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Bleak House
- 715 statements
- 140 feature instances
- 23 referencing feature instances
| Bleak House | type |
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Bleak House | |
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BleakHouse | |
| Bleak House | comment |
Bleak House is a major novel of Charles Dickens and was published as a serial between March 1852 and September 1853. Half recounted by the heroine, Esther Summerson, and half by an omniscient narrator, Bleak House is fairly complex, with many characters and sub-plots all tied together by a particular Chancery suit — that is, a civil suit dealing with equity rather than law. When the novel begins in London circa 1830, the suit in question, Jarndyce and Jarndyce, has continued for generations, lost all meaning, and become a labyrinthine amalgamation of red tape and legal costs.Jarndyce and Jarndyce is, in fact, the linchpin and crux of the novel, being what ties its many characters and plots together. In particular, Esther Summerson, an orphan who becomes a ward of the present Mr. Jarndyce, narrates her own involvement with the parties of the suit and those connected to them, whilst the omniscient narrator tells the remainder. Aside from Esther herself and John Jarndyce, the suit pulls in his young relatives, Ada Clare and Richard Carstone; Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife, Lady Honoria Dedlock; the Dedlocks’ lawyer, Mr. Tulkinghorn; a law-stationer by the name of Snagsby; a charitable, young, dark surgeon, and many, many more.The novel helped support a judicial reform movement, which culminated in the legal reforms of the 1870s.Bleak House has been adapted many times in drama, film, and music. The Death of Poor Joe (1901) is a short film and the oldest surviving one to feature a character from Dickens’s works. During the silent film period, Bleak House was filmed twice: first in 1920 and again in 1922. Another short film as recorded in 1928. BBC Radio 4 broadcast a radio adaptation in five hour-long instalments in 1988. The BBC has produced three television adaptations, all entitled Bleak House: the first aired in 1959, in eleven thirty minute episodes; the second, in 1985 aired in eight episodes and won three BAFTA awards and nominations; the last aired in 2005, ran in fifteen episodes, and won a Peabody Award for creating "appointment viewing," soap-style. The songs "Ada Clare" and "Farewell to the Old House" were inspired by the novel, as was Anthony Phillips' piece "Bleak House" which he released on Slides (1979). | |
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| Bleak House / int_1237828f | type |
Anyone Can Die | |
| Bleak House / int_1237828f | comment |
Anyone Can Die: A number of characters, both major and minor, die in the course of the story. This includes a victim of murder, among others, for a total of eight (Nemo, "Coavinses", Mr. Gridley, Krook, Jo, Mr. Tulkinghorn, Lady Dedlock, and Richard Carstone in chapters 10, 15, 26, 32, 47, 48, 59, and 65, respectively), plus an infant who passes into and out of the story in chapter 8. | |
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| Bleak House / int_1282bf4f | type |
No Celebrities Were Harmed | |
| Bleak House / int_1282bf4f | comment |
No Celebrities Were Harmed: The novel contains a fair few examples. Mr. Bucket is an idealized version of Inspector Charles Field, Lawrence Boythorn is based on the poet Walter Savage Landor (after whom Dickens also named one of his children), Mrs. Jellyby lampoons Caroline Chisholm, and Hortense is modelled on Mrs. Manning, a murderer whose execution (together with that of her husband) Dickens had witnessed. Harold Skimpole is a rather harsh caricature of the radical journalist, essayist, and poet Leigh Hunt. That said, this was for the purposes of the plot, which accounts for Dickens' and Hunt's continued friendship. | |
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| Bleak House / int_14b8c049 | type |
Does Not Know How to Say | |
| Bleak House / int_14b8c049 | comment |
Does Not Know How to Say "Thanks": Mr. Jarndyce is an inversion: if he thinks that he is about to receive gratitude, he flees, sometimes for months at a time. Living with his young relations helps to allay this, however, near the end of the novel (after his greatest act of generosity yet), he threatens that, if thanked, he will run away for good (the degree to which he is joking is uncertain). | |
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| Bleak House / int_17e47466 | type |
Emotionally Tongue-Tied | |
| Bleak House / int_17e47466 | comment |
Emotionally Tongue-Tied: In the extreme case of Mr. Jellyby, it hardly matters what he's saying, since he habitually opens his mouth to say something and closes it without a word. In chapter thirty, he has a more clear-cut example: he repeatedly tries to thank Esther for helping Caddy prepare for her marriage and cannot seem to say it; Esther responds to his attempts with "You are very welcome, sir. Pray don't mention it!" | |
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| Bleak House / int_19851b86 | type |
The Sociopath | |
| Bleak House / int_19851b86 | comment |
The Sociopath: Hortense and all of her actions scream it. | |
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| Bleak House / int_1b70ccc6 | type |
The Cynic | |
| Bleak House / int_1b70ccc6 | comment |
The Cynic: Mr. Bucket presents a mild version of this. | |
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| Bleak House / int_1c2be3d1 | type |
Everything's Better with Dinosaurs | |
| Bleak House / int_1c2be3d1 | comment |
Everythings Better With Dinosaurs: Of the Garnishing the Story form. The omniscient narrator describes the London streets as so muddy, one might imagine a megalosaurus lumbering up them, in the first paragraph, no less. It is quite possibly the Ur-Example of dinosaurs appearing in fiction: non-avian dinosaurs had only recently been discovered; the use includes the traits belonging to the then-current reconstruction of the animal, seen in its statue◊ among the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs (a clear example of Science Marches On). | |
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| Bleak House / int_1d2400e9 | type |
Green-Eyed Monster | |
| Bleak House / int_1d2400e9 | comment |
Green-Eyed Monster: Mrs. Snagsby becomes this, merely because Mr. Snagsby is keeping some unspecified secret, which she quickly concludes to be infidelity, without any evidence whatsoever. | |
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| Bleak House / int_1d3e44f5 | type |
Artifact of Attraction | |
| Bleak House / int_1d3e44f5 | comment |
Artifact of Attraction: The Court of Chancery and its suits all have a fatal allure. As Miss Flite explains in chapter thirty-five: | |
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| Bleak House / int_1d7d1b93 | type |
Remake Cameo | |
| Bleak House / int_1d7d1b93 | comment |
Remake Cameo: Anne Reid played Mrs. Bagnet in the 1985 miniseries. Twenty years later she played Mrs. Rouncewell in the more famous 2005 series. | |
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| Bleak House / int_20613a2a | type |
Victorian Novel Disease | |
| Bleak House / int_20613a2a | comment |
Victorian Novel Disease: It's not at all clear what kills Jo. However, it is hinted that he never fully recovered from smallpox and caught something else on top of that. The 2005 miniseries averts this, since Allan Woodcourt states Jo has "pneumonia in both lungs." | |
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| Bleak House / int_2260cfe3 | type |
Like Father, Like Son | |
| Bleak House / int_2260cfe3 | comment |
Like Father, Like Son: The strongest example is the likeness of Lady Dedlock to Esther Summerson, which even has Jo confuse the two, smallpox scars or no. Esther Summerson believes Prince Turveydrop to greatly resemble his deceased mother. Mr. George comments on the resemblance of Mr. Bagnet and his son Woolwich and of Mr. Rouncewell and his son Watt Rouncewell. The Smallweed family does this in character alone which they take to new heights, by all being consummate misers who have never been "children" (with the sole exception of Mrs. Smallweed who is too senile to be anything but a "child"). | |
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| Bleak House / int_22cf536c | type |
Chekhov's Gun | |
| Bleak House / int_22cf536c | comment |
Chekhov's Gun: This is part of how the novel is held together, and in it most things follow The Law of Conservation of Detail, when not a part of mood or characterization. Some details reappear several hundred pages after their initial appearance, and nearly all details are present either for the sake of Foreshadowing or characterization. The former is displayed numerous times, e.g. the papers which Krook snatches up in chapter eleven are next heard of in chapter thirty-two. | |
