Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (Version 3)
Charles Dickens
Play
Length 31 h 37 min
Chapters 65
First published 1838
Nicholas Nickleby was Dickens's third novel following on from Pickwick Papers and Oliver twist. It has a cast of wonderful characters that include Wackford Squeers, the reprehensible and villainous headmaster whose reign of terror at his school in Yorkshire resulted in the abuse and deaths of many of his unwanted and orphaned children, Mr Vincent Crummles and his hilariously inept touring company, the munificent Cheeryble brothers, Ralph Nickleby, Nicholas's uncle, a mean spirited man who is driven by avarice and irrational hatred of his nephew, Smike a boy brutalised by Squeers and his family leaving him mentally and physically handicapped and Mrs Nickleby, Nicholas’s mother, who is pretentiously genteel and somewhat garrulous.
There are many more finely drawn characters who combine to make this not only a comic masterpiece of the period but more than one love story threads its way through the dialogue. Probably what we would call today a ‘Romacom’ and as such Nicholas Nickleby never ceases to delight. (Summary by Peter Keeble)
Chapters
1
Authors Preface Read by Peter John Keeble 12:05
2
Of Mr Ralph Nickleby, And His Establishments . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 28:27
3
Mr Ralph Nickleby receives sad tidings of his brother . . .The reader is informed how he liked Nicholas . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 25:10
4
Nicholas and his Uncle . . . wait upon Mr Wackford Squeers, the Yorkshire Schoolmaster Read by Peter John Keeble 28:23
5
Nicholas starts for Yorkshire. Of his Leave-taking and his Fellow-Travellers . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 24:38
6
In which the Occurrence of the Accident . . . affords an Opportunity . . .to tell Stories against each other Read by Peter John Keeble 52:21
7
Mr and Mrs Squeers at Home Read by Peter John Keeble 18:32
8
Of the Internal Economy of Dotheboys Hall Read by Peter John Keeble 30:40
9
Of Miss Squeers, Mrs Squeers, Master Squeers, and Mr Squeers . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 34:33
10
How Mr Ralph Nickleby provided for his Niece and Sister-in-Law Read by Peter John Keeble 30:37
11
Newman Noggs inducts Mrs and Miss Nickleby into their New Dwelling in the City Read by Peter John Keeble 12:30
12
Whereby the Reader will be enabled to trace the further course of Miss Fanny Squeer's Love . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 25:17
13
Nicholas varies the Monotony of Dothebys Hall . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 31:48
14
Having the Misfortune to treat of none but Common People . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 27:45
15
Acquaints the Reader with the Cause and Origin of the Interruption . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 30:24
16
Nicholas seeks to employ himself in a New Capacity . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 45:51
17
Follows the Fortunes of Miss Nickleby Read by Peter John Keeble 21:45
18
Miss Knag, after doting on Kate Nickleby . . . makes up her Mind to hate her for evermore . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 31:57
19
Descriptive of a Dinner at Mr Ralph Nickleby's . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 37:43
20
Wherein Nicholas at length encounters his Uncle . . . His Resolution. