Bleak House Lecture: The Curse of Jarndyce & Jarndyce (Vol. I, Ch. I-XXII)
Added 2025-12-07 22:47:54 +0000 UTC'London. Michaelmas term lately over, and the Lord Chancellor sitting in Lincoln’s Inn Hall. Implacable November weather. As much mud in the streets as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth...'
Today we're discussing the captivating beginning of Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
We're talking about bureaucratic nightmares, gothic family curses, mysteries, detective drama, orphan literature, mankind’s curse of consciousness, our common mortality, social commentary, real life inspiration, serial literature, the life of Dickens, and much more.
We will conduct a deep analysis of one of the most iconic beginnings in all of literature, appreciate some heartbreakingly poetic passages, think about the life, times, and influence of Charles Dickens, and meet some unforgettable characters throughout the first twenty-two chapters of this incredible novel.
Please feel free to listen before, during, or after your reading and enjoy the work at the pace that best suits you. You do not need to have read all of these chapters to enjoy the discussion as I'm staying away from plot details revealed later in the work.
Timestamps:
0:00 appreciating the opening of Bleak House
2:00 performance & pre-cinematic storytelling
4:00 serial publication & author as friend
6:00 the Victorianism of Charles Dickens
8:00 how Dickens influenced everyone
10:00 how to become like the first readers
12:00 ‘London. Michaelmas term lately over…’
14:00 narrative experimentalism in this novel
16:00 cursed case of Jarndyce & Jarndyce
18:00 symbolism of fog in Bleak House
20:00 what was the Court of Chancery?
22:00 key events in the life of Dickens
24:00 why did the novels become so dark?
26:00 the tragic history of Tom Jarndyce
27:00 bureaucracy incentives inefficiency
28:00 metaphor for existential absurdity
29:00 sins of the fathers & gothic formula
30:00 antinatalism & philosophical pessimism
32:00 the anxiety of Shakespeare’s Hamlet
34:00 ‘to be, or not to be: that is the question’
36:00 writing as evidence of meaning in life
38:00 philosophies to help one bear the dark
40:00 Lord Chancellor & Mr Tangle’s dialogue
42:00 meeting the character of Lady Dedlock
44:00 Jane Austen vs Charles Dickens
46:00 aristocratic anxiety of revolution
48:00 enjoying Dickensian pathetic fallacy
50:00 the character of Mr Tulkinghorn
51:00 the narrative of Esther Summerson
54:00 human condition in orphan literature
56:00 high mortality rate in Victorian era
58:00 heartbreaking scene with Esther’s doll
1:00:00 the mystery of Esther’s mother
1:02:00 how this story affects me as a father
1:04:00 burdensome concept of original sin
1:06:00 death of childhood & heroine’s journey
1:08:00 Ada Clare & Richard Carstone
1:10:00 Judgement Day in Revelation
1:12:00 Mrs Jellyby’s telescopic philanthropy
1:14:00 world change starts within your home
1:16:00 entering Krook’s rag-and-bone shop
1:18:00 ‘inheritance of protracted misery’
1:20:00 symbolism of birds in this novel
1:22:00 the allegorical nature of this work
1:24:00 we finally arrive at Bleak House
1:26:00 John Jarndyce & Mr Skimpole
1:28:00 who was Mr Skimpole based on?
1:30:00 Mr Skimpole’s life philosophy
1:32:00 Charles Dickens vs Victor Hugo
1:34:00 Esther & Rick bail out Mr Skimpole
1:36:00 legal obligation vs moral duty
1:38:00 Ghost’s Walk in Chesney Wold
1:40:00 trapped in a bureaucratic nightmare
1:42:00 the human disease of overthinking
1:44:00 what does wiglomeration mean?
1:46:00 the brick maker’s brutal speech
1:48:00 how did Dickens help society?
1:51:00 tragedy becomes too much to bear
1:53:00 who was Mr Boythorn based on?
