get better. George introduces Jo to Phil, saying that Phil once lived on the

street too. George tells Woodcourt that he is certain that Bucket took Jo to Tulkinghorn when he

scuttled him away from Bleak House. George asserts that Tulkinghorn is a bad person.

 

Woodcourt visits Mr. Snagsby. Snagsby, uneasy, tells Woodcourt to speak quietly so that Mrs.

Snagsby doesn't hear them. Snagsby says that although he's never had a secret, he's always

getting involved in other people's secrets. He says that someone has instructed him not to talk

about Jo. But he agrees to visit Jo.

 

Jo is happy to see Snagsby and asks him to write out the facts of what happened after Jo has

moved on as far as he can go, so that other people know he never meant to cause any harm.

Snagsby agrees. The narrator says that Snagsby and Jo will never meet again.

 

When Woodcourt visits Jo, Jo is worse. Woodcourt leads Jo in a prayer, and Jo soon dies.

 

Summary: Chapter 48, “Closing in” 

The narrator says that the Dedlocks are in their London home, and that Lady Dedlock is, as

usual, still much revered and the center of attention. Tulkinghorn doesn't reveal her secret, and

no one suspects he has any power over her. Meanwhile, Lady Dedlock has decided to

disregard their agreement and take action of her own. She tells Rosa that it's time for her to

leave. Rosa is distraught, but Lady Dedlock has already arranged for Mr. Rouncewell to pick her

up. She goes to tell Sir Leicester that she has dismissed Rosa; Tulkinghorn is with him, and she

tells him to stay. When Mr. Rouncewell arrives, Lady Dedlock announces to him that she has

decided Rosa must leave her. He agrees to take Rosa with him. Rosa comes in, upset, and

Lady Dedlock coldly says goodbye to her.

 

Later, Tulkinghorn speaks to Lady Dedlock alone and tells her she has violated their agreement.

He thinks getting rid of Rosa will raise suspicions. He says that Lady Dedlock's secret is actually

his secret, since he has taken it on to protect Sir Leicester and his family. Lady Dedlock says

she wanted to protect Rosa. Tulkinghorn says he will now proceed of his own accord and that

she will receive no other notice of what he will do. She asks him when he will tell Sir Leicester,

but he won't give her a specific answer. He leaves.

 

The narrator says that Lady Dedlock goes walking in the garden alone that night. Meanwhile,

Tulkinghorn is at home. The narrator describes the nighttime scene, then suddenly asks,

“What's that?” A gunshot has been heard. The narrator says that Tulkinghorn doesn't go to the

window to investigate. He says that the painted Roman on the ceiling, which has always been

pointing aimlessly, is now pointing at Tulkinghorn's dead body—he has been shot through the

heart.

 

Summary: Chapter 49, “Dutiful Friendship” 

The narrator describes Mrs. Bagnet's birthday celebration. Mr. Bagnet prepares an elaborate

dinner and tells Mrs. Bagnet that George will surely visit. She says she fears George may be

about to resume his wandering ways, but Mr. Bagnet disagrees. At dinnertime, George arrives.

He is pale and tells the Bagnets that the young boy he'd taken in has died. Later, Bucket

arrives, saying he spotted George through the window. The Bagnets' two daughters greet him

excitedly, instantly enraptured with him. Mrs. Bagnet tells him that George is upset, but George

won't explain. Mrs. Bagnet asks if Bucket has a family; he has a wife but no children. Bucket

suddenly compliments the Bagnets' backyard and asks if there's any way out of it; there isn't.

 

The Bagnets' son, Woolwich, entertains them with the fife. Bucket continues to be congenial

and warm, livening up the evening immensely, and George begins to like him. When George

eventually gets up to leave, Bucket gets up to leave with him. Before going, Bucket asks Mr.

Bagnet the price of a violoncello and says he'll return tomorrow to look at a few.

 

George and Bucket walk down the street with their arms linked. Suddenly, Bucket roughly

pushes George into a public house and arrests him. George is flabbergasted. Bucket says he is

arrested for the murder of Tulkinghorn, which happened last night. George is horrified to realize

that he was there last night. Bucket says he knows George was often there, that they often

quarreled, and that one time Tulkinghorn called George a “threatening, murderous, dangerous”

man. Bucket says Sir Leicester is offering a reward to anyone who finds the murderer. He puts

handcuffs on George and leads him away.

 

Summary: Chapter 50, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther gets a letter from Caddy, who now has a rather strange-looking baby and is in poor

health. Caddy says that good things always happen to her when she's with Esther. Esther

begins visiting Caddy in London every day. Mr. Jarndyce says they should live in London for a

while so that she can visit more easily. He suggests that Woodcourt become Caddy's doctor,

and Esther agrees. She finally tells Ada she's going to marry Mr. Jarndyce.

 

Esther spends a great deal of time with Caddy, who insists to everyone that she is getting better

even though she is very sick. She actually does begin to get better, however, when Woodcourt

becomes her doctor. Esther sees Woodcourt very often and is certain that he still pities her.

 

She begins to notice a change in Ada and suspects that she's upset about Esther's plans to

marry Mr. Jarndyce.

 

As Caddy recovers, Mr. Jarndyce talks to Esther about how wonderful Woodcourt is and how he

wishes he could make Woodcourt rich. He speculates that Woodcourt may take another trip and

suspects that Woodcourt has been disappointed in some way.

 

One night, Ada begins crying and tells Esther she doesn't know how she can speak to her and

Mr. Jarndyce. Esther, thinking this is because of their impending marriage, assures Ada of their

affection for her and their happily planned future. She notices that Ada falls asleep with one

hand under her pillow.

 

Analysis: Chapters 46–50 

In Bleak House, Dickens gives his characters unusual names that evoke aspects of their

personality or role in the novel. For example, Esther's last name, Summerson, evokes images of

warmth and happiness, both of which aptly describe Esther's interactions with all those around

her. Ada Clare is indeed “clear” in her affections for Richard Carstone, who, like his surname

suggests, is stony and obstinate. Allan Woodcourt “would” indeed “court” Esther. Mr. Snagsby

often finds himself getting “snagged” in other people's messes. The “lock” in the Dedlock name

suggests the secret that Lady Dedlock has kept for so long, and her little-referred-to first name,

Honoria, suggests the core of goodness that exists despite her guilt over her past

transgressions. Skimpole, as his name clearly denotes, “skimps” on money and gets it from

others. Inspector Bucket is a repository of facts and knowledge, as a bucket is a repository of

water. And little Jo is as insignificant in the larger world, just as his diminutive two-letter name

would suggest. Other names are associated with sounds or rhyming words in an equally

evocative manner. Tulkinghorn, for instance, evokes the sneaky word “skulk,” which Tulkinghorn

indeed does as he gathers secrets. The “horn” of his name also suggests his desire or intention

to reveal those secrets. Far from being cloying or pedantic, the names Dickens uses add texture

and humor to the novel and reveal the close attention Dickens pays to every aspect of a

character, however minor.