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Bleak House / int_22cf536c | |
| Bleak House / int_234fa9ba | type |
May–December Romance | |
| Bleak House / int_234fa9ba | comment |
May–December Romance: Subverted in the case of John Jarndyce, who proposes to Esther, presumably having fallen for her. She accepts; however, he comes to realize that she sees him as a father and is in love with Allan Woodcourt. Upon this realisation, Mr. Jarndyce breaks off his own engagement in order to bless Esther's marriage to Woodcourt and even goes so far as to prepare a second "Bleak House" for the couple. Played straight in the case of the marriage between Sir Leicester and his lady: he is twenty years her senior. | |
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| Bleak House / int_243c8078 | type |
Spontaneous Human Combustion | |
| Bleak House / int_243c8078 | comment |
Spontaneous Human Combustion: The fate of Krook. This is possibly the Ur-Example of this trope appearing in fiction; "true stories" were already said to have existed at the time, and Dickens was known to have strongly believed that this was possible. His use of this here probably is due to the nature of the novel. | |
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| Bleak House / int_25bc8511 | type |
Generation Xerox | |
| Bleak House / int_25bc8511 | comment |
The Smallweed family does this in character alone which they take to new heights, by all being consummate misers who have never been "children" (with the sole exception of Mrs. Smallweed who is too senile to be anything but a "child"). | |
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| Bleak House / int_269e82c1 | type |
Death of a Child | |
| Bleak House / int_269e82c1 | comment |
Death of a Child: The story has two examples, first with Jenny's baby and much later with Jo of Tom-All-Alone's. | |
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| Bleak House / int_26ea11ed | type |
Mysterious Parent | |
| Bleak House / int_26ea11ed | comment |
Mysterious Parent: Lady Dedlock and Captain "Nemo" Hawdon. | |
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| Bleak House / int_26eb6287 | type |
Funny Background Event | |
| Bleak House / int_26eb6287 | comment |
Funny Background Event: Despite the novel's generally grim plot and frequently sombre atmosphere, these often occur, usually one or other of the minor characters is involved (but not always). For a good (and brief) example, among those of chapter 1: And one of the many such instances involving Mr Guppy: | |
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| Bleak House / int_2848e7d2 | type |
Oblivious to Love | |
| Bleak House / int_2848e7d2 | comment |
Oblivious to Love: Esther is inclined to disbelieve any romantic affections directed towards her to the point of obliviousness; this is due to her being a highly Insecure Love Interest (which is only encouraged by her personal history). | |
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| Bleak House / int_297ab1b9 | type |
Parental Abandonment | |
| Bleak House / int_297ab1b9 | comment |
Parental Abandonment: Partially subverted and throughly justified, since Lady Dedlock's sister told her that the baby died after birth. Even more so for the father, since he was believed to be dead at the time and never knew of the child's existence. John Jarndyce is implied to be scarred for life by his great uncle and guardian, Tom Jarndyce's suicide. | |
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| Bleak House / int_2a015a74 | type |
Beauty Equals Goodness | |
| Bleak House / int_2a015a74 | comment |
Beauty Equals Goodness: Bleak House provides a variation: the eternal traits say something of the character's personality but nothing of their morals. While many of the "good" characters are described as attractive, Charley, Jo, and Mr. Snagsby are never mentioned as such, nor are all of the novel's antagonists and other less-moral characters described as ugly, but all are instead given traits which speak of their characters. E.g. in chapter twelve, when describing Hortense: Another excellent example is the description of Mr. Tulkinghorn in chapter two: | |
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| Bleak House / int_2a090d00 | type |
Lampshade Hanging | |
| Bleak House / int_2a090d00 | comment |
Mrs. Bagnet is proclaimed as this by her husband. Lady Dedlock is also described as such. | |
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| Bleak House / int_2b851bd4 | type |
The Scrooge | |
| Bleak House / int_2b851bd4 | comment |
The Scrooge: Grandfather Smallweed and the entire Smallweed family (minus his wife who has dementia). Like Dickens' other Scrooge, he's a wealthy moneylender who lives in squalor and feeds his servant the crumbs and spills from his own tea-table (mind you, this is no metaphor). | |
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Bleak House / int_2b851bd4 | |
| Bleak House / int_2bc77899 | type |
I Am Not Pretty | |
| Bleak House / int_2bc77899 | comment |
I Am Not Pretty: Esther Summerson is convinced that she is no beauty and will not be persuaded under any circumstances to be anything of the kind, despite all evidence to the contrary (not the least of which is the resemblance of herself to her mother, a very handsome woman in her own estimation, which even has people confuse the two after she recovers from smallpox). | |
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Bleak House / int_2bc77899 | |
| Bleak House / int_2bf993ad | type |
Secret Relationship | |
| Bleak House / int_2bf993ad | comment |
Secret Relationship: Richard and Ada for a time; Lady Dedlock and Nemo (Captain Hawdon) by definition since they never married yet had a child. | |
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Bleak House / int_2bf993ad | |
| Bleak House / int_2dd7a113 | type |
French Jerk | |
| Bleak House / int_2dd7a113 | comment |
French Jerk: Hortense is this in spades. Just look at her description (see Beauty Equals Goodness). | |
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Bleak House / int_2dd7a113 | |
| Bleak House / int_2fd7200b | type |
Dead Guy Junior | |
| Bleak House / int_2fd7200b | comment |
Richard Carstone, fils, as a posthumous child, is this for Ada Carstone, née Clare. Although both parents were aware of the pregnancy prior to the father's death, he died well before his son was born. | |
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Bleak House / int_2fd7200b | |
| Bleak House / int_315a122 | type |
Hospital Hottie | |
| Bleak House / int_315a122 | comment |
Hospital Hottie: Allan Woodcourt, whose descriptions hint at him being Tall, Dark, and Handsome. | |
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| Bleak House / int_322426f8 | type |
Not Good with Rejection | |
| Bleak House / int_322426f8 | comment |
Not Good with Rejection: Hortense, without there having been any romantic feelings involved, clearly does not deal well with first being let go and then not getting exactly what she wanted out of her deal with Mr. Tulkinghorn. Much later in the novel, Mrs. Guppy reacts to her son's most ridiculous proposition yet getting politely rejected by demanding that Mr. Jarndyce "go along and find somebody that's good enough for [him]." What makes this even stranger, is that Esther is engaged at the time, and has been for a while, albeit not to the same person. | |
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Bleak House / int_322426f8 | |
| Bleak House / int_3545b7df | type |
Proper Lady | |
| Bleak House / int_3545b7df | comment |
Proper Lady: Esther Summerson, although part of her self-effacing nature is due to her emotionally damaging upbringing. Ada Clare is another example. Caddy Jellyby tries her best to become this and is aided by her friendship with the former two. | |
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Bleak House / int_3545b7df | |
| Bleak House / int_37daf5c5 | type |
Not a Game | |
| Bleak House / int_37daf5c5 | comment |
Not a Game: As a Manchild who eschews all responsibility, Harold Skimpole never understands the gravity of anything. | |
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Bleak House / int_37daf5c5 | |
| Bleak House / int_38bb862f | type |
Don't You Dare Pity Me! | |
| Bleak House / int_38bb862f | comment |
Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Sir Leicester Dedlock at the close of the novel, which ultimately forces Lawrence Boythorn to continue their argument about land so as to not further offend him. | |
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Bleak House / int_38bb862f | |
| Bleak House / int_396e1c2a | type |
Face Death with Dignity | |
| Bleak House / int_396e1c2a | comment |
Face Death with Dignity: One rather likely interpretation of Richard Carstone's death, seeing as he was rather aware of the fact that he was dying, although how much so is another question. | |
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| Bleak House / int_3e74b72e | type |
The Pollyanna | |
| Bleak House / int_3e74b72e | comment |
The Pollyanna: Richard Carstone's brand of optimism verges on this. However, this does not help him be happy; rather it makes everything worse. | |
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Bleak House / int_3e74b72e | |
| Bleak House / int_3f11ef74 | type |
Parental Substitute | |
| Bleak House / int_3f11ef74 | comment |
Parental Substitute: John Jarndyce. Although he's none too pleased that Esther persists in thinking of him as a father, not he's put out by it either. He is seen as this by all three of his wards, and is most frequently referred to as "Guardian." | |
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Bleak House / int_3f11ef74 | |
| Bleak House / int_40c57041 | type |
Manipulative Bastard | |
| Bleak House / int_40c57041 | comment |
Manipulative Bastard: As the novel's primary Schemer, Mr. Tulkinghorn has no qualms about blackmailing, exhorting, paying off, and using any other means available to him to achieve his own ends, which are far from scrupulous. | |
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Wretched Hive | |
| Bleak House / int_40cbee83 | comment |
Wretched Hive: Tom-All-Alone's. | |
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Lonely Funeral | |
| Bleak House / int_414b064b | comment |
Lonely Funeral: The funeral of "Nemo" has Jo as the only mourner. | |
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| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_414b064b | |
| Bleak House / int_46c1dc8e | type |
Someone to Remember Him By | |
| Bleak House / int_46c1dc8e | comment |
Someone to Remember Him By: Richard Carstone, fils, as a posthumous child, is this for Ada Carstone, née Clare. Although both parents were aware of the pregnancy prior to the father's death, he died well before his son was born. Arguably, Esther Summerson is this for Lady Dedlock, although, this is not in the usual way, since Lady Dedlock thought her dead at birth and the father, Captain Hawdon, was reported dead at around the same time. However, she finds out about Nemo's death a few months before discovering that their child is alive and in her twenties. This results in an odd variant of Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You, since both mother and child will be in peril should their relationship be known. | |
| Bleak House / int_46c1dc8e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_46c1dc8e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_46c1dc8e | |
| Bleak House / int_477200af | type |
Decoy Trial | |
| Bleak House / int_477200af | comment |
Decoy Trial: Although it wasn't his original intent, Mr. Bucket ultimately uses his arrest of Mr. George to do this in order to get evidence against the actual culprit. | |
| Bleak House / int_477200af | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_477200af | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_477200af | |
| Bleak House / int_483152c4 | type |
The Resenter | |
| Bleak House / int_483152c4 | comment |
The Resenter: Hortense is this and then some. She goes above and beyond to exact a disproportionate revenge. And, if that weren't enough to convince you, she thereafter continues to harangue someone who was only tangentially involved. | |
| Bleak House / int_483152c4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_483152c4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_483152c4 | |
| Bleak House / int_49d59be9 | type |
Scenery Porn | |
| Bleak House / int_49d59be9 | comment |
Scenery Porn: The omniscient narrator includes thick description of the setting (where ever that may be at any given point), e.g. the first chapter, as well as any chapter set in Chesney Wold. | |
| Bleak House / int_49d59be9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_49d59be9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_49d59be9 | |
| Bleak House / int_50b05d30 | type |
Disproportionate Retribution | |
| Bleak House / int_50b05d30 | comment |
Disproportionate Retribution: Hortense gets involved in shady business to exact revenge for getting fired, attempting to completely ruin her ex-employer... and then she gets even worse. After her revenge has apparently succeeded, she goes so far as to try to emotionally harm her former employer's spouse for... being the spouse. | |
| Bleak House / int_50b05d30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_50b05d30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_50b05d30 | |
| Bleak House / int_55554032 | type |
Irrational Hatred | |
| Bleak House / int_55554032 | comment |
Irrational Hatred: Hortense comes to blame and hate Sir Leicester for the actions of Lady Dedlock. | |
| Bleak House / int_55554032 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_55554032 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_55554032 | |
| Bleak House / int_58e43f17 | type |
Cats Are Mean | |
| Bleak House / int_58e43f17 | comment |
Cats Are Mean: Krook's cat, Lady Jane, the only cat in the book, is considered quite sinister. | |
| Bleak House / int_58e43f17 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_58e43f17 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_58e43f17 | |
| Bleak House / int_590eb583 | type |
Domestic Abuse | |
| Bleak House / int_590eb583 | comment |
Domestic Abuse: The brickmakers are stated to routinely beat and berate their wives, Jenny and Liz. As a child, Esther suffered from a purely emotional version, courtesy of Miss Barbary, her guardian, and her maid, Mrs. Rachael. As a result, she is extremely self-effacing and sees very little value in herself. | |
| Bleak House / int_590eb583 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_590eb583 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_590eb583 | |
| Bleak House / int_5a40d6a | type |
Adaptation Distillation | |
| Bleak House / int_5a40d6a | comment |
Adaptation Distillation: The TV adaptions removed many of the numerous side-characters and sub-plots to condense the eight hundred plus page novel into viewable productions. | |
| Bleak House / int_5a40d6a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_5a40d6a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_5a40d6a | |
| Bleak House / int_5dd191ec | type |
Wife Husbandry | |
| Bleak House / int_5dd191ec | comment |
Wife Husbandry: This was one of John Jarndyce's plans for Esther (given his personality, it is most likely that he thought of this as an option and ended up falling for her), and they do get engaged. However, Mr. Jarndyce first suspects and then confirms that Esther is in love with someone else, and then revokes his own engagement and blesses Esther's marriage to Allen Woodcourt. A variation is also touched upon in one of the sub-plots: Mrs. Rouncewell's grandson, Watt, fancies Rosa, a maid working for the Dedlock household. The boy's father, a self-made man who later runs for a seat in Parliament, feels the girl must be educated and sent to finishing school before she is ready to be engaged to his son. | |
| Bleak House / int_5dd191ec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_5dd191ec | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_5dd191ec | |
| Bleak House / int_60547993 | type |
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy | |
| Bleak House / int_60547993 | comment |
This was one of John Jarndyce's plans for Esther (given his personality, it is most likely that he thought of this as an option and ended up falling for her), and they do get engaged. However, Mr. Jarndyce first suspects and then confirms that Esther is in love with someone else, and then revokes his own engagement and blesses Esther's marriage to Allen Woodcourt. | |
| Bleak House / int_60547993 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_60547993 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_60547993 | |
| Bleak House / int_60c90bd5 | type |
Orphan's Ordeal | |
| Bleak House / int_60c90bd5 | comment |
Orphan's Ordeal: Jo suffers badly due to this. Esther Summerson ultimately subverts this, although her original guardian, Miss Barbary, was emotionally abusive, she had the good fortune to become John Jarndyce's ward, narrowly avoiding this fate. Moreover, the novel later reveals that not only was Miss Barbary actually her aunt, her parents were both alive (however, none of them knew eachother to be alive), but this comes to nothing as both parents die in the course of the novel. | |
