Dickensians! discussion

BLEAK HOUSE: THREAD 1



One of the original monthly wrappers by Phiz, for the serial, Bleak House

ORIGINAL PUBLICATION:

Bleak House was Charles Dickens’s ninth novel, written when he was between 40 and 41 year of age. It was illustrated by his favourite illustrator and great friend Hablot Knight Browne, (or “Phiz”). Like most of Charles Dickens’s novels, Bleak House was published in 20 monthly installments, each containing 32 pages of text and two illustrations by Phiz with the last two being published together as a double issue. Each cost one shilling, (5p) except for the final double issue, which cost two shillings (10p).

Here is the original publishing schedule, so that you can plan ahead if you wish. It was published in book form later that year.

Installment—Date of publication—Chapters:

I - March 1852 - chapters 1–4
II - April 1852 - chapters 5–7
III - May 1852 - chapters 8–10

IV - June 1852 - chapters 11–13
V - July 1852 - chapters 14–16
VI - August 1852 - chapters 17–19

VII - September 1852 - chapters 20–22
VIII - October 1852 - chapters 23–25
IX - November 1852 - chapters 26–29
X - December 1852 - chapters 30–32

XI - January 1853 - chapters 33–35
XII - February 1853 - chapters 36–38
XIII - March 1853 - chapters 39–42

XIV - April 1853 - chapters 43–46
XV - May 1853 - chapters 47–49
XVI - June 1853 - chapters 50–53

XVII - July 1853 - chapters 54–56
XVIII - August 1853 - chapters 57–59
XIX–XX - September 1853 - chapters 60–67

*****

READING SCHEME:

We will be reading Bleak House, as usual, at the rate of one chapter a day, with a one day break at the end of each installment. Lots of members have said that they prefer this way, which leads to far more daily comments and great discussions. But if you need to skip ahead, or fall behind, not to worry, as there will be 6 threads, so you can join in at the appropriate time.

So far we have a perfect record, and not one person has ever “spoiled” one of our group reads of a novel. Please let’s keep this perfect record. There are many mysteries and secrets in Bleak House, and it would be so easy to spoil this for those reading this story for the first time. PLEASE be careful!

On this note, please do not read Charles Dickens’s 1853 Preface to Bleak House just yet. It contains a spoiler … and you might be a bit cross with him for doing this. The reason is of course, that he would expect that those reading the book would already have read it in serial form over the previous year and a half! Also, beware of googling. Just googling one name immediately gave me a huge spoiler within half a dozen words :( The same goes for wiki, or the Victorian Web—unless of course you know the novel already. New(ish) members, please be aware that we take the matter of spoilers very seriously indeed, especially in a novel.

Nisa will place a link to each chapter in this thread in the next post. We will start a new thread at the break of each group of installments.

Thanks. I’m really excited about this one, and know lots of you have been waiting for it too :)

This is a list of all the chapters in this thread, beginning with Bleak House's first chapter, which is the first chapter in Charles Dickens's original monthly installment 1.
Clicking on each chapter will automatically link you to the summary for that chapter.

I - March 1852 - chapters 1–4
Chapter 1 (Message 124)
Chapter 2 (Message 189)
Chapter 3 (Message 245)
Chapter 4 (Message 323 )

II - April 1852 - chapters 5–7
Chapter 5 (Message 391)
Chapter 6 (Message 463 )
Chapter 7 (Message 533 )

III - May 1852 - chapters 8–10
Chapter 8 (Message 600)
Chapter 9 (Message 688)
Chapter 10 (Message 758)

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION:

Bleak House is regarded by many critics and enthusiasts as being Charles Dickens’s best novel, although it is not by any means his most popular. It’s certainly one of the most complex, with several story strands running through. Charles Dickens intended it to illustrate the evils caused by long, drawn-out suits in the Courts of Chancery. Much of it was based on fact, as Charles Dickens had observed the inner workings of the courts as a reporter in his youth.

In Bleak House he observes bitterly:

“The one great principle of the English law is to make business for itself. There is no other principle distinctly, certainly, and consistently maintained through all its narrow turnings. Viewed by this light it becomes a coherent scheme and not the monstrous maze the laity are apt to think it. Let them but once clearly perceive that its grand principle is to make business for itself at their expense, and surely they will cease to grumble.”