 

Lady Dedlock dismisses Rosa to protect her from any future disgrace, not because she's

unhappy with her. Rosa has served as a kind of daughter for Lady Dedlock. The kindness and

affection with which she treats Rosa is much different from the haughty, cold manner in which

she treats Mademoiselle Hortense, revealing that she views Rosa quite differently, as more than

just a maid or attendant. Lady Dedlock, not given to warmth or physicality, at one point puts her

hand on Rosa's shoulder, which enrages Mademoiselle Hortense, who was never touched at

all. This demonstrative gesture suggests the maternal instincts buried deep within Lady

Dedlock, which become clear when she emotionally embraces Esther and reveals their

relationship. Even though dismissing Rosa seems to be cruel, it's actually the kindest thing Lady

Dedlock can do. If Rosa is tainted by Lady Dedlock's secret, her chances for a good marriage to

the boy she loves will be ruined. Lady Dedlock could never help, protect, or nurture her own

daughter, and she is perhaps trying to compensate for her past failures by protecting Rosa.

 

Jo's death is a truly bleak moment, and the narrator takes the time to moralize about the

injustice of his death. So few people ever treated Jo with kindness, who was forced to spend his

life moving on from one place to the next, never welcome anywhere. The few times when he is

welcomed end only in trouble or death. Krook's lodger, for example, one of the people who

treated Jo kindly, dies. When Jo is protected in the Bleak House stable, he is taken away in the

middle of the night and forced back out on the street. At George's Shooting Gallery he finds a

safe place from the all-knowing, all-seeing man who he believes is chasing him, but here his

sickness overtakes him. When he dies, the narrator grandly proclaims his death to the world:

“Dead, your Majesty. Dead, my lords and gentlemen. . . . Dead, men and women, born with

Heavenly compassion in your hearts. And dying thus around us every day.” Sarcasm in evident

in these lines: if we are born with compassion, it makes no sense for us to let children die on the

street. The narrator sweeps all of us up in his final statement by using the inclusive “us,”

implicating us in Jo's death, as though we could have taken steps to stop it ourselves.

Chapters 51–55

 

Summary: Chapter 51, “Enlightened” 

Esther tells us that when Mr. Woodcourt arrives in London he goes directly to Symond's Inn to get Richard's address

from Mr. Vholes, just as he promised. Before giving Woodcourt Richard's address, Mr. Vholes insists on telling

Woodcourt about Richard's money problems, how hard he himself is working, and how his purpose is to serve

Richard. He then tells Woodcourt that Richard lives next door.

 

Richard greets Woodcourt warmly. He tells Woodcourt he has done little good lately and that he hopes Woodcourt

will accept him as he is. He vehemently asserts that he's doing his best to look out for Ada's interests, impressing

Woodcourt with his conviction.

 

Esther suggests that she and Ada visit Richard. Ada hesitates, but agrees. Although Esther believes Ada has never

been to Symond's Inn, Ada knows exactly where it is. Richard is reading Jarndyce and Jarndyce documents when

they arrive. He says the suit is going well, but his lack of confidence is painful to Esther. He admits to being

exhausted. Ada then confesses that she and Richard have been secretly married for two months and that she will

stay with him. Esther is filled with pity for Ada and feels foolish for thinking Ada's moodiness was connected to her

marriage to Mr. Jarndyce. Esther goes home sadly, missing Ada, and goes back to Symond's Inn later that night, just

to listen to their voices at the door.

 

Esther tells Mr. Jarndyce about the marriage. He says Bleak House is emptying out, and Esther assures him that she

will remain to keep it cheerful. She says the letter has made no difference to their relationship.

 

Summary: Chapter 52, “Obstinacy” 

Woodcourt arrives at Bleak House and announces that Tulkinghorn was murdered. Esther remembers how much

Lady Dedlock feared him. Woodcourt tells them that George has been accused of the murder. Mr. Jarndyce and

Esther can't believe he did it, but they admit that the facts suggest he did. All three go to see George in prison. Mr.

Jarndyce tells George to get a lawyer, but George refuses. He says he would rather represent himself—knowing he is

innocent—and be hanged than be acquitted by a lawyer who believes he's guilty. The Bagnets arrive. Mrs. Bagnet

insists that George get a lawyer and tells him he's being ridiculous. When Esther rises to leave, George tells her it's

strange, because when he left Tulkinghorn's room on the night of the murder, a woman of the same figure passed

him on the stairs. Esther is shocked.

 

Away from George, Mrs. Bagnet tells Mr. Jarndyce, Woodcourt, and Esther that George has relatives, despite the fact

that he thinks he doesn't. She says they must find his mother and then sets off for Lincolnshire herself.

 

Summary: Chapter 53, “The Track” 

The narrator describes Bucket's habit of moving his forefinger around his face and ears when mulling something

over. Bucket neglects his wife, who is a good detective herself. Only a few people attend Tulkinghorn's funeral, but

there are many empty cars that signify his dead relatives. Bucket meets Mrs. Bucket on the steps of Tulkinghorn's

house, then joins the funeral procession, but he gets out and heads to Sir Leicester's home. He lets himself in with

the key he has been given. The servant, Mercury, gives him a letter that has come for him, one of several that have

come over the past day. It says only “Lady Dedlock,” just as the others had. He walks around the house, comparing

the handwriting to other letters and papers he finds. He decides to tell Sir Leicester tomorrow.

 

Later, Sir Leicester asks Bucket if he has anything to tell him, but Bucket says no. Sir Leicester is distraught over

Tulkinghorn's death. Bucket says he'll have the final pieces of the case figured out very soon.

 

In the hall, Bucket engages Mercury in conversation about Lady Dedlock. She soon comes home and asks Bucket if

he's found out anything else; then she goes upstairs. When she is gone, Bucket slyly gets Mercury to admit that Lady

Dedlock was out walking alone the night of the murder, wearing a fringed veil.

 

Summary: Chapter 54, “Springing a Mine” 

Bucket presents himself to Sir Leicester, locking the door to ensure their privacy. He tells Sir Leicester that the

murderer is not George, but a woman. He prepares Sir Leicester for a shock, telling him he must shoulder it bravely.

He says that Tulkinghorn distrusted Lady Dedlock because he suspected that she had learned about the existence of

her former lover. She had seen some handwriting of his and recognized it. Tulkinghorn suspected Lady Dedlock of

visiting this man's grave after he died, and Bucket had investigated this claim by questioning Mademoiselle Hortense,

whose dress Lady Dedlock had worn, and Jo, who had led her to the grave. Bucket says that on the night of the

murder, Lady Dedlock had gone to Tulkinghorn's room, wearing a veil with fringe.