| Bleak House / int_60c90bd5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_60c90bd5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_60c90bd5 | |
| Bleak House / int_60f992e8 | type |
Florence Nightingale Effect | |
| Bleak House / int_60f992e8 | comment |
Florence Nightingale Effect: A variation: while Allan Woodcourt is not there to cure Esther's smallpox, seeing him look after Miss Flite, Jo, Caddy, and the baby definitely contributes to her feelings for him. | |
| Bleak House / int_60f992e8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_60f992e8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_60f992e8 | |
| Bleak House / int_6480c255 | type |
Robbing the Dead | |
| Bleak House / int_6480c255 | comment |
Robbing the Dead: It's easy to miss, but Nemo is a victim of this, courtesy of Mr. Tulkinghorn. Krook also might well have snatched some things. | |
| Bleak House / int_6480c255 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_6480c255 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_6480c255 | |
| Bleak House / int_674e8192 | type |
Blind Obedience | |
| Bleak House / int_674e8192 | comment |
Blind Obedience: Prince Turveydrop is described as having this for his father, "the Deportment." | |
| Bleak House / int_674e8192 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_674e8192 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_674e8192 | |
| Bleak House / int_6b2b3b59 | type |
The Reveal | |
| Bleak House / int_6b2b3b59 | comment |
The Reveal: This happens multiple times in the story, usually via connecting previously unconnected points or persons. In two of these, an alias is connected to the actual person. In all of these cases, there is Foreshadowing to varying degrees. | |
| Bleak House / int_6b2b3b59 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_6b2b3b59 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_6b2b3b59 | |
| Bleak House / int_6bda9a30 | type |
Meaningful Name | |
| Bleak House / int_6bda9a30 | comment |
Miss Fleet's birds all have names relating to chancery (see Meaningful Name). | |
| Bleak House / int_6bda9a30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_6bda9a30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_6bda9a30 | |
| Bleak House / int_6d332aea | type |
Driven to Suicide | |
| Bleak House / int_6d332aea | comment |
Driven to Suicide: Tom Jarndyce is stated to have been an example. Also, possibly Nemo and probably Lady Dedlock. | |
| Bleak House / int_6d332aea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_6d332aea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_6d332aea | |
| Bleak House / int_6f54cbdf | type |
The Ditherer | |
| Bleak House / int_6f54cbdf | comment |
The Ditherer: Richard Carstone cannot settle on anything, with the exclusion of two matters alone. | |
| Bleak House / int_6f54cbdf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_6f54cbdf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_6f54cbdf | |
| Bleak House / int_6f9da277 | type |
A Foggy Day in London Town | |
| Bleak House / int_6f9da277 | comment |
A Foggy Day in London Town / Ominous Fog: The London fog pervades through the novel, is closely associated with Chancery, and is particularly well described in the beginning of the first chapter. In particular: In chapter three, when Esther first arrives in London, she thinks the fog is smoke from a fire and asks a passerby about it: | |
| Bleak House / int_6f9da277 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_6f9da277 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_6f9da277 | |
| Bleak House / int_6fcfbf9c | type |
The Plot Reaper | |
| Bleak House / int_6fcfbf9c | comment |
The Plot Reaper: Thanks to Moral Guardians, there's no way for Lady Dedlock to remain alive once it's revealed that she had a child out of wedlock. That said, she is otherwise portrayed in a surprisingly positive light given the standards of the time. | |
| Bleak House / int_6fcfbf9c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_6fcfbf9c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_6fcfbf9c | |
| Bleak House / int_7012424f | type |
Stealth Hi/Bye | |
| Bleak House / int_7012424f | comment |
Stealth Hi/Bye: This happens thrice in the novel: Subtlety in chapter 11, Miss Flite is mentioned to bring one medical professional with her upon the discovery of Nemo's corpse. The entrance of the "dark young man" (Allen Woodcourt) is not mentioned, although he was not there previously. Mr. Snagsby has this inflicted on him in his first encounter with Mr. Bucket. Mr. Tulkinghorn does this to Mr. Guppy when the latter is visiting Smallweed. | |
| Bleak House / int_7012424f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_7012424f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_7012424f | |
| Bleak House / int_72852a93 | type |
Henpecked Husband | |
| Bleak House / int_72852a93 | comment |
Henpecked Husband: Messrs. Jellyby, Pardiggle, and Snagsby (increasingly so). Subverted in Messrs. Badger and Bagnet, both of whom are perfectly happy to have their wives take the lead. Mr. Bagnet is especially notable, since all of his opinions come from "the old girl's" mouth, without their ever having consulted eachother. | |
| Bleak House / int_72852a93 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Bleak House / int_72852a93 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_72852a93 | |
| Bleak House / int_75538142 | type |
Friend to All Children | |
| Bleak House / int_75538142 | comment |
Friend to All Children: Esther is always this, even to the bratty ones; she especially likes being confided in by them. | |
| Bleak House / int_75538142 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_75538142 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_75538142 | |
| Bleak House / int_77bc8a56 | type |
Unable to Support a Wife | |
| Bleak House / int_77bc8a56 | comment |
Unable to Support a Wife: This is Allan Woodcourt's reason for waiting so long to propose to Esther; he does not make a move until he has secured a steady income. Likewise, this is why Richard and Ada's engagement was broken, and among the chief difficulties when they are married, since the former's obsession with Jarndyce and Jarndyce eats away at their savings and they have no income (that said, it is unclear which of the two proposed to marry at that juncture). | |
| Bleak House / int_77bc8a56 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_77bc8a56 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_77bc8a56 | |
| Bleak House / int_78410584 | type |
She Is Not My Girlfriend | |
| Bleak House / int_78410584 | comment |
He Is Not My Boyfriend: Esther goes out of her way to avoid describing her feelings for Allan Woodcourt. | |
| Bleak House / int_78410584 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_78410584 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_78410584 | |
| Bleak House / int_792bb47a | type |
Heroic Bastard | |
| Bleak House / int_792bb47a | comment |
Heroic Bastard: Although the person herself is unaware of it for the bulk of the novel, Esther Summerson (actually "Hawdon") is illegitimate. | |
| Bleak House / int_792bb47a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_792bb47a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_792bb47a | |
| Bleak House / int_7d89315b | type |
"The Reason You Suck" Speech | |
| Bleak House / int_7d89315b | comment |
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: Subverted in the altercation between Hortense and Mr. Tulkinghorn, when you expect this to happen; both do tell the other why the other sucks, however, they are actually merely throwing insults at eachother, neither paying any attention to what the other is saying. | |
| Bleak House / int_7d89315b | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Bleak House / int_7d89315b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_7d89315b | |
| Bleak House / int_7eebe99c | type |
The Alcoholic | |
| Bleak House / int_7eebe99c | comment |
The Alcoholic: Krook is described as constantly drinking, which leads to his death. The Jellybys' maid, Priscilla, is another example: she constantly smells like a pub. | |
| Bleak House / int_7eebe99c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_7eebe99c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_7eebe99c | |
| Bleak House / int_7fbb2a3 | type |
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero! | |
| Bleak House / int_7fbb2a3 | comment |
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Instead of ameliorating the situation, Mr. Bucket accidentally makes it worse by threateningly ordering Jo to "move on," the failure is in part because Jo is very ill at the time. | |
| Bleak House / int_7fbb2a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_7fbb2a3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_7fbb2a3 | |
