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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Damn, Dickens takes some time to read (man was wordy), but he is so worth it.
Review originally posted on Reading Autistically.
I decided at the start of the year that it was about darn time that I finally got to some more Dickens, or, you know, all of the Dickens. I'd previously read a few of his novels and enjoyed them very much but decided that reading them all, in publication order, was the way to actually get around to reading the rest. This, his third novel, was my latest read in that endeavor.
Though it took me a week and a half to get through this chunker of a book it was hugely enjoyable, the man was wordy as heck but he could write a cracker of a story. Going in, I had no idea at all what it was about, it's one of the Dickens stories that I had no prior knowledge of whatsoever, and it was a lot of fun watching the story unfold. This novel follows the adventures of the eponymous Nicholas Nickleby as he makes his way in life after the death of his father, hampered by the best efforts of his villainous uncle, Ralph.
Along the way we meet an array of fantastic characters, a real strength of Dickens is his ability to create interesting and eccentric characters in their multitudes with fantastic names to boot (Lord Verisopht was my favourite name in this one, made me laugh out loud the first time I read it). From the vile school master Squeers and the thoroughly detestable Sir Mulberry Hawk (who really needed to die in a hole), through the wonderfully funny Crummleses and Mantalinis, and to the thoroughly lovely cinnamon rolls that are the Cheeryble brothers and John Browdie, I fell in love (or hate) with them all.
This was far less episodic than the earlier Pickwick Papers, but was still a little bit so, and there are a few things that are a little too much of a convience and coincidence, but it was never to the point of it effecting my enjoyment. Overall another cracker from Mr Dickens, one of my favourites from him so far.
Review originally posted on Reading Autistically.
I decided at the start of the year that it was about darn time that I finally got to some more Dickens, or, you know, all of the Dickens. I'd previously read a few of his novels and enjoyed them very much but decided that reading them all, in publication order, was the way to actually get around to reading the rest. This, his third novel, was my latest read in that endeavor.
Though it took me a week and a half to get through this chunker of a book it was hugely enjoyable, the man was wordy as heck but he could write a cracker of a story. Going in, I had no idea at all what it was about, it's one of the Dickens stories that I had no prior knowledge of whatsoever, and it was a lot of fun watching the story unfold. This novel follows the adventures of the eponymous Nicholas Nickleby as he makes his way in life after the death of his father, hampered by the best efforts of his villainous uncle, Ralph.
Along the way we meet an array of fantastic characters, a real strength of Dickens is his ability to create interesting and eccentric characters in their multitudes with fantastic names to boot (Lord Verisopht was my favourite name in this one, made me laugh out loud the first time I read it). From the vile school master Squeers and the thoroughly detestable Sir Mulberry Hawk (who really needed to die in a hole), through the wonderfully funny Crummleses and Mantalinis, and to the thoroughly lovely cinnamon rolls that are the Cheeryble brothers and John Browdie, I fell in love (or hate) with them all.
This was far less episodic than the earlier Pickwick Papers, but was still a little bit so, and there are a few things that are a little too much of a convience and coincidence, but it was never to the point of it effecting my enjoyment. Overall another cracker from Mr Dickens, one of my favourites from him so far.
*minor spoilers alert*
I have read at least five novels by Dickens and only two of them with a rather different formula compared with the others, namely “Great Expectations” and “The Christmas Books”. Nicholas Nickleby, unfortunately, is included in the "standard" category.
Similarities with “David Copperfield” can be felt, although of course Nicholas Nickleby is not an extensive bildungsroman. However, again it's about the life struggle of a young lad in facing the hard life in London during the 19th century. Unlike David, Nicholas was luckier, since although he was poor and with no father, he still had his mom and a sister.
Nicholas' story was started when his father died and his family were forced to asked for help from their uncle, Ralph Nickleby. Ralph was a successful businessmen known for his hard attitude and a bit an antisocial. He was not softened when he met his nephew & niece. In fact, his first encounter with Nicholas made them sworn enemies.
In urgent need for money, Nicholas received his uncle's offer to work as a headmaster's assistant in a school for boys in Yorkshire. Kate, his sister, received the offer to work in a clothing store owned by the Mantalinis. Both jobs ended in disaster. The Dotheboys school turned out to be a tormenting place for its pupils, and Nicholas finally ran away after a fight with the evil and greedy headmaster, Mr. Squeers.
