Bleak house

Author / Creator

Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870

Available as

Physical

Summary

The fog and cold that permeate 'Bleak House' mirror a Victorian England mired in spiritual insolvency. At the centre of the plot of Bleak House is a mystery story surrounding the beautiful and haug...

The fog and cold that permeate 'Bleak House' mirror a Victorian England mired in spiritual insolvency. At the centre of the plot of Bleak House is a mystery story surrounding the beautiful and haughty Lady Dedlock. The discovery of her guilty secret by the cunning old lawyer Tulkinghorn sets in motion a series of tragic events, investigated by the Detective Inspector Bucket. Bleak House is also a novel dealing with the vagaries of the High Court of Chancery and about the injustices of the out-of-date and inefficient English legal system, which bring misery and ruin to the characters involved in settling the distribution of the Jarndyce estate. Another great theme of the novel is that of hypocritical philanthropist--portrayed here in the character of Mrs. Jellyby--who bestow charity on distant lands at the expense of family and neighbours.

Written in 1852, Dickens brought all his passion, brilliance, and narrative verve to this huge, complex novel, mixing romance, mystery, comedy, tragedy, and satire surrounding the lives entangled in a multi-generational lawsuit--and through it, he achieved, at age 41, a stature almost Shakespearean.

Show More