| Bleak House / int_875615dd | type |
Truth in Television | |
| Bleak House / int_875615dd | comment |
Truth in Television: Jarndyce and Jarndyce is based on Jennens and Jennens (1798-1915): Dickens' description of Chancery is not inaccurate, and Jennens and Jennens provides a prime example, as he himself mentions in his preface to the novel. There are also many characters who are based on actual people of the era. Dickens apparently also believed this to be true for Spontaneous Human Combustion, but Science Marches On in this case. | |
| Bleak House / int_875615dd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_875615dd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_875615dd | |
| Bleak House / int_8797239c | type |
Bait-and-Switch | |
| Bleak House / int_8797239c | comment |
Bait-and-Switch: In at least one adaption (not the original): "Arrest this lady for the murder of Mr. Tulkinghorn." The viewers and most of the characters think Bucket means to arrest Lady Dedlock, but instead the policeman arrests Hortense. | |
| Bleak House / int_8797239c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_8797239c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_8797239c | |
| Bleak House / int_87bb6874 | type |
Villain with Good Publicity | |
| Bleak House / int_87bb6874 | comment |
Villain with Good Publicity: Harold Skimpole's diaries, in which he calls his benefactor, John Jarndyce, "the incarnation of selfishness," are published and become popular. Mr. Vholes is known for being very, very respectable, his actions in the novel are highly questionable. | |
| Bleak House / int_87bb6874 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_87bb6874 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_87bb6874 | |
| Bleak House / int_89ed9b94 | type |
Gentleman Snarker | |
| Bleak House / int_89ed9b94 | comment |
Gentleman Snarker: All snark in the novel (of which there is a fair bit) is delivered politely and avoids being too overt. This role chiefly belongs to the third-person narrator; however, Caddy Jellyby, John Jarndyce, and even Esther will take on this role from time to time. | |
| Bleak House / int_89ed9b94 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_89ed9b94 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_89ed9b94 | |
| Bleak House / int_8b3fe1cb | type |
Flaw Exploitation | |
| Bleak House / int_8b3fe1cb | comment |
Flaw Exploitation: The ever-so-respectable Mr. Vholes does this to his client, Richard Carstone; it is not without reason that the man is likened to a vulture. | |
| Bleak House / int_8b3fe1cb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_8b3fe1cb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_8b3fe1cb | |
| Bleak House / int_8b568cb7 | type |
Posthumous Character | |
| Bleak House / int_8b568cb7 | comment |
Posthumous Character: The novel has quite a few of these, beginning with Tom Jarndyce in the first chapter. Another notable example is Nemo. | |
| Bleak House / int_8b568cb7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_8b568cb7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_8b568cb7 | |
| Bleak House / int_8b68d9a7 | type |
Stalker with a Crush | |
| Bleak House / int_8b68d9a7 | comment |
Stalker with a Crush: Mr. Guppy is this to Esther, and she comments on it as being simultaneously ridiculous and unnerving. | |
| Bleak House / int_8b68d9a7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_8b68d9a7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_8b68d9a7 | |
| Bleak House / int_8ed5c6e4 | type |
Asshole Victim | |
| Bleak House / int_8ed5c6e4 | comment |
Asshole Victim: The murdered Mr. Tulkinghorn was a truly Manipulative Bastard. He was careful to hide his true behaviour from most people, however, so he was mourned, at least initially. | |
| Bleak House / int_8ed5c6e4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_8ed5c6e4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_8ed5c6e4 | |
| Bleak House / int_8ff8d545 | type |
Kissing Cousins | |
| Bleak House / int_8ff8d545 | comment |
Kissing Cousins: Richard and Ada, although the only thing that's clear of their blood relation is that it exists. | |
| Bleak House / int_8ff8d545 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_8ff8d545 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_8ff8d545 | |
| Bleak House / int_9182ea54 | type |
Crazy Cat Lady | |
| Bleak House / int_9182ea54 | comment |
Crazy Cat Lady: Miss Flite, a kind but mad spinster, keeps twenty-five birds which she will free on "the day of judgment," all of whom have names (they are Hope, Joy, Youth, Peace, Rest, Life, Dust, Ashes, Waste, Want, Ruin, Despair, Madness, Death, Cunning, Folly, Words, Wigs, Rags, Sheepskin, Plunder, Precedent, Jargon, Gammon, and Spinach; make of that what you will). Later in the novel, she gets two more (for a total of twenty-seven), which she names the Wards in Jarndyce. She releases them when Jarndyce and Jarndyce ends. | |
| Bleak House / int_9182ea54 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_9182ea54 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_9182ea54 | |
| Bleak House / int_959cb9aa | type |
One Degree of Separation | |
| Bleak House / int_959cb9aa | comment |
One Degree of Separation: This occurs in the adaptations due to Adaptation Distillation and combining characters for the sake of space. In the novel, this happens only with three characters: Jo (by knowing "Nemo," by guiding Lady Dedlock to his grave, and by knowing Jenny), Mr. George (by being a former subordinate of Captain Hawdon and by actually being George Rouncewell), and Grandfather Smallweed (by his involvement with Mr. George and by his relation to Krook). Those three aside, this trope is averted (see Contrived Coincidence). | |
| Bleak House / int_959cb9aa | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_959cb9aa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_959cb9aa | |
| Bleak House / int_95e7be81 | type |
Rich Boredom | |
| Bleak House / int_95e7be81 | comment |
Rich Boredom: Lady Dedlock and her cousin Volumina are always trying to escape "the Dragon Boredom." | |
| Bleak House / int_95e7be81 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_95e7be81 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_95e7be81 | |
| Bleak House / int_97d97c28 | type |
Revenge Before Reason | |
| Bleak House / int_97d97c28 | comment |
Revenge Before Reason: Aside from the punishment being far greater than the offence, Hortense first gets involved in shady business to get revenge on her former employer, and when the person who was orchestrating that refused to continue to use her services, she murdered him and tried to frame it on her ex-employer. ...Which she proceeds to harangue their spouse for. Since she made her own resentment very clear, this ultimately leads to her downfall. | |
| Bleak House / int_97d97c28 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_97d97c28 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_97d97c28 | |
| Bleak House / int_9bf49893 | type |
I Can't Believe a Guy Like You Would Notice Me | |
| Bleak House / int_9bf49893 | comment |
I Can't Believe a Guy Like You Would Notice Me: Esther, partially due to her upbringing under her first guardian, has this reaction to any man who shows affection for her. In fact, she believes herself largely unworthy of the affection she receives from any quarter. | |
| Bleak House / int_9bf49893 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_9bf49893 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_9bf49893 | |
| Bleak House / int_9cc1a329 | type |
Upper-Class Twit | |
| Bleak House / int_9cc1a329 | comment |
Upper-Class Twit: Sir Leicester Dedlock's relations, especially Volumnia. Sir Leicester himself lacks the requisite stupidity; he has other problems. | |
| Bleak House / int_9cc1a329 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_9cc1a329 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_9cc1a329 | |
| Bleak House / int_9fda81a7 | type |
The Summation | |
| Bleak House / int_9fda81a7 | comment |
The Summation: Mr. Bucket's explanation of how the murder was committed. | |
| Bleak House / int_9fda81a7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_9fda81a7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_9fda81a7 | |
| Bleak House / int_a058376e | type |
Pseudo-Romantic Friendship | |
| Bleak House / int_a058376e | comment |
Pseudo-Romantic Friendship: Esther and Ada, bordering on Les Yay to modern eyes. They kiss on the mouth and call eachother by pet names, which was considered normal in close female friendships at the time. | |
| Bleak House / int_a058376e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a058376e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a058376e | |