 

Sir Dedlock is devastated. He asks why Tulkinghorn hadn't told him this information sooner, and Bucket says he had

planned to, once he was ready. There are noises at the door; several people have arrived. Bucket says he fears the

news has gotten out and tells Sir Leicester to just nod at whatever he says. Grandfather Smallweed, Mr. Chadband,

Mrs. Chadband, and Mrs. Snagsby are all admitted inside. Grandfather Smallweed says that Krook was his brother-

in-law, and that after he died, Grandfather Smallweed went through his papers. He found some letters belonging to

Krook's dead lodger, Captain Hawdon, and looked through them before Tulkinghorn got them. They were from the

lodger's lover, Honoria. Grandfather Smallweed says he doesn't know anyone by the name of Honoria. He wants to

know where the letters are and demands that the murder be investigated more thoroughly. Bucket says he will solve

the murder and that he has the letters. He shows them to Smallweed, who asks for money.

 

Mrs. Chadband then reveals that she raised Lady Dedlock's daughter after Lady Dedlock's sister claimed the baby

was dead.

 

Mrs. Snagsby speaks up and claims everyone has wronged her, and she goes through a litany of offenses that have

little grounding in reality. The group leaves.

 

Bucket tells Sir Leicester that he's going to arrest the guilty party immediately. First, though, he calls for

Mademoiselle Hortense. He says that she has been his lodger for several weeks and calls her his “angel.” She says

she has come to see Lady Dedlock, who isn't here. Bucket instructs her to sit on the couch. He then arrests her for

murder. He tells her to stay quiet, but she spews invectives.

 

Bucket explains to Sir Leicester that Mademoiselle Hortense had tried to get Tulkinghorn to help her and that he gave

her some money. She became Bucket's lodger while she continued to harass Tulkinghorn and Snagsby. On the night

he arrested George, Bucket came home and found Mademoiselle Hortense having dinner with Mrs. Bucket,

exaggerating her affection for Mrs. Bucket and her grief over Tulkinghorn. Bucket immediately knew she was guilty,

so he laid a trap. He told Mrs. Bucket what he knew and didn't go back to the house. He and Mrs. Bucket

communicated secretly. Mrs. Bucket kept a constant watch on Mademoiselle Hortense. She discovered that

Mademoiselle Hortense was trying to frame Lady Dedlock for the murder. The letters saying “Lady Dedlock” were all

written by Mademoiselle Hortense.

 

Bucket says that if he had arrested her last night, he wouldn't have gotten the weapon. He says that after the funeral,

Mademoiselle Hortense suggested to Mrs. Bucket that they go into the country for tea. While there, she disappeared

briefly, and Mrs. Bucket suspected she had thrown the weapon into the water. Bucket had the water dragged and

found the gun. He soon leaves with Mademoiselle Hortense.

 

Sir Leicester is very quiet. He looks out the window, then falls to the floor, feeling compassion for Lady Dedlock, not

anger.

 

Summary: Chapter 55, “Flight” 

The narrator relates events that happened before Bucket arrested Mademoiselle Hortense. He says that a chaise

carrying Mrs. Rouncewell and Mrs. Bagnet makes its way from Lincolnshire to London. Mrs. Rouncewell is stunned

because Mrs. Bagnet has figured out that Mrs. Rouncewell is George's mother. Mrs. Bagnet says she knew George's

mother was alive because of the way he talked about her. One day she asked George why he was moody, and

George told her that his mother was Mrs. Rouncewell of Chesney Wold. Mrs. Bagnet tells Mrs. Rouncewell she must

help George prove he's innocent of the murder.

 

At the prison, mother and son reunite. George apologizes for never writing after he left home and being a vagabond,

especially since his brother is so successful. Mrs. Rouncefully forgives him fully. He asks Mrs. Rouncewell not to tell

his brother he has returned, and she reluctantly agrees. George tells them that he's been writing up an account his

role in the Tulkinghorn affair. The two women soon leave.

 

Mrs. Rouncewell goes to the Dedlock home. She finds Lady Dedlock in Tulkinghorn's turret room and tells her that

she's found her son and that he's in prison for Tulkinghorn's muder. She asks for Lady Dedlock's help and tells her

she got a letter last night. She assures Lady Dedlock she told no one about the letter and implores her that if she

knows anything to please reveal it and save George. When Mrs. Rouncewell leaves, Lady Dedlock reads the letter,

which is actually an article about the murder with her name and the word Murderess written underneath.

 

Mr. Guppy is announced. He tells Lady Dedlock that Esther had requested that he not take any further steps in

investigating her past. He then tells her that Tulkinghorn had been working against him and that Guppy found it

difficult not to disobey Esther's wishes. He asks if Lady Dedlock has received any strange visitors this morning, such

as Miss Barbary's former maid or a man carried in a chair, and she says no. Guppy says they were indeed here. He

says he has come to warn her that the letters he thought had been destroyed were not actually destroyed and that

those aforementioned visitors were likely here to try and make money from them. Guppy then leaves.

 

Lady Dedlock understands that her secret is no longer a secret. She leaves a note for Sir Leicester saying that she

didn't murder Tulkinghorn but that she is guilty of everything else. She flees.

 

Analysis: Chapters 51–55 

Ada and Richard's hasty, secret marriage, along with Esther and Mr. Jarndyce's engagement, turns the once-happy

foursome of Bleak House into two awkward pairings. Though Ada and Richard truly love each other, their alliance is

plainly unwise. Richard has reduced himself to debt, a dismal apartment, a relationship with creepy Vholes, and an

unhealthy obsession with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. Ada, young and blooming, is loyal to him but is too

distraught to leave the comfort and warmth of Bleak House. Richard, furthermore, is exhausted and sickly. Esther,

usually willing to celebrate any happiness, feels pity for Ada, crying for her just as she cried for herself when Mr.

Jarndyce had proposed. Both women have loyal partners—romantic in Ada's case and deeply affectionate in Esther's

—but neither partnership promises complete and total satisfaction.

 

Inspector Bucket's elaborate investigation temporarily turns Bleak House into a detective novel. Bucket isn't a very

prominent character until the narrator focuses on him in chapters 53 and 54, when the extent of his knowledge

becomes clear. Canny and determined, Tulkinghorn hired Bucket to investigate Lady Dedlock, who Tulkinghorn

believed had found her former lover. Bucket has amassed a number of clues, secrets, suspects, motives, and

witnesses that seem not only to prove Tulkinghorn's suspicions but also to unmask Lady Dedlock as a murderer.

When Bucket explains what he knows to Sir Leicester, the sprawling pieces of Bleak House—its large group of

characters, their many secrets, and the weaving, disparate storylines—finally seem to come together into a cohesive

whole. We get the sense that Dickens has been revealing clues slowly throughout the hundreds of pages that have

passed so far. When Bucket unexpectedly arrests Mademoiselle Hortense instead of Lady Dedlock, the twist is

surprising but somewhat anticlimactic; the violent murder was simply the crime of a jealous maid rather than a

passionate act of desperation.

 

Mrs. Rouncewell's reunion with George is the second mother-child reunion in the novel, and although the

circumstances of the two reunions seem vastly different, they have many similarities. At first the reunions seem more

different than similar. Unlike Lady Dedlock, Mrs. Rouncewell has always known her child was alive. Unlike Esther,

George knows who his mother is and even where to find her. Yet beneath the surface, there are many similarities.

