CliffsNotes on

Bleak House

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Book Summary

Charles Dickens Biography

About Bleak House

Summary, Analysis, and Original Text by Chapter

Chapter 1: In Chancery
Chapter 2: In Fashion
Chapter 3: A Process
Chapter 4: Telescopic Philanthropy
Chapter 5: A Morning Adventure
Chapter 6: Quite at Home
Chapter 7: The Ghost's Walk
Chapter 8: Covering a Multitude of Sins
Chapter 9: Signs and Tokens
Chapters 10–11: The Law Writer & Our Dead Brother
Chapter 12: On the Watch
Chapter 13: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 14: Deportment
Chapter 15: Bell Yard
Chapter 16: Tom-all-Alone's
Chapter 17: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 18: Lady Dedlock
Chapter 19: Moving On
Chapters 20–21: A New Lodger & The Smallweed Family
Chapter 22: Mr. Bucket
Chapter 23: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 24: An Appeal Case
Chapter 25: Mrs. Snagsby Sees It All
Chapter 26: Sharpshooters
Chapter 27: More Old Soldiers Than One
Chapter 28: The Ironmaster
Chapter 29: The Young Man
Chapter 30: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 31: Nurse and Patient
Chapter 32: The Appointed Time
Chapter 33: Interlopers
Chapter 34: A Turn of the Screw
Chapter 35: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 36: Chesney Wold
Chapter 37: Jarndyce and Jarndyce
Chapter 38: A Struggle
Chapter 39: Attorney and Client
Chapter 40: National and Domestic
Chapter 41: In Mr. Tulkinghorn's Room
Chapter 42: In Mr. Tulkinghorn's Chambers
Chapter 43: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 44: The Letter and the Answer
Chapter 45: In Trust
Chapter 46: Stop Him!
Chapter 47: Jo's Will
Chapter 48: Closing In
Chapter 49: Dutiful Friendship
Chapter 50: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 51: Enlightened
Chapter 52: Obstinacy
Chapters 53–54: The Track & Springing a Mine
Chapter 55: Flight
Chapter 56: Pursuit
Chapter 57: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 58: A Wintry Day and Night
Chapter 59: Esther's Narrative
Chapter 60: Perspective
Chapter 61: A Discovery
Chapter 62: Another Discovery
Chapter 63: Steel and Iron
Chapter 64: Esther's Narrative
Chapters 65–66: Beginning in the World & Down in Lincolnshire
Chapter 67: The Close of Esther's Narrative

Character List

Character Analysis

Lady Dedlock
Esther Summerson
John Jarndyce
Mr. Tulkinghorn
Richard Carstone
Ada Clare
Sir Leicester Dedlock

Critical Essays

Characterization in Bleak House
Theme of Bleak House
Technique and Style in Bleak House
Plot of Bleak House
Setting of Bleak House
The Fog
Symbolism in Bleak House

Study and Homework Help

Quiz
Essay Questions

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Study and Homework Help

Quiz

1:  Lady Dedlock's eccentric aunt, Miss Barbary, raised a child named

a. Ada Clare

b. Esther Summerson

c. George Rouncewell

d. Volumnia Dedlock
2:  The two motives that drive Mademoiselle Hortense to commit murder are

a. jealousy and greed

b. greed and blackmail

c. self-protection and revenge

d. revenge and jealousy
3:  The first person Inspector Bucket arrests for the murder of Mr. Tulkinghorn is

a. Allan Woodcourt

b. George Rouncewell

c. John Jarndyce

d. Richard Carstone
4:  Lady Dedlock is "bored to death" until she sees something that almost makes her faint. What is it?

a. Her grievously injured husband

b. A painting of her long-missing child

c. The ghost of her dead lover

d. Familiar handwriting on legal documents
5:  Disease strikes three important characters -- including Esther, who becomes temporarily blind. The likely ailment is

a. influenza

b. smallpox

c. bubonic plague

d. hysteria
6:  Esther and Lady Dedlock meet for the first and only time as parent and daughter in

a. Harrod's department store in London

b. the park woods of Chesney Wold

c. the drawingroom at Bleak House

d. Sir Leicester's secret apartment in Paris
7:  Before Allan Woodcourt sails away to China and India as a ship's surgeon, he leaves behind a

a. miniature portrait of himself for Ada Clare

b. letter for Mr. Jarndyce

c. small bag of gold for Jo

d. bouquet of flowers for Esther
8:  The character who is incapable of deciding on a lifetime career, first trying medicine, then law, and finally the military, is

a. Mr. Tulkinghorn

b. Allan Woodcourt

c. Richard Carstone

d. George Rouncewell
9:  Who said the following: “I will walk here until the pride of this house is humbled. And when calamity or when disgrace is coming to it, let the Dedlocks listen for my step!"

a. Mrs. Rouncewell

b. The Lady of Sir Morbury Dedlock

c. Bart Smallweed

d. Prince Turveydrop
10:  Who said the following: “There an't a doubt that it was the other one (Lady Dedlock) with this one's dress on."

a. Mr. Boythorn

b. Mr. Snagsby

c. Mr. Jarndyce

d. Mr. Bucket
11:  Who said the following: “Never have a mission, my dear child."

a. Mr. Jellyby

b. Mr. Gridley

c. Miss Wisk

d. Mrs. Pardiggle
12:  Who said the following: Gin palaces were “invariably numerous and splendid in proportion to the dirt and poverty of the surrounding neighborhoods."

a. Charles Dickens

b. Jane Austen

c. Samuel Clemens

d. Carrie Nation



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