| Bleak House / int_a1fedb67 | type |
Parental Obliviousness | |
| Bleak House / int_a1fedb67 | comment |
Parental Obliviousness: Although Mrs. Jellyby is the novel's prime example, Mrs. Pardiggle isn't exactly attuned to her children's feelings. Also, Mr. Turveydrop is oblivious to the conditions his son must deal with. | |
| Bleak House / int_a1fedb67 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a1fedb67 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a1fedb67 | |
| Bleak House / int_a2492aff | type |
Dogged Nice Guy | |
| Bleak House / int_a2492aff | comment |
Dogged Nice Guy: Mr. Guppy, which does not convince Esther in the slightest; he obliviously maintains his attitude that she really ought to be flattered by his attentions. | |
| Bleak House / int_a2492aff | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a2492aff | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a2492aff | |
| Bleak House / int_a536f3a3 | type |
Gender-Blender Name | |
| Bleak House / int_a536f3a3 | comment |
Gender-Blender Name: Or, in this case, nickname: Charley is short for Charlotte. | |
| Bleak House / int_a536f3a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a536f3a3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a536f3a3 | |
| Bleak House / int_a6bd0685 | type |
Died in Your Arms Tonight | |
| Bleak House / int_a6bd0685 | comment |
Died in Your Arms Tonight: This occurs twice in the novel. First, Jenny craddles her dead baby in her arms for a while after they had died. Later on, Ada Carstone holds her husband in her arms as he "begins the world." | |
| Bleak House / int_a6bd0685 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a6bd0685 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a6bd0685 | |
| Bleak House / int_a6fc3fd7 | type |
Matchmaker Crush | |
| Bleak House / int_a6fc3fd7 | comment |
Matchmaker Crush: Mr. Jarndyce is an unusual inversion, since he is already engaged to Esther when he decides to set her up with Allan Woodcourt. | |
| Bleak House / int_a6fc3fd7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a6fc3fd7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a6fc3fd7 | |
| Bleak House / int_a70223 | type |
Karma Houdini | |
| Bleak House / int_a70223 | comment |
Karma Houdini: Neither Smallweed nor Skimpole are punished for their behaviour, in fact Smallweed has gained a tidy sum from Sir Leicester. | |
| Bleak House / int_a70223 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a70223 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a70223 | |
| Bleak House / int_a7ddc88e | type |
The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes | |
| Bleak House / int_a7ddc88e | comment |
The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes: Mrs. Jellyby and Mrs. Pardiggle would be this if not for the lack of success with which their philanthropic endeavours meet. | |
| Bleak House / int_a7ddc88e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a7ddc88e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a7ddc88e | |
| Bleak House / int_a90f0639 | type |
Entitled Bastard | |
| Bleak House / int_a90f0639 | comment |
Entitled Bastard / Fair-Weather Friend: Harold Skimpole uses being a child as an excuse from all responsibility, particularly with regard to money, which he freely takes from others. It is particularly bad when he continues to take money from the far-from-wealthy Richard Carstone, whose worst foibles he encourages, and later ceases to pay any mind once the Carstones are clearly troubled by this. | |
| Bleak House / int_a90f0639 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a90f0639 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a90f0639 | |
| Bleak House / int_a9b10a62 | type |
Think Nothing of It | |
| Bleak House / int_a9b10a62 | comment |
Think Nothing of It: Since Mr. Jarndyce does not handle gratitude well, he always attempts this route. Most of Bleak House's more heroic characters will at least have moments of it, e.g. Esther, Mr. Bucket, and Mr. George. Also, Allan Woodcourt, aside from being a charitable man, routinely cares for the poor and in need without remuneration. | |
| Bleak House / int_a9b10a62 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_a9b10a62 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_a9b10a62 | |
| Bleak House / int_aed65980 | type |
All for Nothing | |
| Bleak House / int_aed65980 | comment |
All for Nothing: The case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce is finally resolved only for the legal fees to have already consumed the entire estate. | |
| Bleak House / int_aed65980 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_aed65980 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_aed65980 | |
| Bleak House / int_b11ac9f5 | type |
Abusive Parents | |
| Bleak House / int_b11ac9f5 | comment |
As a child, Esther suffered from a purely emotional version, courtesy of Miss Barbary, her guardian, and her maid, Mrs. Rachael. As a result, she is extremely self-effacing and sees very little value in herself. | |
| Bleak House / int_b11ac9f5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_b11ac9f5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_b11ac9f5 | |
| Bleak House / int_b1346878 | type |
Fate Worse than Death | |
| Bleak House / int_b1346878 | comment |
Fate Worse than Death: It's a measure of the desperation of London's poor that Jenny, a brickmaker's wife grieving for her dead infant, admits she is glad the baby is dead instead of becoming violent, like its father, or a criminal, like others in the neighborhood. Not necessarily so far as death, however, the omniscient narrator explains that any honest individual involved with Chancery will tell you to suffer any wrong rather than come there, in chapter one, no less. Later on, this is echoed by Mr Gridley. | |
| Bleak House / int_b1346878 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_b1346878 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_b1346878 | |
| Bleak House / int_b5b3599d | type |
Amoral Attorney | |
| Bleak House / int_b5b3599d | comment |
Mr. Vholes is known for being very, very respectable, his actions in the novel are highly questionable. | |
| Bleak House / int_b5b3599d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_b5b3599d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_b5b3599d | |
| Bleak House / int_ba236071 | type |
It Makes Sense in Context | |
| Bleak House / int_ba236071 | comment |
Much later in the novel, Mrs. Guppy reacts to her son's most ridiculous proposition yet getting politely rejected by demanding that Mr. Jarndyce "go along and find somebody that's good enough for [him]." What makes this even stranger, is that Esther is engaged at the time, and has been for a while, albeit not to the same person. | |
| Bleak House / int_ba236071 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_ba236071 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_ba236071 | |
| Bleak House / int_bc3cb7ff | type |
Clear My Name | |
| Bleak House / int_bc3cb7ff | comment |
Clear My Name: Mr. George, who also happened to walk by Mr. Tulkinghorn's house at the time of the murder, is arrested as a primary suspect, thanks to having been previously extorted and insulted by the victim. Meanwhile, Hortense tries to frame Lady Dedlock for the same crime. | |
| Bleak House / int_bc3cb7ff | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_bc3cb7ff | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_bc3cb7ff | |
| Bleak House / int_be445584 | type |
Act of True Love | |
| Bleak House / int_be445584 | comment |
Act of True Love: Sir Leicester's forgiveness of his wife, Lady Dedlock, and request that even if he suffers another attack (most likely a stroke), it should be known that his attack merely happened to coincide with a slight misunderstanding which temporarily deprives him of her company and concerns only the two of them. Considering the standards of the time, his forgiveness of her affair and bearing an illegitimate child prior to their marriage is exceedingly touching and extremely selfless. Furthermore, it is made still more so by his abandonment of his usual Pride, his condition at the time, his entreaties to Mr. Bucket to find her, and his behavior after she is found dead by her former lover's grave. | |
| Bleak House / int_be445584 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_be445584 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_be445584 | |
| Bleak House / int_c39846a3 | type |
Pride | |
| Bleak House / int_c39846a3 | comment |
Pride: This is the foremost vice of Sir Leicester; he periodically verges on Jerkass for this reason (although, he can also verge on Nice Guy for much the same). | |
| Bleak House / int_c39846a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_c39846a3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_c39846a3 | |