Meanwhile, Kate was depressed not only because of her job, but also because her uncle was involved in a sinister scheme to marry her with Sir Mulberry Hawk, a rude and vulgar nobleman. Poor Kate, her naive and ignorant (and stupid) mother did not understand that her daughter was in a severe misery and she even pushed Kate to receive the marriage proposal.
Back to Nicholas. In his journey, he met with a bunch of theater actors led by the eccentric Crummles family. Desperate in finding jobs, he decided to join the group and tried his luck in becoming an actor...and succeeded. However, since he heard from the his uncle's weird yet kindhearted servant, Mr. Noggs, that Kate was in a deep trouble, he bade the theater farewell and rushed to London to rescue her sister. What I love about Nicholas is that he had the courage to face the evil people and he did not hesitate to use force without losing his gentleman attitude.
Anyway, the lives of Nicholas and Kate were getting better, especially when Nicholas found a new job as a clerk in a company owned by the Cheeryble twins. Nevertheless, Nicholas faced another problem, this time in his love life. A girl he fell in love to at the first sight (yikes), Madeline Bray, was going to be forced into a marriage with an old slimy sneaky man. The marriage was arranged by none other than...*drums rolled* Ralph Nickleby. Surprise surprise. Although Ralph did not aware that the girl had a connection with Nicholas, still I became more irritated with so many coincidences in this novel. There's always an event when a character happened to be involved with another character, and that happens repeatedly. How could the vast area of London & Yorkshire held a plot in which all the characters were connected? Almost unlikely if not impossible.
Dickens, I think, was sometimes too generic in making his plot. His main and foremost strength is with the characters. Not the leading characters of course, but the supporting cast. In this novel for instance, the characters of Mr. Noggs, Mr. Crummles, Miss La Creevy, are more interesting than the titular character. The same thing applies to "David Copperfield", where I found that Mr. Micawber, Steerforth and Mrs. Trotwood to be more appealing.
So, am I satisfied after reading this novel? Well, between yes and no. No because the coincidence factor and rather forced plot. Yes because of a reason which is hard to explain, hahaha....Er, maybe because of Dickens' storytelling finesse could make me kept on reading and imagine how the characters interacted. Or maybe because I've always loved reading classics novels like this one. I will not hesitate to read other Dickens' works. Bleak House, Martin Chuzzlewit, The Old Curiosity Shop, The Pickwick Papers, Hard Times…Bloody hell, there are still so many of them!
I have read at least five novels by Dickens and only two of them with a rather different formula compared with the others, namely “Great Expectations” and “The Christmas Books”. Nicholas Nickleby, unfortunately, is included in the "standard" category.
Similarities with “David Copperfield” can be felt, although of course Nicholas Nickleby is not an extensive bildungsroman. However, again it's about the life struggle of a young lad in facing the hard life in London during the 19th century. Unlike David, Nicholas was luckier, since although he was poor and with no father, he still had his mom and a sister.
Nicholas' story was started when his father died and his family were forced to asked for help from their uncle, Ralph Nickleby. Ralph was a successful businessmen known for his hard attitude and a bit an antisocial. He was not softened when he met his nephew & niece. In fact, his first encounter with Nicholas made them sworn enemies.
In urgent need for money, Nicholas received his uncle's offer to work as a headmaster's assistant in a school for boys in Yorkshire. Kate, his sister, received the offer to work in a clothing store owned by the Mantalinis. Both jobs ended in disaster. The Dotheboys school turned out to be a tormenting place for its pupils, and Nicholas finally ran away after a fight with the evil and greedy headmaster, Mr. Squeers.
Meanwhile, Kate was depressed not only because of her job, but also because her uncle was involved in a sinister scheme to marry her with Sir Mulberry Hawk, a rude and vulgar nobleman. Poor Kate, her naive and ignorant (and stupid) mother did not understand that her daughter was in a severe misery and she even pushed Kate to receive the marriage proposal.
Back to Nicholas. In his journey, he met with a bunch of theater actors led by the eccentric Crummles family. Desperate in finding jobs, he decided to join the group and tried his luck in becoming an actor...and succeeded. However, since he heard from the his uncle's weird yet kindhearted servant, Mr. Noggs, that Kate was in a deep trouble, he bade the theater farewell and rushed to London to rescue her sister. What I love about Nicholas is that he had the courage to face the evil people and he did not hesitate to use force without losing his gentleman attitude.