1:55:00 Mr Guppy proposes to Esther
1:58:00 what do crows symbolise?
2:00:00 Mr Snagsby, Tulkinghorn, Nemo
2:02:00 the death of Nemo at Krook’s
2:05:00 inspiration for the character Jo
2:08:00 innocence bears witness to the truth
2:10:00 Lady Dedlock in search of answers
2:12:00 the slum of Tom-All-Alones
2:15:00 summer comes to this bleak world
2:18:00 who was the real Inspector Bucket?
2:20:00 your thoughts about Bleak House?
Resources:
Edition: I'm personally working from the Penguin paperback edition of this great novel. But there are so many fantastic editions available, and I encourage readers to pick their volumes with a view towards building their own personal Dickens library.
Biography: My personal favourite biography of Charles Dickens is this one. The biographer is Hesketh Pearson, who has also written compellingly about William Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde. I am also a huge fan of Claire Tomalin's biographies of great writers and you can read her biography for Dickens here. For a more recent appreciation of the works of Dickens, Peter Conrad's Dickens the Enchanter is wonderful.
Television: If you love to run film and television adaptations of the great books alongside your reading, you may wish to check out the excellent 2005 BBC television adaptation for Bleak House. I absolutely adore this adaptation, which boasts a perfect cast: Anna Maxwell Martin as Esther, Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock, Carey Mulligan as Ada, Charles Dance as Mr Tulkinghorn, to name just a few of the great actors involved. If you check it out, I'd love to know what you make of it.
Documentary: Gyles Brandreth has a superb documentary about the life of Charles Dickens here in which he travels to the locations most important to the storyteller. If you enjoy this documentary, the series also has wonderful episodes for Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, and the Brontë sisters.
Audiobooks: For a superb radio production of this masterpiece, I highly recommend this version, which is produced by Sam Mendes and has stand-out performances from the likes of Thandiwe Newton, Ambika Mod, Mackenzie Crook, and Mark Strong. For a classic narration, you also can't go wrong with this production from Naxos, with the great narrations of Sean Barrett and Teresa Gallagher.
First Edition: You can see what the original publications looked like for some of the works of Charles Dickens here and here. There's also a wonderful video showing a restoration of a first edition here. You can also check out my personal collection, including rare and first editions, here and here.
Short Stories: If you're in the mood for some short literary treats this season, there are some wonderful choices that will complement your reading of Bleak House. The Auguste Dupin short stories of Edgar Allen Poe, 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue', 'The Mystery of Marie Rogêt', and 'The Purloined Letter' can be found in this volume. You might also like to go forward from Dickens and enjoy some fine readings of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, like in this audio narration by Stephen Fry. Or, if you're interested in the influence of Dickens upon Kafka, we have discussions for some of his great stories here, here, and here.
Theatre: Along with the biblical allusions running through the work, we can feel the deep influence of Shakespeare. Any of these works from the bard, to name just a few, would make for a great accompaniment to a reading of Bleak House: Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Henry IV, and Measure for Measure.
Exercise: Why not try reading your favourite passage from the book aloud? This is a great way to reconnect with how the original readers appreciated these stories. Slowing down, reading aloud, and sharing with loved ones really unlocks something special from these great works of literature. Also, if you have read some of the other novels of Charles Dickens, how does Bleak House compare with them? And if you're in the mood for another great Dickens story, check out the back catalogue to see our collection so far: David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Reading Assignment:
Our next discussion will cover the events from chapter twenty-three up to and including chapter forty-five. That lecture will be this coming weekend, but, as always, please do go at the pace that best suits you and enjoy our discussions regardless of where you are in the story. If you would like to return to the reveal video where we discussed the significance of Bleak House and our festive reading of Charles Dickens, it is available here.
Questions for You:
1) What did you make of the iconic beginning of Bleak House?
2) Who is your favourite character so far? Do you enjoy Dickensian characterisation?