For example, both mother-child pairs were separated because of shame: Esther was taken from Lady Dedlock

because of the shameful circumstances of her birth, and George separated himself from Mrs. Rouncewell because

he was ashamed of his roving, restless lifestyle. Both Lady Dedlock and Mrs. Rouncewell are also desperate to find

their children, even though Mrs. Rouncewell has searched for years and Lady Dedlock has only recently learned

Esther is alive. The reunions are also similarly emotional, with many tears and pleas for forgiveness. The intensity of

these familial pursuits and reunions reveals the prominence of motherhood as a thematic thread throughout the

novel.

 

Chapters 56–60

 

Summary: Chapter 56, “Pursuit” 

The narrator says that Volumnia finds Sir Leicester sprawled on the floor of the library. She screams, causing a

commotion and bringing servants running to help. Sir Leicester is much weaker and quieter than he was before. He

can barely speak and writes notes to communicate. When he asks about Lady Dedlock, the doctors say she has

gone out and doesn't yet know Sir Leicester is sick. They let Mrs. Rouncewell give Sir Leicester the letter from Lady

Dedlock. Sir Leicester requests Bucket. He tells Bucket that he fully forgives Lady Dedlock and asks him to find her

immediately. Before Bucket leaves, he reassures Mrs. Rouncewell that George will be fine and that her immediate

concern must be attending to Sir Leicester.

 

Bucket first inspects Lady Dedlock's chambers. In a drawer, he finds a white handkerchief with Esther's name on it.

He rushes to George, who tells him Esther's address. When he reaches Esther's home, he shows the letter to Mr.

Jarndyce and says he fears Lady Dedlock is going to kill herself. Bucket says he needs Esther to go with him on his

search, and Mr. Jarndyce gets her. The narrator ruminates on where Lady Dedlock is and then says there is a figure

wearing shabby clothes fleeing near the brick kilns.

 

Summary: Chapter 57, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther tells us that when Mr. Jarndyce wakes her up, she immediately prepares to go with Bucket. Bucket reads her

the letter, and they set off. Bucket asks her a few questions about her relationship with Lady Dedlock and if there is

anyone Lady Dedlock may have confided in. Esther says perhaps Mr. Boythorn. Bucket stops in a police station and

quietly gives instructions to a few men. They continue on their journey. Bucket stops by the water and speaks to

some policemen and sailors, then he inspects what Esther suspects is a person who drowned. They make several

other stops as they go on and eventually head toward Saint Albans. After another stop, where Bucket gets Esther a

cup of tea, he says he's been told that Lady Dedlock passed through there that evening. They head toward Bleak

House. Bucket tells Esther that he took Jo away when she'd been sheltering him in the stable to protect Lady Dedlock

since Jo had been telling too many people about the lady he led to the burial ground.

 

At Bleak House, Bucket asks if Skimpole always stays in the same room when he visits. He tells Esther that Skimpole

had showed him where to find Jo after Bucket had given him some money for the information. Esther feels betrayed

by Skimpole, and Bucket warns her to watch out for people like Skimpole. None of the servants at Bleak House has

seen Lady Dedlock.

 

Bucket and Esther head toward the brickmaker's cottage. There, Esther finds out that Jenny, Liz, and their husbands

live together in a single cottage. Jenny is not there, but they speak to the others. Bucket asserts that he knows a lady

had been there the night before; Jenny's husband is defensive and unresponsive. Esther suspects that Liz wants to

talk to her alone, but there is no way for her to do this. Esther asks where Jenny is, but before Liz can answer, her

husband kicks her. Jenny's husband says she went to London last night. Esther asks if Jenny was home when the

lady visited. Liz asks her husband if she can answer, but her husband threatens her. Jenny's husband says Jenny

was home, and that the lady asked for Esther's handkerchief. Then he says that the lady went one way and Jenny

went the other. He says he isn't sure what time it was, since they don't have a watch. Esther asks how the lady

looked, and Liz said she didn't look well. They leave the cottage.

 

Outside, Bucket tells Esther he's sure Lady Dedlock gave them her watch, since it was strange for Jenny's husband

to mention a watch. He wonders what they gave Lady Dedlock in return and says that if Liz had been alone she

probably would have told them more. Bucket speculates that Lady Dedlock may have sent Jenny to London to see

Esther, but they continue on straight ahead.

 

It's snowing, and the snow slows their journey. Bucket seems to lose some of his confidence and eventually admits

that he has lost the trail. At an inn, Esther faints and is then cared for by the landlady and her daughters. Later, when

they stop again to change horses, Bucket realizes something and says he finally understands. He excitedly orders

the driver to return to London, which shocks Esther. He says he is going to follow Jenny. Esther protests that they

shouldn't abandon Lady Dedlock, but Bucket tells her not to worry.

 

Summary: Chapter 58, “A Wintry Day and Night” 

The narrator says that at the Dedlock town house, people are told that Lady Dedlock has gone to Lincolnshire, but

rumors abound about where she really is and what has happened between her and Sir Leicester. Sir Leicester is still

bedridden. In the morning, he instructs Mrs. Rouncewell to have Lady Dedlock's rooms prepared for her. Mrs.

Rouncewell admits to George that she thinks Lady Dedlock will not be returning to Chesney Wold or anywhere else.

She says that Lady Dedlock told her yesterday that the footsteps on the Ghost's Walk had “almost walked her down.”

 

The narrator describes the abandoned appearance of Lady Dedlock's rooms. Mrs. Rouncewell and George help the

servants light fires and prepare for her return. Volumnia sits with Sir Leicester. When Mrs. Rouncewell returns,

Volumnia praises George, and Mrs. Rouncewell explains to Sir Leicester that George is her long-lost son. Sir

Leicester seems hopeful at the news and asks to see George immediately.

 

George appears and helps arrange Sir Leicester more comfortably in his bed. Sir Leicester tells George he is unwell,

that he has had an attack that “deadens” and “confuses” (most likely a stroke). He tells everyone in the room—

Volumnia, Mrs. Rouncewell, and George—that if he gets worse and becomes unable to communicate, then they

should make it known that his feelings for Lady Dedlock have not changed whatsoever and that he harbors no anger

toward her. After his speech he lays back. George stays with him.

 

The narrator says that the day is coming to an end, but that Sir Leicester is unwilling to admit it. Mrs. Rouncewell

convinces him to rest. He maintains his hopes by thinking that her rooms are prepared for her arrival. Eventually,

everyone goes to bed, except for Mrs. Rouncewell and George. Volumnia can't sleep, worrying that if Sir Leicester

dies she will have no income. George runs into her as he walks around the house and convinces her to go to bed.

 

The morning comes.

 

Summary: Chapter 59, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther tells us that she and Bucket reach London around three in the morning. Esther still fears they've abandoned

Lady Dedlock, but Bucket assures her he has reasons for coming back. As they travel through the winding London

streets, Bucket occasionally stops and meets with others. Finally he says he's tracked the woman down and that they

need to walk for a bit. As they walk down Chancery Lane, they cross paths with Mr. Woodcourt, and he joins them.