Anyway, the lives of Nicholas and Kate were getting better, especially when Nicholas found a new job as a clerk in a company owned by the Cheeryble twins. Nevertheless, Nicholas faced another problem, this time in his love life. A girl he fell in love to at the first sight (yikes), Madeline Bray, was going to be forced into a marriage with an old slimy sneaky man. The marriage was arranged by none other than...*drums rolled* Ralph Nickleby. Surprise surprise. Although Ralph did not aware that the girl had a connection with Nicholas, still I became more irritated with so many coincidences in this novel. There's always an event when a character happened to be involved with another character, and that happens repeatedly. How could the vast area of London & Yorkshire held a plot in which all the characters were connected? Almost unlikely if not impossible.
Dickens, I think, was sometimes too generic in making his plot. His main and foremost strength is with the characters. Not the leading characters of course, but the supporting cast. In this novel for instance, the characters of Mr. Noggs, Mr. Crummles, Miss La Creevy, are more interesting than the titular character. The same thing applies to "David Copperfield", where I found that Mr. Micawber, Steerforth and Mrs. Trotwood to be more appealing.
So, am I satisfied after reading this novel? Well, between yes and no. No because the coincidence factor and rather forced plot. Yes because of a reason which is hard to explain, hahaha....Er, maybe because of Dickens' storytelling finesse could make me kept on reading and imagine how the characters interacted. Or maybe because I've always loved reading classics novels like this one. I will not hesitate to read other Dickens' works. Bleak House, Martin Chuzzlewit, The Old Curiosity Shop, The Pickwick Papers, Hard Times…Bloody hell, there are still so many of them!
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide
Moderate: Child death, Death, Abandonment, Sexual harassment
Minor: Confinement, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation
"ci sono parecchie storie fantastiche sulla legge,ma nessuna è così risibile e grossolanamente spiritosa come quella dove si suppone che tutti gli uomini godano degli stessi benefici e siano uguali dinanzi al suo occhio imparziale,senza il minimo rapporto con il contenuto delle loro tasche"
Non sono un esperto di Dickens, è il secondo romanzo dell'autore che leggo, eppure riesco benissimo a capire perchè, nel 19esimo secolo, fu considerato l'autore migliore inglese e per alcuni in generale il miglior autore europeo.
Dickens amava le storie complesse, intricate, che però fossero comprensibili dal lettore,e questo è Nicholas Nickleby: una storia allo stesso tempo complessa e semplice, intricata come un paio di auricolari intrecciati, ma che possono essere sbrogliati facilmente. Perchè il filo principale è solo uno, ovvero la battaglia tra Nicholas e sua sorella Kate contro il vile Zio Ralph. Se poi si muovono tanti personaggi e storie intorno a questi tre è solo per loro fortuna e sfortuna. Come in ogni testo di Dickens (quasi), l'autore ha una battaglia da portare avanti, per combattere le ingiustizie della società inglese vittoriana. In questo caso la battaglia, abbastanza lontana per un lettore italiano del 21 secolo, è quella contro le scuole private dello Yorkshire, che si erano diffuse nei primi decenni dell'ottocento ma che poi sparirono per via di una serie di scandali che mostrarono la brutalità di alcuni professori nei confronti dei loro alunni, sempre minorenni e indifesi. Come può un autore rendere interessente un tema a noi così distante? Creando un professore (e sua moglie) che sono, a dir poco, detestabili. Ogni volta che il professor Squeers compare un brivido mi saliva sulla schiena. Definirlo un essere immondo è dire poco, non è carismatico, è solo uno dei tanti esempi di schifosi esseri umani, particolarmente violenti nei confronti dei più deboli, che hanno popolato e popoleranno la razza umana e cui si augura sin dalle prime battute, una disfatta e una morte dolorosa. Ma a lui si affiancano tutta una schiera di altri uomini negativi, prima di tutto lo zio, vera anima nera del racconto, il quale mosso alle volte a compassione dalla nipote Kate, non riesce mai a abbandonare la sua dipendenza dal denaro, portandolo a distruggere ogni rapporto con i suoi famigliari e amici ed a organizzare vendette contro Nicholas, che fin dal principio detesta. Abbiamo poi ipotetici stupratori incalliti, libertini di ogni sorta, giocatori d'azzardo, strozzini (tanti). Sembra che Dickens voglia concentrare il sudiciume della razza umana in un solo libro. Le figure positive pure abbondano: Nicholas, che pur essendo scontroso, è un bravo ragazzo, la casta sorella, il simpatico ubriacone Noggs, e altri ancora. Nota dolente per questo libro è il "morto": Dickens era solito nei suoi romanzi far morire almeno uno dei protagonisti del romanzo, o quantomeno dei personaggi secondari preponderanti, per commuovere il lettore (ancora meglio la lettrice), ma in questo caso la morte sembra quasi lontana, il defunto non sembra essere quasi umano, una sorta di miscuglio di sofferenze così esasperate che non riescono a causare, quantomeno in me, alcuna sorta di empatia. Fantastici invece i due fratelli Cheerbyle, due figure che oserei definire quasi mistiche: commercianti onesti, che aiutano nel loro piccolo il prossimo in piccoli e grandi gesti filantropici.