Charles Dickens himself liked this novel, considering it the best one of his for revealing hypocrisy in all its forms. This, then, is the crux of the story, but it is wrapped in a complex tale of mystery. In fact Bleak House literally creates mystery from the very first chapter. Yet the idea of a book as a mystery, is something completely new. Charles Dickens was creating a new art form.

Bleak House is one of Charles Dickens’s magnificent, mammoth, middle novels. Gone are the frivolous picaresque tales of his youth, which had been so influenced by the 18th century novels he loved. We now have a riveting mystery story, with a great gothic feel. Plus it has one of the very first depictions of a detective in English literature!

And if that’s not enough to tempt you, it is Charles Dickens’s only novel with a female narrator, who shares alternating chapters with a third person narrator. The idea of having two different narrative voices must also have been quite revolutionary. I personally think the first three chapters may be the most startling opening chapters of any work of fiction up to that time.

CHARLES DICKENS LIFE AT THIS TIME:

As always, Charles Dickens’s life during the writing and initial serialisation of his next novel Bleak House was very eventful!

In March 1852, Charles Dickens’s son Edward Bulwer Lytton (Plorn) was born. During the Summer of that year, Charles Dickens’s amateur acting troupe were on tour throughout England.

In February 1853, he became involved in a public controversy about a scientific phenomenon, which is directly relevant to an episode in the novel. In the introduction to the novel form of Bleak House later, the author still refers to this argument. George Henry Lewes had argued that the phenomenon was a scientific impossibility, but Charles Dickens maintained that it could happen, and wrote about it in Bleak House.

In June 1853, Charles Dickens became seriously ill with a recurrence of a childhood kidney complaint. He was bedridden for six days, but still had 17 chapters to write! (As we found with Dombey and Son, Charles Dickens planned the structure of these middle novels very carefully in his "mems".) He then went to Boulogne, France to recover.

In August of that year, he celebrated finishing Bleak House by holding a banquet in Boulogne. His publishers Bradbury and Evans, were there, and also his close friend, the writer Wilkie Collins.

ADAPTATIONS:

There are two excellent miniseries available of DVD, for those who know the story, or would like to watch as we read.

Actually there are three! But I have ignored the 11 part one from 1959, as the production values at that time in the UK were not good, and the serials were set-bound. You can still get it on DVD though; for some reason the tapes escaped being wiped. So we have:

Bleak House from 1985, starring Suzanne Burden, Diana Rigg and Denholm Elliott. It was an eight-part series, and very good

Bleak House from 2005, was broadcast in fifteen episodes starring Anna Maxwell Martin, Gillian Anderson, Denis Lawson, Charles Dance, and Carey Mulligan. It was enormously popular, winning a Peabody Award that same year because people used to stay in to watch it twice a week, (half an hour) or hour long repeats at the weekend , creating so-called “appointment viewing” soap-style. This is the one most people still love.

There’s also an audio version from 1998, when BBC Radio 4 broadcast a radio adaptation of five hour-long episodes, starring Michael Kitchen as John Jarndyce.

I can thoroughly recommend all these, but I do strongly suggest you don’t get too far ahead with your watching, or there will be spoilers.

And a little more …

For those who are interested, and have not yet completed our side read of John Forster’s Life of Charles Dickens, here is what he wrote about his friend Charles Dickens’s writing of Bleak House, and his state of mind:

“Bleak House was begun in his new abode of Tavistock House at the end of November 1851; was carried on, amid the excitements of the Guild performances, through the following year; was finished at Boulogne in the August of 1853; and was dedicated to ”his friends and companions in the Guild of Literature and Art.

In March 1852 the first number appeared, and its sale was mentioned in the same letter from Tavistock House (7th of March) which told of his troubles in the story at its outset, and of other anxieties incident to the common lot and inseparable equally from its joys and sorrows, through which his life was passing at the time.

At this date it seemed to me that the overstrain of attempting too much, brought upon him by the necessities of his weekly periodical, became first apparent in Dickens. Not infrequently a complaint strange upon his lips fell from him:

“Hypochondriacal whisperings tell me that I am rather overworked. The spring does not seem to fly back again directly, as it always did when I put my own work aside, and had nothing else to do. Yet I have everything to keep me going with a brave heart, Heaven knows!” Courage and hopefulness he might well derive from the increasing sale of Bleak House,which had risen to nearly forty thousand; but he could no longer bear easily what he carried so lightly of old, and enjoyments with work were too much for him.

“What with Bleak House, and Household Words, and Child’s History” (he dictated from week to week the papers which formed that little book, and cannot be said to have quite hit the mark with it), “and Miss Coutts’s Home, and the invitations to feasts and festivals, I really feel as if my head would split like a fired shell if I remained here.”