3) Do you feel the life, opinions, and personal emotions of Charles Dickens coming through in this story?
And please let us know your favourite passages and any insights that have come to you during your reading. If this is a first reading, is Bleak House living up to its reputation? If this is a rereading for you, are you finding new things to appreciate this time around?
Happy reading, folks!
Comments
I just finished watching I believe an eight part series with Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock. It was so good. I highly recommend it. It is on BBC video and boy I did not want this to end. It was so good. All the characters were so good. A lot of comedy in this of course with the usual drama. The portrayal of Esther and the lovely Ada with Richard and the guardian, Skimpole, and you will hate Tulkinghorn - all of these characters were so exquisitely portrayed. Jillian Anderson was so good. I cannot over emphasize the greatness of this film. I’m pretty sure it won a couple of awards or accolades. Smallweed was hilarious. Each character was so good.
Marina Barela
2026-01-03 18:21:36 +0000 UTCJo's habit of saying, "I don't know nothink" reminds me of Button Bright in L. Frank Baum's "The Road to Oz": Dorothy watched the boy dig. “Where do you live?” she asked. “Don’t know,” was the reply. “How did you come here?” “Don’t know,” he said again. “Don’t you know where you came from?” “No,” said he. “Why, he must be lost,” she said to the shaggy man. She turned to the boy once more. “What are you going to do?” she inquired. “Dig,” said he. “But you can’t dig forever; and what are you going to do then?” she persisted. “Don’t know,” said the boy. “But you must know something,” declared Dorothy, getting provoked. “Must I?” he asked, looking up in surprise. “Of course you must.” “What must I know?”
Kevin Rosero
2025-12-19 19:58:32 +0000 UTCCan't stand Skimpole.
Serena J Cavanaugh
2025-12-19 16:08:22 +0000 UTCHi Yixi, I love your thoughts about Dickens using Skimpole as a moral question about "how much charity should we extend to a self-indulgent immature adult", friend or not. I'm a bit behind in my reading, (Chapter 20) and was going to wait to see if things change regarding Skimpole. So far, I think Jarndyce is doing him a great disservice by covering him all the time, and allowing him to get away with statements such as his slave thoughts; unbelievable!
River
2025-12-16 03:26:37 +0000 UTCI am really enjoying this read and getting surprisingly sucked into it for it being one of his denser ones. I love the atmospheric elements. I absolutely despise Skimpole and cannot find anything charming in him. I love Esther and really feel for poor Jo and Peepy. Looking forward to the next part!
Marcella Russell
2025-12-15 13:27:37 +0000 UTCI wasn’t planning to join the Bleak House read at this time as it was my first Dickens read a couple years ago, so I dipped into the back catalogue and read Great Expectations which was fantastic. After listening to Ben’s fantastic lecture which was so thorough and compelling that I changed my mind and will revisit this masterpiece.
Linda Collins
2025-12-14 22:35:21 +0000 UTCHi Kevin, good analysis! Regarding the character of Skimpole, I think in a sense Dickens posed a moral question to us: how much charity should we extend to a self-indulgent immature adult in our community? To find him tolerably charming perhaps is more patronizing or superior attitude toward him than criticizing him. The latter attitude implies to treat Skimpole as an equal rational adult.
Yixi
2025-12-14 20:36:22 +0000 UTCLindsey: my favorites are Esther, Caddy, Jo, Charley and Mrs. Bagnet perhaps Mr. George too. I am very sad for Lady Dedlock. Your Sherlock themed room sounds very interesting! What’s it like?
Lily
2025-12-14 18:37:26 +0000 UTCI wholeheartedly agree, Lee. I am the same age as you and have ten major Dicken’s novels left to read. I’m looking forward to the journey.
Anne M
2025-12-14 14:53:23 +0000 UTCShe also doesn’t exist inside a bubble of this novel either. We have the utterly reprehensible Skimpole who has a dozen children that he neglects, and yet is forgiven, perhaps even adored by society. There is definitely a double standard here in regards to gender, even if the point he is satirising is relevant.
Jonathon Glover
2025-12-14 12:53:19 +0000 UTCHello! This is my first book with the HCLBC and greatly enjoying it so far. Is anyone else a bit troubled with the Mrs. Jellyby character? I feel very torn about her. Obviously, neglecting one's family to such an extreme degree is abhorrent. And I've read elsewhere that perhaps this is Dickens criticizing the government for neglecting the poor at home in favor of adventures abroad. However, I'm troubled by the implication that women shouldn't have passions outside of their families. That it is immoral and ridiculous to do so. Outside of Mrs. Jellyby, only Miss Flite is occupied outside of home/helping husband - and she's mad!
Sarah
2025-12-14 10:30:47 +0000 UTCMy favorite characters so far are Esther, Jo, and London itself. Skimpole absolutely irritates me. He is like a vampire sucking everything from everyone around him. I can’t understand why they find him so fascinating. My absolute favorite thing about the novel is the mystery. As a huge fan of detective novels (I have a Sherlock themed room in my house) Bleak House has always been my favorite Dickens. I love watching the initial footsteps into mystery.
Lindsey Chastain
2025-12-14 06:59:01 +0000 UTCHello Nick. I was wondering the same thing, for I'm experiencing this same issue. I just finished a Japanese chronicle with literally hundreds of names and I didn't have nearly as many problems to remember them there as I have here, and I'm not sure why, but perhaps what you said is true, and it's due to the offhand way in which Dickens introduces characters and the big lapses between appearances. In any case, my confusion lasted for well over half of the book (I'm in the last third now).
Gonzalo Broto
2025-12-14 03:27:12 +0000 UTCDiving deep into Dickens on an annual basis has grown to be a tradition I love. 11 more major novels. I’ll be 73 in 2036 but still looking forward to Benjamin’s input. It’s a worthwhile lifetime pursuit.
Lee Newman
2025-12-13 21:40:17 +0000 UTCI agree with a number of commenters about Mr. Skimpole. That's partly because my kids are 15 and 13 and I've been raising them for years to meet their responsibilities as well as enjoying their privileges. But I think in any circumstance of life I would have a problem with him. I do not understand why Mr. Jarndyce and Esther find him tolerably charming (though Esther has shared some critical thoughts about him), especially now that we've seen how Mr. Jarndyce can be a strong disciplinarian and guide for Richard. Skimpole lost me completely when he mused that the slaves on American plantations "people the landscape for me, they give it a poetry for me, and perhaps that is one of the pleasanter objects of their existence." I have no doubt that Dickens means this as a pointed condemnation of the leisure class. The slaves exist, and work, for his pleasure. Skimpole's plantation speech made me think of Sir Leicester's attitude toward the church congregation, described earlier in the chapter: "The servants then dispersed, and so did the congregation, whom Sir Leicester had contemplated all along (Mr. Skimpole said to Mr. Boythorn’s infinite delight) as if he were a considerable landed proprietor in heaven."
Kevin Rosero
2025-12-13 21:09:06 +0000 UTCWhen I get into the flow of this book, I absolutely love it. There are some times where I sit down to read this and tear through it. However, there are also times where I sit down and have a bit of trouble with this novel. I think that most of this trouble comes from remembering who exactly each character is, and I often read Russian novels with loads of characters so I’m not sure why this one is tricky. But there were definitely times where I found myself having to quickly google who Mr Snagsby is when he was mentioned the second time, and admittedly I even did this with Sir Leicester. I’m not sure why as I usually don’t have this problem. Maybe it is due to how Dickens casually talks about them like old friends chapters after our first and only brief encounter with them. Anyone else have this problem at all?
Nick Bagley
2025-12-13 20:56:53 +0000 UTC