Woodcourt says he has been with Richard, who is not well.

 

They arrive at Mr. Snagsby's and hear a girl sobbing. Bucket says it's the Snagsbys' servant, Guster, and that he

needs information from her. He asks Woodcourt to try to calm her down so that Bucket can get a letter he needs. Mr.

Snagsby lets them in and introduces them to Mrs. Snagsby. Woodcourt and Snagsby go to see Guster. Bucket

chastises Mrs. Snagsby for being so jealous and suspicious. Woodcourt returns with the letter, and Bucket asks

Esther whose writing it is. She says it's Lady Dedlock's. The letter says she went to the cottage and got help from

Jenny, and that her only purpose is to die.

 

Esther asks Guster how she got the letter. Guster says she had been running errands when a woman stopped her,

asking the way to the burial ground. Guster says it was the burial ground in which Krook's lodger was buried. The

lady gave Guster a letter and instructed her to send it.

 

They leave the Snagsbys' house and rush to the burial ground. Esther is numb and confused. At the gate to the burial

ground, she sees a woman on the ground, who she thinks is Jenny. She starts to run toward her, but Bucket stops

her, telling her that he suspects Lady Dedlock and Jenny traded clothes and that Jenny walked only a short distance

before turning around and going home. The purpose was to deceive. Esther doesn't understand what all this means.

She goes to the woman and sees that it is Lady Dedlock, dead.

 

Summary: Chapter 60, “Perspective” 

Esther says that she doesn't want to discuss her sadness too much and that she will move on in her story. She says

that she becomes briefly sick in London and that Mrs. Woodcourt stays with them for a while. Mr. Jarndyce suggests

they stay in London so that Esther can be closer to Ada. Esther asks if he sees Woodcourt, and Mr. Jarndyce says he

sees him every day. Mr. Jarndyce wants to stay in London so that he can get news of Richard more easily, since

Richard won't speak to him. Mr. Jarndyce asks Esther if she likes Mrs. Woodcourt, and Esther answers that she

does. Mr. Jarndyce asks if she has any objections to Mrs. Woodcourt's staying with them, and even though Esther

says she doesn't, she is unsettled without really knowing why. Mr. Jarndyce tells Esther that Mr. Woodcourt will

probably not be leaving the country and may instead take up a position in Yorkshire.

 

Esther visits Ada every day. She sometimes sees Richard, and he is much changed. Esther understands that Vholes

is taking all of Richard's money. She suspects Ada doesn't understand that Richard is destroying himself. During one

visit, Miss Flite is just leaving when Esther arrives. Miss Flite says she doesn't like Vholes and that she has made

Richard the executor of her estate, since he is at Chancery so much. She had planned to appoint Gridley, but he had

died. Vholes joins Esther, Ada, and Richard for dinner. When Richard and Ada are out of the room, Vholes tells

Esther he thinks Richard and Ada's marriage was unwise and that Richard and his interests are doing very poorly.

When Vholes leaves after dinner, Richard overpraises him, which makes Esther think that he has actually begun to

doubt Vholes.

 

Mr. Woodcourt arrives, and he and Richard go for a walk. Ada tells Esther that when she married Richard, she knew

what she was getting into but hoped she could change him. She says that she has been determined not to make him

any unhappier than he already was. She also reveals that she's pregnant. She has hoped that the baby will save

Richard, but now she is afraid that Richard will die before the baby is born.

 

Analysis: Chapters 56–60 

Lady Dedlock is Sir Leicester's greatest weakness, and the revelation of her secret personal history is enough to

nearly destroy him. Bombastic, influential Sir Leicester collapses when he learns Lady Dedlock's secret, losing his

ability to move and speak after suffering what appears to be a stroke. Suddenly bedridden, he is dependent on his

subordinates to care for him and understand him. Although there are many tragedies in Bleak House, Jo's death

among them, the fall of Sir Leicester may be the most affecting. We may see it as a tragedy caused by love: Lady

Dedlock hid her secret to protect Sir Leicester and then fled to escape the wrath she expected, while Sir Leicester

forgives her easily and fully despite her transgressions. He never has the chance to prove the depth of his devotion,

nor does Lady Dedlock ever have the opportunity to see it. Their partnership has never been an obviously warm one,

thanks in part to Lady Dedlock's carefully maintained haughtiness, but the tragic fall of Sir Leicester shows that there

was passion in their marriage after all.

 

Esther and Bucket's frantic nighttime pursuit of Lady Dedlock ratchets up the suspense of the novel, and Dickens

skillfully raises the tension by switching between his two narrators more frequently than usual. The third-person

narrator narrates chapter 56, describing Sir Leicester's sad state and then following Bucket as he calls for Esther in

the middle of the night. Esther takes over the narration in chapter 57, and she leads us on their fast, feverish journey.

The chapter ends in a rush, with Bucket making the unexpected decision to return to London. The third-person

narrator takes over again in chapter 58, removing us from the nighttime journey and taking us back to Sir Leicester,

who is waiting earnestly in his bed for news. In chapter 59, we're back out in the cold with Esther as the search

continues and finally ends. This quick back-and-forth, which jerks us in and out of the action of the search, increases

the suspense of the journey and raises the stakes. Esther is not the only one frantic to find Lady Dedlock; Sir

Leicester, who has prepared Lady Dedlock's rooms and lit the fires, is perhaps even more desperate than she is.

Dickens's use of two narrators in these chapters is perhaps more affecting than at any other point in the novel.

 

Esther demonstrates a remarkable control over her narrative in chapters 59 and 60, proving once again that she is an

agile storyteller and a confident guide through this sordid, bulky tale. Although she is narrating Bleak House from a

point seven years in the future, she withholds information and feigns ignorance when doing so increases the dramatic

effect. We've seen her do this with her feelings for Woodcourt, which increased the poignancy of Mr. Jarndyce's

proposal. In this section, when Esther, Bucket, and Woodcourt finally find the woman they've been pursuing, who

Esther believes is Jenny, she tells us she doesn't understand what Bucket is getting at when he explains that Jenny

and Lady Dedlock switched clothes. When Esther sees that the woman is actually Lady Dedlock's body, we share her

shock. She has successfully drawn us into her own disoriented confusion to make the story more intriguing.

 

Chapters 61–67

 

Summary: Chapter 61, “A Discovery” 

Esther says that she can never forget the days when she visited Ada. She says she visits every day and often finds

Skimpole there. She decides to confront him about his perpetual gaiety, which she feels is inappropriate given Ada's

dismal situation. When she does, however, he says there's no way he can understand such worldly affairs. With

twisted logic, he says he doesn't want to give anyone pain, and so he'll stay away from Ada and Richard. Esther then

confronts him about the fact that he took money to show Bucket where Jo was hiding. She tells Skimpole he betrayed

Mr. Jarndyce. Skimpole says he can't be bribed and gives Esther a lengthy explanation of what happened. Esther

never sees Skimpole again, but she tells us that he died five years after these events and that he had published a

book about his life, in which he says that Mr. Jarndyce is selfish.