Come ogni lettore di Dickens sa, l'autore voleva sia commuovere che far ridere, in questo testo, tolti i fantastici commenti del narratore onniscente sulla vita quotidiana inglese, c'è un solo personaggio che fa seriamente ridere o sorridere: Mrs Nickleby, madre dei due eroi della vicenda. Vedova, civetta, e perchè no, anche un pò stupida, che si dilunga in racconti che non hanno il minimo collegamento con il tema della discussione tra i vari personaggi del libro ma che vogliono solo divertire il lettore. Ci sono stati vari studi che hanno voluto dimostrare che la madre del protagonista sarebbe una versione romanzata e semplificata della madre di Dickens stesso, ed infatti è stato scoperto che la madre per certi versi era molto simile alla vedova Nickleby.
Il romanzo in questione appartiene alla prima fase della scrittura Dickensiana, la quale è contraddistinta dai cosiddetti romanzi picareschi, anche se ci sono varie opinioni se questo e altri romanzi del periodo scritti da Dickens (per fare un esempio Oliver Twist) siano tali. Il genere picaresco era quello di Don Quixote, in cui un protagonista e i suoi aiutanti hanno varie avventure tra loro slegate e unite solo ed esclusivamente dalla presenza del suddetto protagonista. Si può definire questo un romanzo picaresco? si e no. Nicholas ha effettivamente varie avventure( quella nella scuola dello Yorkshire, quella a Portsmouth nel teatro e infine quella presso i fratelli Cheerbyle) ma, ad eccezione di quella che si svolge nel teatro di Portsmouth, e quelle che non hanno Nicholas come protagonista, ma a malapena come comparsa, le altre sono tutte in un certo qual modo legate tra di loro, e poi sciolte alla fine.
la trama in breve : la famiglia Nickleby, alla morte del pater familias, è costretta a chiedere aiuti allo zio, un usuraio londinese di nome Ralph Nickleby. Ralph detesta dal primo momento il nipote, disprezza e ridicolizza la moglie del defunto fratello, e prova una specie di odio/amore verso la nipote( preponderante però rimane l'odio). la vedova e i due figli sono allora costretti a cambiare più volte casa, interrompere amicizie e lavori per scappare dalle grinfie dello zio e del gruppo di usurai e libertini che lo circonda. Nicholas allora decide a sua volta di rendere la vita dello zio un inferno, di privarlo delle sue ricchezze e dei suoi conoscenti
Giudizio finale: 4.5 su 5. quelli da me prima esposti sono i fattori positivi(eccetto il "morto"), quelli negativi sono solo due: storie d'amore finali veramente poco interessanti e alle volte personaggi poco caratterizzati e troppo irrealistici("morto",gli attori di teatro, la coppia Mantalini).
Non sono un esperto di Dickens, è il secondo romanzo dell'autore che leggo, eppure riesco benissimo a capire perchè, nel 19esimo secolo, fu considerato l'autore migliore inglese e per alcuni in generale il miglior autore europeo.