Are you joining us?

I will join :))). But I'm not sure if I can go on till the end as you know it seems this year too I will be busy. But I don't want to miss this budy read. At least I should try for myself :). I love to read your summaries and everyone's comments as I read the book.

That's lovely Nisa! It will last for about 3 months ... so you could always finish it by watching the DVD if work gets too busy.

I'm so glad to have you along :) I hope to see lots more friends diving in too!

Bionic Jean wrote: "That's lovely Nisa! It will last for about 3 months ... so you could always finish it by watching the DVD if work gets too busy.

I'm so glad to have you along :) I hope to see lots more friends di..."

Thank you, Jean. If I can't go on reading I will do that :)).

Bionic Jean wrote: "He then went to Boulogne, France to recover."

Typical of the verdict of those quack sawbones of that time :D

I will be joining. I have been looking forward to this.

I'm happy to be joining the group read of "Bleak House." This will be my first time reading it.

I’ll be joining. Looking forward to it.

The audiobook, read by Simon Vance, is included (free) with Audible USA membership. Each chapter is clearly indicated, however... the Preface is included at the beginning of Chapter One. To skip it, start listening at 4 minutes, 30 seconds where 'In Chancery' commences.

(Some public libraries may offer this download as well)

I plan on joining as well and am so excited! I’ve missed reading Dickens and it’s time! This is also my first time reading this.

I'm glad to be among so many well read fans of classics, and Dickens in particular.

I will join you. I read it in Italian, years ago a friend of mine lent me the book, and I watched the BBC series. Then I bought the book but I did not read it. Now I am ready to read it with you!

Daniela wrote: "I will join you. I read it in Italian, years ago a friend of mine lent me the book, and I watched the BBC series. Then I bought the book but I did not read it. Now I am ready to read it with you!"

How interesting Daniela! I wish I could read Italian, then I could read The Italian by Ann Radcliffe in Italian. Forgive my English humor.

I'll be joining in as well! This in particular has me intrigued In February 1853, he became involved in a public controversy about a scientific phenomenon, which is directly relevant to an episode in the novel. In the introduction to the novel form of Bleak House later, the author still refers to this argument. George Henry Lewes had argued that the phenomenon was a scientific impossibility, but Charles Dickens maintained that it could happen, and wrote about it in Bleak House.

This time I will read it in English :D

Daniela wrote: "This time I will read it in English :D"

The more, the merrier. :)

Jenny wrote: "I'll be joining in as well! This in particular has me intrigued In February 1853, he became involved in a public controversy about a scientific phenomenon, which is directly relevant to an episode..."

Excellent, Jenny! You will feature prominently in the participation, I believe.

Great to see who is joining in!

Jenny - you are referring to the spoiler in the preface :( Did you read comment 1? I just feel it's best if everyone is aware, so everyone can decide themselves whether they want to know things in advance or not.

I hope my first few posts are useful to everyone, and whetting your appetite. :) Please be careful what you read about this novel, if it is new to you, as it is the one with the most mysteries of all. What I write is completely safe, of course ;)

John wrote: "The audiobook, read by Simon Vance, is included (free) with Audible USA membership. Each chapter is clearly indicated, however... the Preface is included at the beginning of Chapter One. To skip it..."

Thanks, John! I just downloaded it.

I read Bleak House so many eons ago that I no longer remember anything about it.

Jean: I’m very excited that we are finely starting another Dickens novel. :-) and I am eagerly awaiting the discussion!

Hi Kathleen, welcome! And congrats on reaching 100 posts here. I am currently 32 posts your junior :)

John - that's really useful information, thank you! And thanks especially for taking the trouble to work out the exact place to start :)

Kathleen wrote: "John wrote: "The audiobook, read by Simon Vance, is included (free) with Audible USA membership. Each chapter is clearly indicated, however... the Preface is included at the beginning of Chapter On..."

I wish there was a version by my favourite narratrice, Nadia May. But she only worked on Oliver Twist.

Luffy wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "John wrote: "The audiobook, read by Simon Vance, is included (free) with Audible USA membership. Each chapter is clearly indicated, however... the Preface is included at the beginn..."

I purchased the edition read by Frederick Davidson (aka David Case) years ago, but as Simon Vance's narration is currently included for me, I decided to try that one now. He did a very good job with Our Mutual Friend.

John wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "John wrote: "The audiobook, read by Simon Vance, is included (free) with Audible USA membership. Each chapter is clearly indicated, however... the Preface is included..."

Oh I am a mere dabbler in audiobooks. I cannot multitask while reading them. But I persevere because the format allows me to read books that would otherwise not be read. That, needless to say, doesn't appy to Bleak House, or Dickens in general.

Looking forward to joining you for my very first Dickens group read!

Nisa wrote: "Bionic Jean wrote: "That's lovely Nisa! It will last for about 3 months ... so you could always finish it by watching the DVD if work gets too busy.

I'm so glad to have you along :) I hope to see ..."

I wish some sawbones would tell ME to go to France. :)

I am in for this one. Been waiting for it for months. This will be my first read of this novel. Scrambling now to finish up at least one of the five other books I am reading, yikes.

Looking forward to this and joining everyone again. This will be my first reading of Bleak House.

That's brilliant! You have a treat in store with this one Sue :)

John wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "John wrote: "The audiobook, read by Simon Vance, is included (free) with Audible USA membership. Each chapter is clearly indicated, however... the Preface is included..."

I have the Miriam Margolyes audiobook edition already purchased (I LOVE her! I can highly recommend her audiobook edition of A Christmas Carol) though I do like Simon Vance too :) Here is Miriam's version on audible if anyone is interested https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Bleak-Ho...

Great! Miriam Margolyes really understands Charles Dickens :)

Melanie wrote: "John wrote: "Luffy wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "John wrote: "The audiobook, read by Simon Vance, is included (free) with Audible USA membership. Each chapter is clearly indicated, however... the Prefac..."

She sure seems to Jean, a great lady!

Jean, sorry! I just coppied what you said in the comment about Charles Dickens life at the time- I think it's the sixth comment down, I've not read or googled anything about Bleak House.

You're quite right Jenny! My apologies!

I was kind of on tenterhooks, as I thought you'd found it somewhere and were going to expand on it - no need for you to be sorry at all :) (I wrote my posts here a while ago.)

I'm so excited about this read, I'm clearly getting the jitters! :D

I’m joining in the read, too. Very much looking forward to it :)

I'm joining in on this one too. I wasn't very active in this group last year as things got a little hectic, but I'm looking forward to this one. It's a first read for me.

Looks like we will have a great group again this time. Thank you, Jean for the background and warning. I have read this before, but I find there is more a general memory of the book than any specifics. Really looking forward to this.

It's all good Jean :) It got me very excited for this read since I really like science :)

I will be joining in too. This is my first time reading Bleak House.

Thanks for the warnings, Jean.

Melanie wrote: "Looking forward to joining you for my very first Dickens group read!"

Hope you stick with it and persevere. The rewards are worth it.

Angela wrote: "Nisa wrote: "Bionic Jean wrote: "That's lovely Nisa! It will last for about 3 months ... so you could always finish it by watching the DVD if work gets too busy.

I'm so glad to have you along :) I..."

Angela wrote: "I am in for this one. Been waiting for it for months. This will be my first read of this novel. Scrambling now to finish up at least one of the five other books I am reading, yikes."

Awesome, Angela! I tried to read the book, but reading together will be all the more easy to last through the entire experience. I have read less than half of what Dickens has written. I will always keep an eye on this group, to know whenever a group read is ongoing.

Sue wrote: "Looking forward to this and joining everyone again. This will be my first reading of Bleak House."

Welcome, Sue! I have read only the first 4 or 5 chapters, and that too ages ago. I'm going in nearly oblivious to what the book contains, although it will be excellent is it is per usual. I rarely give Dickens books 5/5 stars though. Maybe it is due to the length of the books. But even those that I love I sometimes give a 3. Happened with Martin Chuzzlewit. I gave David Copperfield 5 stars, IIRC.

Janelle wrote: "I’m joining in the read, too. Very much looking forward to it :)"

Great, Janelle! Dickens writes in his normally winding but wonderful way, but he can write differently too. I must hush now, because spoilers :)

Diane wrote: "I'm joining in on this one too. I wasn't very active in this group last year as things got a little hectic, but I'm looking forward to this one. It's a first read for me."

Mostly native English persons reading Bleak House. I think only Daniela and I are 'foreigners'. No pressure though :)

Debra Diggs wrote: "I will be joining in too. This is my first time reading Bleak House.

Thanks for the warnings, Jean."

Welcome Debra! This is going to be a merry ride indeed.