Following the success of Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby was hailed as a comic triumph and firmly established Dickens as a’literary gentleman" It has a full supporting cast of delectable characters that range from the iniquitous Wackford Squeers and his family, to the delightful Mrs Nickleby, taking in the eccentric Crummles and his travelling players, the Mantalinis, the Kenwigs and many more. Combining these with typically Dickensian elements of burlesque and farce, the novel is eminently suited to dramatic adaptation.

Following the success of Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby was hailed as a comic triumph and firmly established Dickens as a’literary gentleman" It has a full supporting cast of delectable characters that range from the iniquitous Wackford Squeers and his family, to the delightful Mrs Nickleby, taking in the eccentric Crummles and his travelling players, the Mantalinis, the Kenwigs and many more. Combining these with typically Dickensian elements of burlesque and farce, the novel is eminently suited to dramatic adaptation. So great was its impact as it left Dickens' pen that many pirated versions appeared in print and on stage before the original was even finished.

Often neglected by critics, Nicholas Nickleby has never ceased to delight readers and is widely regarded as one of the greatest comic masterpieces of nineteenth-century literature.

INTRODUCTION

BIBLIOGRAPHY                           

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

I Introduces all the rest

II Of Mr Ralph Nickleby, and his establishment, and his

   undertakings, and of a great joint-stock company of

   vast national importance

III Mr Ralph Nickleby receives sad tidings of his brother,

   but bears up nobly against the intelligence

   communicated to him. The reader is informed

   how he liked Nicholas, who is herein introduced,

   and how kindly he proposed to make his

  fortune at once

IV Nicholas and his uncle (to secure the fortune without

   loss of time) wait upon Mr Wackford Squeers,

   the Yorkshire schoolmaster

V Nicholas starts for Yorkshire. Of his leave-taking and his

  fellow-travellers, and what befell them on the road

VI In which the occurrence of the accident mentioned in the

   last chapter, affords an opportunity to a couple of

   gentlemen to tell stories against each other

VII Mr and Mrs Squeers at home

VIII Of the internal economy of Dotheboys Hall

IX Of Miss Squeers, Mrs Squeers, Master Squeers, and

   Mr Squeers; and of various matters and persons

   connected no less with the Squeerses than

   Nicholas Nickleby

X How Mr Ralph Nickleby provided for his niece and

   sister-in-law

XI Newman Noggs inducts Mrs and Miss Nickleby into

   their new dwelling in the City

XII Whereby the reader will be enabled to trace the further

   course of Miss Fanny Squeers's love, and to ascertain

   whether it ran smooth or otherwise

XIII Nicholas varies the monotony of Dothebys Hall by a most

   vigorous and remarkable proceeding, which leads to

   consequences of some importance

XIV Having the misfortune to treat of none but common

   people, is necessarily of a mean and vulgar character :

XV Acquaints the reader with the cause and origin of the

   interruption described in the last chapter, and with

   some other matters necessary to be known

XVI Nicholas seeks to employ himself in a new capacity, and,

   being unsuccesful, accepts an engagement as tutor

   in a private family

XVII Follows the fortunes of Miss Nickleby

XVIII Miss Knag, after doting on Kate Nickleby for three

   whole days, makes up her mind to bate her for

   evermore. The causes which led Miss Knag to

   form this resolution

XIX Descriptive of a dinner at Mr Ralph Nickleby's, and

   of the manner in which the company entertained

   themselves, before dinner, at dinner, and

   after dinner

XX Wherein Nicholas at length encounters his uncle,

   to whom he expresses his sentiments with much

   candour. His resolution

XXI Madam Mantalini finds herself in a situation of some

   difficulty, and Miss Nickleby finds herself in no

   situation at all

XXII Nicholas, accompanied by Smike, sallies forth to seek

   his fortune. He encounters Mr Vincent Crummles;