Dickens amava le storie complesse, intricate, che però fossero comprensibili dal lettore,e questo è Nicholas Nickleby: una storia allo stesso tempo complessa e semplice, intricata come un paio di auricolari intrecciati, ma che possono essere sbrogliati facilmente. Perchè il filo principale è solo uno, ovvero la battaglia tra Nicholas e sua sorella Kate contro il vile Zio Ralph. Se poi si muovono tanti personaggi e storie intorno a questi tre è solo per loro fortuna e sfortuna. Come in ogni testo di Dickens (quasi), l'autore ha una battaglia da portare avanti, per combattere le ingiustizie della società inglese vittoriana. In questo caso la battaglia, abbastanza lontana per un lettore italiano del 21 secolo, è quella contro le scuole private dello Yorkshire, che si erano diffuse nei primi decenni dell'ottocento ma che poi sparirono per via di una serie di scandali che mostrarono la brutalità di alcuni professori nei confronti dei loro alunni, sempre minorenni e indifesi. Come può un autore rendere interessente un tema a noi così distante? Creando un professore (e sua moglie) che sono, a dir poco, detestabili. Ogni volta che il professor Squeers compare un brivido mi saliva sulla schiena. Definirlo un essere immondo è dire poco, non è carismatico, è solo uno dei tanti esempi di schifosi esseri umani, particolarmente violenti nei confronti dei più deboli, che hanno popolato e popoleranno la razza umana e cui si augura sin dalle prime battute, una disfatta e una morte dolorosa. Ma a lui si affiancano tutta una schiera di altri uomini negativi, prima di tutto lo zio, vera anima nera del racconto, il quale mosso alle volte a compassione dalla nipote Kate, non riesce mai a abbandonare la sua dipendenza dal denaro, portandolo a distruggere ogni rapporto con i suoi famigliari e amici ed a organizzare vendette contro Nicholas, che fin dal principio detesta. Abbiamo poi ipotetici stupratori incalliti, libertini di ogni sorta, giocatori d'azzardo, strozzini (tanti). Sembra che Dickens voglia concentrare il sudiciume della razza umana in un solo libro. Le figure positive pure abbondano: Nicholas, che pur essendo scontroso, è un bravo ragazzo, la casta sorella, il simpatico ubriacone Noggs, e altri ancora. Nota dolente per questo libro è il "morto": Dickens era solito nei suoi romanzi far morire almeno uno dei protagonisti del romanzo, o quantomeno dei personaggi secondari preponderanti, per commuovere il lettore (ancora meglio la lettrice), ma in questo caso la morte sembra quasi lontana, il defunto non sembra essere quasi umano, una sorta di miscuglio di sofferenze così esasperate che non riescono a causare, quantomeno in me, alcuna sorta di empatia. Fantastici invece i due fratelli Cheerbyle, due figure che oserei definire quasi mistiche: commercianti onesti, che aiutano nel loro piccolo il prossimo in piccoli e grandi gesti filantropici.
Come ogni lettore di Dickens sa, l'autore voleva sia commuovere che far ridere, in questo testo, tolti i fantastici commenti del narratore onniscente sulla vita quotidiana inglese, c'è un solo personaggio che fa seriamente ridere o sorridere: Mrs Nickleby, madre dei due eroi della vicenda. Vedova, civetta, e perchè no, anche un pò stupida, che si dilunga in racconti che non hanno il minimo collegamento con il tema della discussione tra i vari personaggi del libro ma che vogliono solo divertire il lettore. Ci sono stati vari studi che hanno voluto dimostrare che la madre del protagonista sarebbe una versione romanzata e semplificata della madre di Dickens stesso, ed infatti è stato scoperto che la madre per certi versi era molto simile alla vedova Nickleby.
Il romanzo in questione appartiene alla prima fase della scrittura Dickensiana, la quale è contraddistinta dai cosiddetti romanzi picareschi, anche se ci sono varie opinioni se questo e altri romanzi del periodo scritti da Dickens (per fare un esempio Oliver Twist) siano tali. Il genere picaresco era quello di Don Quixote, in cui un protagonista e i suoi aiutanti hanno varie avventure tra loro slegate e unite solo ed esclusivamente dalla presenza del suddetto protagonista. Si può definire questo un romanzo picaresco? si e no. Nicholas ha effettivamente varie avventure( quella nella scuola dello Yorkshire, quella a Portsmouth nel teatro e infine quella presso i fratelli Cheerbyle) ma, ad eccezione di quella che si svolge nel teatro di Portsmouth, e quelle che non hanno Nicholas come protagonista, ma a malapena come comparsa, le altre sono tutte in un certo qual modo legate tra di loro, e poi sciolte alla fine.
la trama in breve : la famiglia Nickleby, alla morte del pater familias, è costretta a chiedere aiuti allo zio, un usuraio londinese di nome Ralph Nickleby. Ralph detesta dal primo momento il nipote, disprezza e ridicolizza la moglie del defunto fratello, e prova una specie di odio/amore verso la nipote( preponderante però rimane l'odio). la vedova e i due figli sono allora costretti a cambiare più volte casa, interrompere amicizie e lavori per scappare dalle grinfie dello zio e del gruppo di usurai e libertini che lo circonda. Nicholas allora decide a sua volta di rendere la vita dello zio un inferno, di privarlo delle sue ricchezze e dei suoi conoscenti
Giudizio finale: 4.5 su 5. quelli da me prima esposti sono i fattori positivi(eccetto il "morto"), quelli negativi sono solo due: storie d'amore finali veramente poco interessanti e alle volte personaggi poco caratterizzati e troppo irrealistici("morto",gli attori di teatro, la coppia Mantalini).
read this outlook with my wife. It was wonderful to relive this masterpiece.
