Bleak House is one of Dickens's finest achievements,establishing his reputation as a serious and mature novelist, as well as a brilliant comic writer. It is at once a complex mystery story that fully engages the reader in the work of detection, and an unforgettable indictment of an indifferent society. Its representations of a great city's dark underworld, and of the law's corruption and delay, draw upon the author's personal knowledge and experience. But it is his symbolic art that projects these things in a vision that embraces black comedy, cosmic farce, and tragic ruin.

Bleak House is one of Dickens's finest achievements,establishing his reputation as a serious and mature novelist, as well as a brilliant comic writer. It is at once a complex mystery story that fully engages the reader in the work of detection, and an unforgettable indictment of an indifferent society. Its representations of a great city's dark underworld, and of the law's corruption and delay, draw upon the author's personal knowledge and experience. But it is his symbolic art that projects these things in a vision that embraces black comedy, cosmic farce, and tragic ruin.

In a unique creative experiment, Dickens divides the narrative between his heroine, Esther Summerson,who is psychologically interesting in her own right,and an unnamed narrator whose perspective both complements and challenges hers.

INTRODUCTION

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND SETTING OF BLEAK HOUSE

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

THE BLEAK HOUSE NUMBERS

In Chancery

In Fashion

A Progress

Telescopic Philanthropy

A Morning Adventure

Quite at Home

The Ghost's Walk

Covering a Multitude of Sins

Signs and Tokens

The Law- Writer

Our Dear Brother

On the Watch

Esther's Narrative

Deportment

Bell Yard

Tom-All-Alone ' s

Esther's Narrative

Lady Dedlock

Moving On

A New Lodger

The Smallweed Family

Mr Bucket

Esther's Narrative

An Appeal Case

Mrs Snagsby Sees It All

Sharpshooters

More Old Soldiers Than One

The Ironmaster

The Young Man

Esther's Narrative

Nurse and Patient

The Appointed Time

Interlopers

A Turn of the Screw

Esther's Narrative

Chesney Wold

Jarndyce and Jarndyce

A Struggle

Attorney and Client

National and Domestic

In Mr Tulkinghorn's Room

In Mr Tulkinghorn's Chambers

Esther's Narrative

The Letter and the Answer

In Trust

Stop Him!

Jo's Will

Closing In

Dutiful Friendship

Esther's Narrative

Enlightened

Obstinacy

The Track

Springing a Mine

Flight

Pursuit

Esther's Narrative

A Wintry Day and Night

Esther's Narrative

Perspective

A Discovery

Another Discovery

Steel and Iron

Esther's Narrative

Beginning the World

Down in Lincolnshire

The Close of Esther's Narrative

NOTES TO THE TEXT