Nicholas Nickleby

Synopsis

Nicholas Nickleby is a romantic fiction novel written by Charles Dickens, an English writer of Victorian era remembered as the greatest novelist with his literary contributions in the form of novels, short stories, poetry and plays. Notable works among his numerous writings include A Message from the Sea, Great expectations, Oliver Twist, and A Tale of Two Cities.

Nicholas Nickleby initiated the romantic genre in Charles dickens works and it is his third novel. This novel explores the life and adventures of a young man named Nicholas Nickleby, who has to support his mother and sister, due to unexpected demise of his father. Nicholas Nickleby father loses his entire life savings and assets in a poor investment, resulting in his death. The family leaves from the comfortable life style and reaches their relative for support.

The family goes through cruel and harsh treatment during their effort to survive from many people. Ralph Nickleby, a ruthless business man and Nicholas’s father’s brother sends him for an underpaid job to a cruel schoolmaster named Wackford Squeers, who takes huge money from the parents of illegitimate children to be admitted to his school. Nicholas and other employees and the school children undergo cruel treatment from the school master, his wife and his daughter Fanny Squeers.

Unable to witness the punishment to his only friend, Nicholas react violently and beat Wackford so badly and moves out of his job. His actions were communicated by Wackford to his uncle Ralph with exaggeration. As his uncle Ralph is not ready to hear Nicholas’s version, the family moves out from Ralph’s care.

The family does meet kind persons also and they are able to lead a comfortable life with well paid jobs. In the preceding incidents Ralph commits suicide knowing his son was dead and Wackford is sentenced to transportation to Austria. The story ends up in a good note; Nicholas and his sister Kate able find their lovable life partners and getting married and lead a peaceful life in their hometown.

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