My fourth Dickens read, and maybe my second favorite, right behind [b:David Copperfield|58696|David Copperfield|Charles Dickens|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309281852s/58696.jpg|4711940]. It's the same sort of traveling feast of characters as that and the [b:The Pickwick Papers|229432|The Pickwick Papers|Charles Dickens|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360795072s/229432.jpg|3315230], and the usual good vs. evil storyline. The secondary characters in this one are so good, though, that it makes up for some of the more formulaic aspects: La Creevy, John Browdie, Newman Noggs, and the deliciously good villains: "schoolmeasther" Squeers, Ralph Nickleby, and Arthur Gride. I don't remember if most Dickens books have such a great plot twist at the end as this one, but it was a good one!
This might be the fastest I've ever read a Dickens novel: 15 days!
This might be the fastest I've ever read a Dickens novel: 15 days!
More of a ramble than a review...
(and contains a few mildly spoilerish bits...)
When young Nicholas Nickleby's father dies leaving him penniless, he, his mother and his sister, Kate, must throw themselves on the charity of their uncle, Ralph Nickleby. Though rich, Ralph is a cold, unfeeling man who sees no reason why he should be responsible for the welfare of his feckless brother's family. He seems to take delight in finding the worst position he can for young Nicholas, as assistant to Wackford Squeers, proprietor and headmaster of Dotheboys Hall school for boys. This post will take Nicholas far from his family to distant Yorkshire, leaving his sister to the doubtful protection of their uncle...
I have a tendency to decide each time I read a Dickens book that it's one of his very best, leaving me to wonder which ones aren't! But this really IS one of his best, showcasing everything that makes Dickens one of the few writers who can present a 900-page novel and leave the reader wishing it was little longer.
As tends to be the case in his major books, there is a mix of underlying plot with a series of episodes that stand almost on their own. So we see Nicholas first in Dotheboys Hall, where unloving parents abandon their young sons, or often stepsons, to the negligent and cruel care of Squeers and his equally horrible wife. Dickens uses this to provide a pointed commentary on this kind of legalised child abandonment, and to show the physical and emotional damage it causes. But he leavens it with some humour, often rather cruel, especially when directed at Squeers' son and daughter (who, one could argue, are as much victims of their parents' over-indulgence as the pupils are of their neglect).
Then there's the wonderful section when Nicholas falls in with the travelling company of actors under the headship of actor-manager and all-round ham, Vincent Crummles. Who could ever forget the Infant Phenomenon, she of uncertain age who has been playing child roles for longer than is perhaps chronologically plausible? Dickens is at his most humorous here, with his affectionately caricatured portraits of the various actors and a few side-swipes at the practice of plagiarism which he suggests was the norm at a time when “new” plays were required each week. I love how Crummles demands that each play is written to a formula, to include all the things his actors are noted for – there must be a sword fight, the Infant Phenomenon must get to dance, there must be a romance for Miss Snevellicci, etc.
Nicholas' third section is back in London when he is employed by the charitable Cheeryble brothers, whose main motivation in life is to do good to others. Dickens manages to avoid mawkishness in this novel (something he doesn't always achieve) and the Cheerybles are less caricatured than my memory from earlier reads, or perhaps TV adaptations, suggested. Although the ultimate in kindliness, the brothers also have cores of steel that prevent them being taken advantage of, and allow them to act decisively when they see wrong being done. Their characterisation is undoubtedly more nuanced than many of Dickens' “good” characters, but he still manages to use them to show that good deeds done with truly charitable hearts are repaid ten-fold by the affection and loyalty of the recipients.
Nicholas is also more complex than most of Dickens' young heroes. At heart he is naturally good, but he's hot-tempered, can have a wicked sense of humour at times, is not above poking fun at the dreadful Miss Fanny Squeers, and even flirts outrageously with Miss Snevellicci. He's tougher too – although he gets help along the way, one feels Nicholas would have been perfectly capable of making his own way in life if he had to. And he's kind and fiercely loyal – his friendship with Smike, one of the boys from Dotheboys, is beautifully portrayed, and always has me sobbing buckets. If I was forced to fall in love with a Dickens hero, Nicholas would be the one...