 

Esther says she will now tell part of her story that she found quite unexpected. Richard is getting worse, distracted

only by Woodcourt. Woodcourt walks Esther home one night and confesses that he still loves her. Even though

Esther had thought he'd pitied her, he'd actually been looking at her with love. Esther thinks Woodcourt is too late,

and she explains that she is to marry Mr. Jarndyce. She says she will always remember his love for her and that it will

make feel her better. Esther cries when he leaves, but she feels that she'll be able to go move on more easily than

Woodcourt.

 

Summary: Chapter 62, “Another Discovery” 

Esther says she avoids everyone that night. The next day she asks Mr. Jarndyce if she has neglected any of her

duties since she finds it strange that they haven't spoken of their marriage. Mr. Jarndyce suggests they marry in a

month, and Esther agrees.

 

Bucket arrives with Smallweed. He tells Mr. Jarndyce and Esther that Smallweed inherited Krook's property and

found a Jarndyce will. Bucket says he convinced Smallweed to come forward with the will and assured him that he'd

be rewarded. Smallweed gives the will to Bucket, who gives it to Mr. Jarndyce. Mr. Jarndyce assures Smallweed he'll

reward him for it if it proves to have any worth. Smallweed and Bucket leave, and Mr. Jarndyce and Esther go to

Lincoln's Inn to see Mr. Kenge. Kenge studies the will and says it's dated later than any other will under consideration

in the suit. Kenge says that it decreases Mr. Jarndyce's share but that it raises Ada's and Richard's shares. Vholes

appears, reads the will, and agrees it's important. Kenge says the case will be up again next month.

 

Summary: Chapter 63, “Steel and Iron” 

The narrator says that George's Shooting Gallery is closed now and that George lives at Chesney Wold. George

rides into the iron country and seeks out the Rouncewells, who are well known in the town. A workman points George

in the right direction to the Rouncewells' factory. When George reaches the factory, he meets his brother's son, who

leads George to his brother. He doesn't immediately identify himself, but his brother quickly recognizes him. His

brother says they must celebrate their reunion and that a celebration has already been planned for his son Watt, who

is going to be married. George accompanies them to their house and meets his nieces and Rosa.

 

The next day, the brother tells George how he might join the business, but George asks him to promise that he'll get

Mrs. Rouncewell to remove George from her will. He doesn't want his brother's and nieces' inheritance to be reduced

because of him, a wayward son. His brother refuses and says his mother will never agree. George assures him that

their fortunes will not be reduced and that he'll give up any part of the will he receives. He also says he can't join the

iron business.

 

Before George leaves, he asks his brother to read a letter he's written. It's to Esther, and it explains that he received

a letter from Bucket that had been addressed to him by “a certain person” and was found among this certain person's

papers. He wants Esther to know that the letter was a list of instructions from overseas about how he should go about

sending a letter, which had been enclosed, to a young woman in England. George says that he gave up the letter

because he thought it was needed only as a handwriting sample and that he never meant to cause any harm. George

also says that if he'd known “a certain unfortunate gentleman” was alive, he would have helped him, but this person

had been reported drowned.

 

George sends the letter and returns to Chesney Wold.

 

Summary: Chapter 64, “Esther's Narrative” 

Esther says that Mr. Jarndyce gives her some money for her to begin planning the wedding, which she wants to be

very private. She tells Mrs. Woodcourt she's getting married, and Mrs. Woodcourt approves. Esther feels some hope

for the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit, and she understands that the marriage won't take place until after the case

next appears in court.

 

Mr. Jarndyce goes to Yorkshire to help Woodcourt with some business. He writes Esther a letter and tells her to meet

him in the country, giving her all the travel details. Esther reflects that she speculated on what he wanted, but that she

never even came close to being right. When she arrives at the hotel, Mr. Jarndyce tells her that he bought Woodcourt

a house out of gratitude for all he's done for them and that he needs her help in fixing it up. In tears, Esther agrees.

She cries more later that night, hoping that she is crying out of happiness.

 

The next day, Mr. Jarndyce takes Esther to the house. The gardens are laid out exactly like the gardens at Bleak

House, and the inside of the house reflects all of Esther's tastes and habits. Then he shows her the name of the

house: Bleak House. He sits her down and explains that even though he'd always intended to marry her and was

happy that she'd agreed to marry him, he suspected their marriage wouldn't really make her happy. He says that he

understood this fully when Mr. Woodcourt returned. He says that he has once again resumed his role as her guardian

and father. He says that Woodcourt confessed his feelings for Esther to him, not knowing that Mr. Jarndyce had

already proposed. To prove Esther's virtue, Mr. Jarndyce confided in Mrs. Woodcourt that he knew Esther would

marry Mr. Jarndyce anyway, despite the fact that she loved Mr. Woodcourt. He'd asked Mrs. Woodcourt to observe

Esther to see if this was true.

 

Mr. Jarndyce says that he knew Mr. Woodcourt would confess his feelings to Esther and had even agreed he should.

He was surprised and pleased by Esther's response to Woodcourt. Woodcourt appears, and Mr. Jarndyce gives

Esther to him, telling them never to thank him.

 

The next day, Woodcourt makes the announcement to Ada and Richard, while Esther stays home with Mr. Jarndyce.

While they'd been away, Guppy had called three times, and Esther tells Mr. Jarndyce that Guppy had proposed and

then rescinded it. Guppy arrives again with his mother and Mr. Weevle. Guppy renews his proposal, thinking himself

highly magnanimous. Mr. Jarndyce, laughing, rejects it on Esther's behalf and dismisses the visitors.

 

Summary: Chapter 65, “Beginning the World” 

Esther tells us that the term begins, and the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case comes up. On her way to court, Esther

sees Caddy in a carriage and stops to talk. They are late for court, and there's much commotion when they finally

arrive because Jarndyce and Jarndyce has ended for good. When they see Mr. Kenge and Mr. Vholes, they find out

that the entire estate has been used up in legal costs. Woodcourt goes to see Richard, and Esther goes home to tell

Mr. Jarndyce what has happened. Then they join Woodcourt at Richard and Ada's.

 

When they arrive, they find out that Woodcourt had found Richard at the court, nearly unconscious in a corner. He

tried to yell at the judge but had a mouth full of blood. Now at home, he is lying on the couch. Although all of them talk

about the future, Esther knows he will die. Richard says he wants to see Woodcourt and Esther's house and that he

must “begin the world.” Then he dies. Later, Miss Flite comes over and tells Esther that she has freed all of her birds.

 

Summary: Chapter 66, “Down in Lincolnshire” 

The narrator says that Chesney Wold is now very quiet. Sir Leicester is still alive, but very sick. The feud with

Boythorn still continues, but Boythorn now does it as a way of cheering Sir Leicester up. Phil now lives in a lodge on

the grounds, maintaining the stables. Mrs. Rouncewell and George still care for Sir Leicester. There are visitors,

including Bagnet. Much of the house is closed. Volumnia is still there, but the other cousins come only rarely. The

house is so quiet and dismal that people are afraid to walk in it alone.