| Bleak House / int_c3adb1e8 | type |
Schemer | |
| Bleak House / int_c3adb1e8 | comment |
Schemer: Mr. Tulkinghorn is the largest example. In a more positive sense, there's John Jarndyce, who is always inventing schemes for others' happiness. | |
| Bleak House / int_c3adb1e8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_c3adb1e8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_c3adb1e8 | |
| Bleak House / int_c75df49a | type |
Shout-Out | |
| Bleak House / int_c75df49a | comment |
"Nemo" is Latin for "nobody, no one." It is an obvious alias, having been famously used by Odysseus, and this is recognised In-Universe. | |
| Bleak House / int_c75df49a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_c75df49a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_c75df49a | |
| Bleak House / int_c83a589c | type |
Luke, I Am Your Father | |
| Bleak House / int_c83a589c | comment |
Luke, I Am Your Father: This occurs when Esther Summerson and Lady Dedlock meet, in what becomes their only meeting where they are both aware of their relationship: since the former is illegitimate they both resolve to keep this a secret and to never meet again. | |
| Bleak House / int_c83a589c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_c83a589c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_c83a589c | |
| Bleak House / int_c83cd6b8 | type |
The Nicknamer | |
| Bleak House / int_c83cd6b8 | comment |
The Nicknamer: Miss Flite does this to everyone and never changes them regardless of whether or not their's is still applicable. Inverted in the case of Mr Bucket, who seems to enjoy referring to people by their full names and titles, even when addressing them in conversation, e.g. Sir Leicester Dedlock, Baronet. | |
| Bleak House / int_c83cd6b8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_c83cd6b8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_c83cd6b8 | |
| Bleak House / int_ca7ec334 | type |
Two Lines, No Waiting | |
| Bleak House / int_ca7ec334 | comment |
Two Lines, No Waiting: In fact, more than two lines, however, they are all ultimately tied into eachother by that of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, through which most of the central characters know eachother. With only three exceptions, the characters knowing eachother is purely from their mutual involvement in Chancery, being introduced by mutual friends or acquaintances, or physical proximity to eachother. | |
| Bleak House / int_ca7ec334 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_ca7ec334 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_ca7ec334 | |
| Bleak House / int_ca855eaf | type |
Love Letter Lunacy | |
| Bleak House / int_ca855eaf | comment |
Love Letter Lunacy: A decidedly non-comic variation: Lady Dedlock's love letters to Captain Hawdon (Nemo) are bought, sold, destroyed, or stolen throughout the book by unsavory characters looking for proof of their affair. | |
| Bleak House / int_ca855eaf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_ca855eaf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_ca855eaf | |
| Bleak House / int_cb70651c | type |
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane | |
| Bleak House / int_cb70651c | comment |
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: It's never revealed what makes the noise on the Ghost's Walk. | |
| Bleak House / int_cb70651c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_cb70651c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_cb70651c | |
| Bleak House / int_d0f63e83 | type |
Magnetic Hero | |
| Bleak House / int_d0f63e83 | comment |
Magnetic Hero: Esther Summerson, Mr. Jarndyce, and Allan Woodcourt all have this quality; with the speed of acquiring friendships, the breadth of acquaintance, and good report among all acquaintances, respectively, to attest to this. | |
| Bleak House / int_d0f63e83 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_d0f63e83 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_d0f63e83 | |
| Bleak House / int_d397657d | type |
Hoist by His Own Petard | |
| Bleak House / int_d397657d | comment |
Hoist by His Own Petard: Mr. Tulkinghorn's various manoeuvres to discover Lady Dedlock's secret, backfire when one of his informants ultimately kills him. Similarly, Hortense's intense hatred for Lady Dedlock ultimately reveals her own secret. | |
| Bleak House / int_d397657d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_d397657d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_d397657d | |
| Bleak House / int_d496770b | type |
Indifferent Beauty | |
| Bleak House / int_d496770b | comment |
Indifferent Beauty: Ada Clare qualifies, as does Allan Woodcourt (as a male example). Lady Dedlock arguably has this attitude toward her own appearance. | |
| Bleak House / int_d496770b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_d496770b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_d496770b | |
| Bleak House / int_d6b5863 | type |
Driven to Madness | |
| Bleak House / int_d6b5863 | comment |
Driven to Madness: Miss Flite, who both knows this and freely admits it. Mr. Gridley, the man from Shropshire, is conscious that he's verging on this. In both examples, the cause is Chancery. | |
| Bleak House / int_d6b5863 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_d6b5863 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_d6b5863 | |
| Bleak House / int_d8e0e9f7 | type |
Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You | |
| Bleak House / int_d8e0e9f7 | comment |
Arguably, Esther Summerson is this for Lady Dedlock, although, this is not in the usual way, since Lady Dedlock thought her dead at birth and the father, Captain Hawdon, was reported dead at around the same time. However, she finds out about Nemo's death a few months before discovering that their child is alive and in her twenties. This results in an odd variant of Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You, since both mother and child will be in peril should their relationship be known. | |
| Bleak House / int_d8e0e9f7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_d8e0e9f7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_d8e0e9f7 | |
| Bleak House / int_d9fe8277 | type |
I'm Standing Right Here | |
| Bleak House / int_d9fe8277 | comment |
I'm Standing Right Here: This occurs amusingly in chapter three when Richard makes a comment under his breath regarding Miss Flite's mental health and she hears him. However, she doesn't mind in the slightest, cheerfully agrees, and continues to discuss it: | |
| Bleak House / int_d9fe8277 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_d9fe8277 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_d9fe8277 | |
| Bleak House / int_dc579c91 | type |
Contrived Coincidence | |
| Bleak House / int_dc579c91 | comment |
Contrived Coincidence: Largely averted due to how the characters are connected (see Two Lines, No Waiting). There are only three examples in the novel that actually qualify, which come in the form of three characters (see One Degree of Separation). | |
| Bleak House / int_dc579c91 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_dc579c91 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_dc579c91 | |
| Bleak House / int_dcbe8a6e | type |
Chekhov's Gunman | |
| Bleak House / int_dcbe8a6e | comment |
Chekhov's Gunman: Allan Woodcourt first appears as "a dark young man on the other side of the bed" in chapter eleven; he is only named in chapter fourteen. There is also the case of George Rouncewell, first mentioned in chapter seven yet only first appears in chapter twenty-one, and it is not until chapter fifty-four that the connection is made. | |
| Bleak House / int_dcbe8a6e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_dcbe8a6e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_dcbe8a6e | |
| Bleak House / int_de5e9f69 | type |
Bluffing the Murderer | |
| Bleak House / int_de5e9f69 | comment |
Bluffing the Murderer: Mr. and Mrs. Bucket jointly bamboozle the culprit. | |
| Bleak House / int_de5e9f69 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_de5e9f69 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_de5e9f69 | |
| Bleak House / int_e031b7ef | type |
Slave to PR | |
| Bleak House / int_e031b7ef | comment |
Slave to PR: Mr. Vholes, for whom his reputation for being respectable is almost everything. | |
| Bleak House / int_e031b7ef | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_e031b7ef | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_e031b7ef | |
| Bleak House / int_e150c4c7 | type |
Manchild | |
| Bleak House / int_e150c4c7 | comment |
Manchild: Harold Skimpole is practically the embodiment of this. He very frequently states that he is a child, although it appears this is largely to avoid responsibility. | |