I love Kate, too. She's so different from his usual drooping, dim-witted heroines! Society makes it tough for women to stand on their own two feet at that time, but one feels that if any woman could do it, Kate could. She stands up to her uncle, she supports her mother, and she provides a stabilising influence on the more volatile Nicholas. She has her own story too, running separately from Nicholas'. Her job in Mantolini's milliner's shop provides another arena for Dickens' humour, this time at the expense of the 'macaroni', the foppishly fashionable man-about-town, and the silly women who fall for them. Mantolini himself (real name Alfred Muntle) is pure comedy joy. But Dickens has a point to make too about the intolerable working conditions for women, working 12 or 14 hours a day and never seeing sunshine, all for a pittance barely enough to keep body and soul together.
Through Kate, and later through Nicholas' love interest, Dickens shows how women were so much at the mercy of men, to be treated kindly or cruelly at their whim, with very little recourse. Lord Frederick Verisopht, despite the typically silly name, is another complex character who grows and changes during the course of the book, first behaving as a predator towards Kate, driven on by the uniformly evil Sir Mulberry Hawk, but gradually realising the wrong that is being done to her. I have a very soft spot for Sir Frederick. (Sorry! I should have tried harder to resist that...)
Of course, there's a whole batch of quirkier characters too. Vain and empty-headed Mrs Nickleby is a comic gem who had me laughing at her (affectionately, mostly) many times. Newman Noggs and John Browdie, though very different, are each the kind of loyal friend who pop up often in Dickens to help the young hero along the way. The story of the Kenwigs, Mr Lillyvick and Miss Petowker is a delightful little satire on class and cupidity. And the late-blossoming romance of dear little Miss La Creevy is guaranteed to melt the hardest heart.
For me, though, the most intriguing character in the book has to be Uncle Ralph, the villain of the piece. Again, he's much more subtly drawn than Dickens' villains sometimes are. We get a hint as to why he may have turned out as he did, and though we're hoping throughout for him to get his comeuppance, when it comes it seems particularly harsh, leaving this reader at least feeling somewhat torn. He deserves to pay for his behaviour to the young Nicklebys and others, for sure, but the price is cruelly high. I always remember the old RSC adaptation where the role was played superbly by John Woodvine, and I remember how he made me feel that Ralph demanded a little pity too... just a little, but perhaps enough to keep us all human.
More of a ramble than a review, but in summary – one of Dickens' very best, and since he's without question the greatest writer the world has ever known, then that's pretty spectacular...
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(and contains a few mildly spoilerish bits...)
When young Nicholas Nickleby's father dies leaving him penniless, he, his mother and his sister, Kate, must throw themselves on the charity of their uncle, Ralph Nickleby. Though rich, Ralph is a cold, unfeeling man who sees no reason why he should be responsible for the welfare of his feckless brother's family. He seems to take delight in finding the worst position he can for young Nicholas, as assistant to Wackford Squeers, proprietor and headmaster of Dotheboys Hall school for boys. This post will take Nicholas far from his family to distant Yorkshire, leaving his sister to the doubtful protection of their uncle...
I have a tendency to decide each time I read a Dickens book that it's one of his very best, leaving me to wonder which ones aren't! But this really IS one of his best, showcasing everything that makes Dickens one of the few writers who can present a 900-page novel and leave the reader wishing it was little longer.
As tends to be the case in his major books, there is a mix of underlying plot with a series of episodes that stand almost on their own. So we see Nicholas first in Dotheboys Hall, where unloving parents abandon their young sons, or often stepsons, to the negligent and cruel care of Squeers and his equally horrible wife. Dickens uses this to provide a pointed commentary on this kind of legalised child abandonment, and to show the physical and emotional damage it causes. But he leavens it with some humour, often rather cruel, especially when directed at Squeers' son and daughter (who, one could argue, are as much victims of their parents' over-indulgence as the pupils are of their neglect).
Then there's the wonderful section when Nicholas falls in with the travelling company of actors under the headship of actor-manager and all-round ham, Vincent Crummles. Who could ever forget the Infant Phenomenon, she of uncertain age who has been playing child roles for longer than is perhaps chronologically plausible? Dickens is at his most humorous here, with his affectionately caricatured portraits of the various actors and a few side-swipes at the practice of plagiarism which he suggests was the norm at a time when “new” plays were required each week. I love how Crummles demands that each play is written to a formula, to include all the things his actors are noted for – there must be a sword fight, the Infant Phenomenon must get to dance, there must be a romance for Miss Snevellicci, etc.