 

Summary: Chapter 67, “The Close of Esther's Narrative” 

Esther says that she has been married for seven years now. She says that her story is nearly over and that she'll

soon separate from the “unknown friend” she's been writing to. She says that Ada stays with her for many weeks with

her baby boy and that the baby helped Ada to heal. Esther herself has two daughters. She tells us about other people

in her life, including Charley, who is married; Charley's siblings, Emma, who is now her maid, and Tom, who's been

apprenticed to the miller; and Caddy, who is successful and a good mother. Esther and Woodcourt added a Growlery

to their house for Mr. Jarndyce, but she says that the wind is never in the east now. Esther says that Woodcourt is a

successful doctor and that she's respected as a doctor's wife.

 

Esther says that recently she looked in the mirror and told Woodcourt she couldn't imagine him loving her any more

than he does, even if she were still beautiful. He says she is more beautiful than ever. She says she isn't sure of this,

but that everyone around her is beautiful. She ends her story in the middle of a sentence, beginning to speculate on

something that she never articulates.

 

Analysis: Chapters 61–67 

The insidious, endlessly droning Chancery suit comes to a somewhat abrupt ending in chapter 65, rendering even

more absurd the generations of people who have sacrificed their lives for it. Just like that, Jarndyce and Jarndyce

ends in its ridiculous, anticlimactic way, but it claims one final victim before dissolving. Strangely, Richard dies

immediately after the suit ends, as though the suit had been his lifeblood or as if he and the lawsuit had been one and

the same. Indeed, the abundance of cannibalistic images of Mr. Vholes suggests that the suit and Richard existed in

a kind of reciprocal life-giving relationship. Once the final will is discovered, both the suit and Richard dissolve.

Dickens concludes the novel shortly after the suit ends, suggesting that the Jarndyce and Jarndyce suit serves as a

kind of structural backbone to the story.

 

Esther's happy conclusion stands in stark contrast to the dismal conclusion of the narrator's portion of the novel, in

which he describes hollow, creepy Chesney Wold and the eclectic collection of people who populate it. Whereas the

two Bleak Houses are lively, full of children, friends, and love, Chesney Wold is so desolate that people are afraid to

walk through its rooms alone. While the two Bleak Houses restore happiness to the grieving Ada, Chesney Wold

drives a maid to depression and, eventually, sudden departure. Even the people themselves in each world fall on

vastly different sides of the divide between life and death. The Bleak Houses shelter those who are young and robust,

while Chesney Wold contains more than its share of the infirm. There is Sir Leicester, who never fully recovered from

his ailments; Phil, the crippled former soldier; Boythorn, nearby, with his eternally broken heart; Volumnia, fading from

her coquettish glory; and, occasionally, a collection of dispirited cousins. Only Mrs. Rouncewell and George seem to

hold much peace or vibrant energy. A true path of victims concludes the novel, a result of the narrative drive to reach

the conclusion of Bleak House.

 

Even though Richard's death darkens the final portions of Bleak House, Esther's narrative ends rather happily with a

wedding and a birth among Esther's close, nurturing circle. A series of surprises brings Esther and Woodcourt

together and reveals that people have been conspiring behind Esther's back to ensure her happiness. While the

transition of Mr. Jarndyce from guardian/father to intended husband and back to guardian/father may make modern

readers a bit queasy, the notions of loyalty, steadfastness, and devotion are the only issues at play here. Ada gives

birth to a son, who revives his mother in the way Ada hoped he would revive Richard. Along with Esther's two

daughters, the baby boy, named Richard, form a trio that mirrors the trio of Esther, Ada, and Richard, who arrived at

Bleak House so long ago. The new Bleak House is, in a sense, an offspring as well. The “birth” of this new Bleak

House and the births of children who inhabit both houses provide a sense of renewal and new beginnings after

hundreds of pages filled with so much despair.

Important Quotations Explained

 

1. I have a great deal of difficulty in beginning to write my portion of these pages, for I know I am not clever.

These words, which form the first sentence of chapter 3, “A Progress,” are the first words of

Esther's narrative, the first we hear of her voice. There are two remarkable elements to this

quotation. First, Esther seems to be aware that she is telling this story in tandem with someone

else. She says that these pages will be “my portion,” suggesting that she knows that the tale is

not entirely hers. Although Esther never refers to the third-person narrator with whom she

shares the telling of Bleak House, she is aware of him, and she goes on to tell her story with the

understanding that someone else will flesh out the names, places, and events that she refers to

from her limited, first-person perspective. 

Esther says she knows she is “not clever,” but this assertion alerts us to the fact that she is

indeed clever and will tell the story in a skillful way. Even though the beginning of her narration

does seem to lack the finesse and dramatic touches that characterize her later chapters, her

claim to be “not clever” quickly shows itself to be false. Esther has an intuitive, compassionate

way of interacting with the world, and as we get to know her, we see that, at times, she knows

more than she lets on. This quotation, rather than telling us that our narrator isn't smart, tells us

that our narrator perhaps isn't fully reliable. We can trust Esther to tell the full story, but, as we

will see as the novel progresses, she will tell us the story on her own terms, deciding for herself

what to reveal and when to reveal it.

2. They appear to take as little note of one another, as any two people, enclosed within the same walls, could. But whether each evermore watches and suspects the other, evermore mistrustful of some great reservation; whether each is evermore prepared at all points for the other, and never to be taken unawares; what each would give to know how much the other knows—all this is hidden, for the time, in their own hearts.

In this passage, which concludes chapter 12, “On the Watch,” the narrator describes the uneasy relationship between

Lady Dedlock and Mr. Tulkinghorn. Tulkinghorn, Sir Leicester's lawyer, is a frequent visitor at Chesney Wold, and he

is accustomed to Lady Dedlock's haughty, constant boredom and lack of interest in everyone and everything around

her. When Lady Dedlock's interest is piqued by a handwritten document Tulkinghorn brought over one night, he

investigates who the writer was and finds him to be a destitute, nameless stranger who had died in his lodgings.

Tulkinghorn makes no connection between this stranger and Lady Dedlock, and, when he tells her what he found,

she seems to care for the story only as a momentary escape from her endless boredom. The whole incident seems

unremarkable and unimportant. However, the narrator lets us know that there is something going on when, in this

quotation, he describes the watchful tension between Tulkinghorn and Lady Dedlock. 

When the narrator refers to the questions that are “hidden . . . in their own hearts,” he reveals one of the most

important motifs of the novel: secrets. Secrets are everywhere in Bleak House, and the concern Lady Dedlock and

Tulkinghorn share—of who knows what—will drive much of the action. Characters go to great lengths to keep their

secrets hidden. As this quotation reveals, Tulkinghorn and Lady Dedlock successfully disguise their watchfulness of

each other as indifference; the only reason we know they are watchful is that the narrator tells us. Simply observing

their interactions doesn't reveal much. This quotation is significant because it alerts us that there is a lot going on

beneath the surface of this genteel, rigidly structured world.