| Bleak House / int_e150c4c7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_e150c4c7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_e150c4c7 | |
| Bleak House / int_e3109dae | type |
Switching P.O.V. | |
| Bleak House / int_e3109dae | comment |
Switching P.O.V.: Between Esther Summerson, who writes in the first-person past-tense, and a third-person omniscient narrator, who writes in the present-tense. | |
| Bleak House / int_e3109dae | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_e3109dae | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_e3109dae | |
| Bleak House / int_e3cee2e7 | type |
Empathic Environment | |
| Bleak House / int_e3cee2e7 | comment |
Empathic Environment: Mr. Jarndyce, when dealing with something less-than-pleasant, especially if has any relation to Chancery, will speak of the wind being in the East. | |
| Bleak House / int_e3cee2e7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_e3cee2e7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_e3cee2e7 | |
| Bleak House / int_e4965307 | type |
Composite Character | |
| Bleak House / int_e4965307 | comment |
Composite Character: Most adaptations do this out of necessity. For example, while the 1985 BBC version keeps most characters from the book, Mr. Guppy takes over those plot elements belonging to Smallweed's grandson and Tony Jobling. Similarly, the Bagnet family is removed with Phil Squod filling in the gaps. | |
| Bleak House / int_e4965307 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_e4965307 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_e4965307 | |
| Bleak House / int_e567510d | type |
Determinator | |
| Bleak House / int_e567510d | comment |
Determinator: Mrs. Bagnet is proclaimed as this by her husband. Lady Dedlock is also described as such. Unfortunately, Chancery's allure results in one of the least stubborn characters, Richard Carstone, being absolutely determined to win the suit; as with Mr. Gridley, the effects of this sort of stubborn grit are fatal. In Richard's case, his determination is partially from some unfounded optimism that the suit will soon end to his benefit. | |
| Bleak House / int_e567510d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_e567510d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_e567510d | |
| Bleak House / int_e6f92599 | type |
Suicide, Not Accident | |
| Bleak House / int_e6f92599 | comment |
Suicide, Not Accident: This is believed to possibly be what happened to Nemo. It is noted that which actually occurred is unclear, due to it being an instance of death-by-opium-overdose and the victim a poor and lonely addict. In Allen Woodcourt's opinion, it probably was an accident... probably. Opinion remained (and remains) divided. | |
| Bleak House / int_e6f92599 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_e6f92599 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_e6f92599 | |
| Bleak House / int_e9a3a1ed | type |
Never Learned to Read | |
| Bleak House / int_e9a3a1ed | comment |
Never Learned to Read: Jo is entirely without any form of education; there's also Krook, who obstinately tries to teach himself how to read with no real success, rejecting repeated offers to teach him. | |
| Bleak House / int_e9a3a1ed | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_e9a3a1ed | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_e9a3a1ed | |
| Bleak House / int_eb002293 | type |
Shrinking Violet | |
| Bleak House / int_eb002293 | comment |
Shrinking Violet: Rosa, who is always becoming "shyer than ever." | |
| Bleak House / int_eb002293 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House / int_eb002293 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bleak House | hasFeature |
Bleak House / int_eb002293 | |
| Bleak House / int_ee7a60e9 | type |
One-Steve Limit | |
| Bleak House / int_ee7a60e9 | comment |
One-Steve Limit: Averted! There are multiple Carolines, Williams, Toms, and other such persons. Most of these are minor characters and usually at least one of them goes by a nickname. That said, the main characters mostly have names which are not applied to other characters in the novel. Additionally, there is one instance which was played straight, only downplayed: the name "George" occurs both as a personal name and surname — they are found to be the same person. | |
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| Bleak House / int_eeb86ce6 | type |
Good Samaritan | |
| Bleak House / int_eeb86ce6 | comment |
Good Samaritan: Most of Bleak House's heroes have this quality. John Jarndyce is implied to do this regularly and certainly did so in caring for his young wards. Allan Woodcourt is a very charitable surgeon who routinely cares for the poor without asking for anything in return. Esther Summerson is shown to do this several times (usually in caring for children), most dramatically, when she and Charley care for Jo, who is homeless and has smallpox; this results in Charley catching the disease, and later Esther catches it when caring for her. | |
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| Bleak House / int_f516f938 | type |
Never Found the Body | |
| Bleak House / int_f516f938 | comment |
Never Found the Body: This is the case for a couple characters, namely, Captain Hawdon and Krook, in the case of the former, his body is eventually found, although it takes longer for the connection to be made. For the latter, there was no body, due to the manner of death. | |
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| Bleak House / int_f765e2d3 | type |
Dying Alone | |
| Bleak House / int_f765e2d3 | comment |
Dying Alone: This is what happened to Nemo. Interestingly, the only other character mentioned to die alone is his lover, Lady Dedlock. All other characters had some kind of company at their time of death. | |
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| Bleak House / int_f76f8ac9 | type |
BruiserWithASoftCentre | |
| Bleak House / int_f76f8ac9 | comment |
Bruiser With A Soft Centre: George's personality in a nutshell. | |
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| Bleak House / int_f8084d07 | type |
Society Is to Blame | |
| Bleak House / int_f8084d07 | comment |
Society Is to Blame: For Jo, in particular. Chancery itself has this effect on several characters, including Tom Jarndyce, Miss Flite, Mr. Gridley, and Richard Carstone (see Artifact of Attraction). | |
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| Bleak House / int_fbb54ba6 | type |
Forever War | |
| Bleak House / int_fbb54ba6 | comment |
Forever War: Jarndyce and Jarndyce is a Chancery suit over a contested will that has been dragging its way through the Chancery Courts for at least half a dozen generations. As the narrator describes in the first chapter: This suit was based on the actual suit Jennens and Jennens, a lawsuit over the contested will of the "Acton Miser," William Jennens, which took one hundred and seventeen years to resolve. The case was initially filed in 1798, fifty-four years prior to the beginning of the publication of Bleak House and ended in 1915, sixty-two years after the serial publication had been completed. To the surprise of no one, the case was resolved in exactly the same manner as its fictional counterpart: the legal fees consumed the entire estate, which had been estimated to be over two million quid (more than two hundred thirty million pounds, putting inflation into account, as of 2015). | |
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| Bleak House / int_fcbb72d9 | type |
Present Tense Narrative | |
| Bleak House / int_fcbb72d9 | comment |
Present Tense Narrative: The third-person narrator, but not Esther. | |
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| Bleak House / int_fd94c4ac | type |
Theme Naming | |
| Bleak House / int_fd94c4ac | comment |
Theme Naming: The third-person narrator names one set of politicians as Boodle, Coodle, Doodle and so on and a separate group of politicians as Buffy, Cuffy, Duffy, etc. This is first seen in chapter twelve and continues through the rest of the book. Miss Fleet's birds all have names relating to chancery (see Meaningful Name). | |
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Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold | |
| Bleak House / int_ff7e9adf | comment |
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Ada Clare. | |
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| Bleak House / int_ffad4e9f | type |
Shown Their Work | |
| Bleak House / int_ffad4e9f | comment |
Shown Their Work: Dickens' research into the Courts of Chancery was accurate and supplemented his personal experience with the institution. It shows. | |
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Bleak House |
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