Nicholas' third section is back in London when he is employed by the charitable Cheeryble brothers, whose main motivation in life is to do good to others. Dickens manages to avoid mawkishness in this novel (something he doesn't always achieve) and the Cheerybles are less caricatured than my memory from earlier reads, or perhaps TV adaptations, suggested. Although the ultimate in kindliness, the brothers also have cores of steel that prevent them being taken advantage of, and allow them to act decisively when they see wrong being done. Their characterisation is undoubtedly more nuanced than many of Dickens' “good” characters, but he still manages to use them to show that good deeds done with truly charitable hearts are repaid ten-fold by the affection and loyalty of the recipients.
Nicholas is also more complex than most of Dickens' young heroes. At heart he is naturally good, but he's hot-tempered, can have a wicked sense of humour at times, is not above poking fun at the dreadful Miss Fanny Squeers, and even flirts outrageously with Miss Snevellicci. He's tougher too – although he gets help along the way, one feels Nicholas would have been perfectly capable of making his own way in life if he had to. And he's kind and fiercely loyal – his friendship with Smike, one of the boys from Dotheboys, is beautifully portrayed, and always has me sobbing buckets. If I was forced to fall in love with a Dickens hero, Nicholas would be the one...
I love Kate, too. She's so different from his usual drooping, dim-witted heroines! Society makes it tough for women to stand on their own two feet at that time, but one feels that if any woman could do it, Kate could. She stands up to her uncle, she supports her mother, and she provides a stabilising influence on the more volatile Nicholas. She has her own story too, running separately from Nicholas'. Her job in Mantolini's milliner's shop provides another arena for Dickens' humour, this time at the expense of the 'macaroni', the foppishly fashionable man-about-town, and the silly women who fall for them. Mantolini himself (real name Alfred Muntle) is pure comedy joy. But Dickens has a point to make too about the intolerable working conditions for women, working 12 or 14 hours a day and never seeing sunshine, all for a pittance barely enough to keep body and soul together.
Through Kate, and later through Nicholas' love interest, Dickens shows how women were so much at the mercy of men, to be treated kindly or cruelly at their whim, with very little recourse. Lord Frederick Verisopht, despite the typically silly name, is another complex character who grows and changes during the course of the book, first behaving as a predator towards Kate, driven on by the uniformly evil Sir Mulberry Hawk, but gradually realising the wrong that is being done to her. I have a very soft spot for Sir Frederick. (Sorry! I should have tried harder to resist that...)
Of course, there's a whole batch of quirkier characters too. Vain and empty-headed Mrs Nickleby is a comic gem who had me laughing at her (affectionately, mostly) many times. Newman Noggs and John Browdie, though very different, are each the kind of loyal friend who pop up often in Dickens to help the young hero along the way. The story of the Kenwigs, Mr Lillyvick and Miss Petowker is a delightful little satire on class and cupidity. And the late-blossoming romance of dear little Miss La Creevy is guaranteed to melt the hardest heart.
For me, though, the most intriguing character in the book has to be Uncle Ralph, the villain of the piece. Again, he's much more subtly drawn than Dickens' villains sometimes are. We get a hint as to why he may have turned out as he did, and though we're hoping throughout for him to get his comeuppance, when it comes it seems particularly harsh, leaving this reader at least feeling somewhat torn. He deserves to pay for his behaviour to the young Nicklebys and others, for sure, but the price is cruelly high. I always remember the old RSC adaptation where the role was played superbly by John Woodvine, and I remember how he made me feel that Ralph demanded a little pity too... just a little, but perhaps enough to keep us all human.
More of a ramble than a review, but in summary – one of Dickens' very best, and since he's without question the greatest writer the world has ever known, then that's pretty spectacular...
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Oh, I loved this book! Perhaps not quite as polished as David Copperfield, it nonetheless had the same sort of wide-ranging plot, all tied up neatly at the end of course, and vividly memorable characters. As always, I loved the names and characters. How could there be a more apt name for an evil schoolmaster than "Wackford Squeers"? Of course the good, charitable businessmen in the book were the "Cheeryble brothers"! A wonderful book, which more than rewarded me for the time necessary to read all 800+ pages. May be my second favorite Dickens now.
Wow. I am impressed. Although it did not take over the spot of favorite Dickens, it is a very very close 2nd. Great job.
This is classic early Dickens. Amazing characters, random scenes and plot twists, villains, maidens, and melodrama, melodrama, melodrama. Not as strong as Pickwick or Twist, but still at the high end of his game.