3. It was grand to see how the wind awoke, and bent the trees, and drove the rain before it like a cloud of smoke; and to hear the solemn thunder, and to see the lightning; and while thinking with awe of the tremendous powers by which our little lives are encompassed, to consider how beneficent they are, and how upon the smallest flower and leaf there was already a freshness poured from all this seeming rage, which seemed to make creation new again.

This quotation appears in chapter 18, “Lady Dedlock,” one week after Esther saw Lady Dedlock for the first time and

felt a strange connection to her. Esther, Ada, and Mr. Jarndyce, who are visiting Mr. Boythorn in Lincolnshire, wait out

a violent storm in a keeper's lodge, and Esther makes these observations as she looks out from the doorway. This is

not the first time Esther has contemplated that she has benefited from the kindness of others or even from

“tremendous powers,” but the placement of this particular meditation is significant since it follows her first sighting of

Lady Dedlock. The storm seems to be significantly timed, as if the seeing Lady Dedlock for the first time shook the

world itself. The storm suggests a disruption or a disturbance, mirroring in larger form the violent beating of Esther's

heart when she spotted Lady Dedlock in the church. Although Esther's observations are idle and content, there is an

element of suspense, even foreboding, to the storm. 

Immediately after Esther makes these observations, Lady Dedlock speaks to the group—unbeknownst to them, she

had been in the lodge as well. She greets Esther indifferently and seems to ignore her, but her coldness takes on

new meaning when we eventually discover Lady Dedlock's secret. Indeed, it is the discovery of this secret along with

the violent events that follow it that will ultimately shape Esther's life most dramatically.

4. And now I come to a part of my story, touching myself very nearly indeed, and for which I was quite unprepared when the circumstance occurred. . . . I have suppressed none of my many weaknesses on that subject, but have written them as faithfully as my memory has recalled them. And I hope to do so, and mean to do so, the same down to the last words of these pages: which I see now, not so very far before me.

This quotation appears in chapter 61, “A Discovery,” just before Esther finds out that Woodcourt still loves her. Esther

has been a thorough narrator, telling us easily and vividly about Richard, Ada, Mr. Jarndyce, and a handful of other

characters. However, she is less confident and detailed when discussing the matters that are most difficult for her to

acknowledge to herself, such as her love for Mr. Woodcourt and the scarring of her face. On these issues, she is

vague at best; when she does give details, she seems to do so reluctantly. In this quotation, she seems to brace

herself for what's to come, since it is something very personal and even painful for her to recall. She makes a

resolution: she will render the events faithfully to the end. She also seems to give herself a pep talk: her story is

nearing an end; there isn't far to go; she needs to buckle down and narrate faithfully.

5. Thus Chesney Wold. With so much of itself abandoned to darkness and vacancy; with so little change under the summer shining or the wintry lowering; so sombre and motionless always . . . ; passion and pride, even to the stranger's eye, have died away from the place in Lincolnshire, and yielded it to dull repose.

This quotation concludes chapter 66, “Down in Lincolnshire,” as well as the third-person narrator's portion of the

novel. In the paragraph that precedes this quotation, the narrator tells us that Chesney Wold is so desolate that

people are afraid to walk in it by themselves and that a maid became so depressed that she couldn't stay there. Here,

the narrator concludes his description of Chesney Wold's deathlike state. When he says simply “Thus Chesney

Wold,” he seems to dismiss the home from all chance of hope or revival: it is this way now, and it will be this way

forever. The narrator personifies the house to some extent, calling it “abandoned,” “sombre,” and “motionless” and

says that it is in “repose.” This strategy is also a way for the narrator to step back from the story he's been telling and

sum up the fates of all those who once lived here. By not focusing in on one particular person, the narrator seems to

suggest that the inhabitants of Chesney Wold have all become rather ghostlike themselves, rattling around the

empty, echoing rooms without much purpose. 

The “passion and pride” the narrator refers to connect most poignantly to Sir Leicester. A great, indomitable man, Sir

Leicester was finally destroyed by the loss of Lady Dedlock. He fought it to the last and hoped she'd return, but to no

avail. He is a changed, weakened man, who, like Chesney Wold itself, has been abandoned and exists in the same

listless state throughout summer and winter. The conclusion of the narrator's tale is grim, and, as Esther resumes her

tale in chapter 67 by discussing how happy she and Bleak House are, Chesney Wold seems to fade and finally

disappear completely.

Key Facts

 

FULL TITLE · Bleak House

 

AUTHOR · Charles Dickens

 

TYPE OF WORK · Novel

 

GENRE · Fiction

 

LANGUAGE · English

 

TIME AND PLACE WRITTEN · London, 1852–1853

 

DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION · First installment of serial, March 1852

 

PUBLISHER · Bradbury & Evans, 1853

 

NARRATOR · Esther Summerson and a third-person narrator

 

POINT OF VIEW · In Esther's sections, the point of view is first person. In the narrator's sections, the point of view is

third person.

 

TONE · Satirical, mysterious, compassionate

 

TENSE · Esther's sections are in the past tense, as she narrates from a point seven years after the events of the novel

take place. The third-person narrator's sections are in the present tense.

 

SETTING (TIME) · Mid-nineteenth century

 

SETTING (PLACE) · England, primarily Lincolnshire and London

 

PROTAGONIST · Esther Summerson

 

MAJOR CONFLICT · There are several storylines in Bleak House, each with its own conflict, but the main conflict that

joins the storylines together is Tulkinghorn's investigation into Lady Dedlock's past.

 

RISING ACTION · Lady Dedlock must protect the secret of her past when elements of her past resurface. When

Tulkinghorn is murdered, Inspector Bucket must determine who did it.

 

CLIMAX · There are several climaxes in the novel. Most significant are Lady Dedlock's realization that Esther is her

daughter in chapter 29 and Mademoiselle Hortense's arrest in chapter 54.

 

FALLING ACTION · After Mademoiselle Hortense is arrested, Inspector Bucket explains the path that led him to his

dramatic conclusion. After Lady Dedlock is found dead, Sir Leicester carries on in a broken state at Chesney Wold,

while Esther describes the happy life she leads at the new Bleak House.

 

THEMES · The search for love; the importance and danger of passion; the ambiguous definition of mother

 

MOTIFS · Secrets; suicide; children

 

SYMBOLS · The east wind; Miss Flite's birds; Mr. Woodcourt's flowers

 

FORESHADOWING · There are many instances of foreshadowing in Esther's narrative as she looks back on the events

after they have already occurred. For example, in chapter 17, Esther says she doesn't understand why Mr. Jarndyce

looks so upset when she calls him “father” and that she wouldn't understand for “many and many a day.” In chapter

29, the narrator suggests that Lady Dedlock fears Tulkinghorn, which does indeed prove to be the case. In chapter

45, Esther laments—“ah, poor poor fellow!”—when she discusses Richard, foreshadowing his eventual death.