   and who he was, is herein made manifest

XXIII Treats of the company of Mr Vincent Crummles,

    and of his affairs, domestic and theatrical

XIV Of the great bespeak for Miss Snevellicci, and the

    first appearance of Nicholas upon any stage

XXV Concerning a young lady from London, who joins the

    company, and an elderly admirer who follows in

    her train; with an affecting ceremony consequent

    on their arrival

XXVI Is fraught with some danger to Miss Nickleby's peace

    of mind

XXVII Mrs Nickleby becomes acquainted with Messrs Pyke

    and Pluck, whose affection and interest are beyond

    all bounds

XXVIII Miss Nickleby, rendered desperate by the persecution of

    Sir Mulberry Hawk, and the complicated difficulties

    and distresses which surround her, appeals, as a last

    resource, to her uncle for protection

XXIX Of the proceedings of Nicholas, and certain internal

    divisions in the company of Mr Vincent Crummles

XXX Festivities are held in honour of Nicholas, who

    suddenly withdraws himself from the society of

    Mr Vincent Crummles and his theatrical

    companions

XXXI Of Ralph Nickleby and Newman Noggs, and some

    wise precautions, the success or failure of which

    will appear in the sequel

XXXII Relating chiefly to some remarkable conversation,

    and some remarkable proceedings to which

    it gives rise

XXXIII In which Mr Ralph Nickleby is relieved, by a very

    expeditious process, from all commerce with his

    relations

xxxiv Wherein Mr Ralph Nickleby is visited by persons with

    whom the reader has been already made acquainted

xxxv Smike becomes known to Mrs Nickleby and Kate.

    Nicholas also meets with new acquaintances, and

    brighter days seem to dawn upon the family

xxxvi Private and confidential; relating to family matters.

    Showing bow Mr Kenwigs underwent violent

    agitation, and how Mrs Kenwigs was as well as

    could be expected

xxxvii Nicholas finds further favour in the eyes of the brothers

    Cheeryble and Mr Timothy Linkinwater. The

    brothers give a banquet on a great annual occasion.

    Nicholas, on returning home from it, receives a

    mysterious and important disclosure from the lips

    of Mrs Nickleby

xxxviii Comprises certain particulars arising out of a visit of

    condolence, which may prove important hereafter.

    Smike unexpectedly encounters a very old friend, who

    invites him to his house, and will take no denial

xxxix In which another old friend encounters Smike, very

    opportunely and to some purpose

XL In which Nicholas falls in love. He employs a mediator,

    whose proceedings are crowned with unexpected

    success, excepting in one solitary particular

XLI Containing some romantic passages between Mrs Nickleb

    and the gentleman in the small-clothes next door

XLII Illustrative of the convivial sentiment, that the best

    of friends must sometimes part

XLIII Officiates as a kind of gentleman usher, in bringing

    various people together

XLIV Mr Ralph Nickleby cuts an old acquaintance. It would

    also appear from the contents hereof, that a joke,

     even between husband and wife, may be sometimes

     carried too far

XLV Containing matter of a surprising kind

XLVI Throws s6m'e light upon Nicholas's love; but whether

    for good or evil the reader must determine

XLVII Mr Ralph Nickleby has some confidential intercourse

     with another old friend. They concert between them a

    project, which promises well for both

XLVIII Being for the benefit of Mr Vincent Crummles,

     and positivdy his last appearance on this stage

XLIX Chronicles the further proceedings of the Nickleby

    family, and the sequel of the adventure of the

    gentleman in the small clothes

L Involves a serious catastrophe

LI The project of Mr Ralph Nickleby and hisfrient

   approaching a succesful issue, becomes unexpe tedly

   known to another party, not admitted into their

   confidence

LII Nicholas despairs of rescuing Madeline Bray, but plucks

   up his spirits again, and determines to attempt it.

   Domestic intelligence of the Kenwigses and Lillyvicks

LIU Containing the further progress of the plot contrived by

   Mr Ralph Nickleby and Mr Arthur Gride

LIV The crisis" of the project, and its result

LV Of family matters, cares, hopes, disappointments, and

      sorrows

LVI Ralph Nickleby, baffled by his nephew in his late

   design, hatches a scheme of retaliation which accident

   suggests to him, and takes into his counsels a tried

   auxiliary

LVlI How Ralph Nickleby's auxiliary went about his work,

   and how he prospered with it

LVIU In which one scene of this history is closed

LIX The plots begin to fail, and doubts and dangers

   to disturb the plotter

LX The dangers thicken, and the worst is told

LXI Wherein Nicholas and his sister forfeit the good

   opinion of all worldly and prudent people

LXII Ralph makes one last appointment - and keeps it

LXIII The brothers Cheeryble make various declarations

   for themselves and others. Tim Linkinwater

   makes a declaration for himself

LXIV An old acquaintance is recognised under melancholy

   circumstances, and Dotheboys Hall breaks up

      for ever

LXV Conclusion

NOTES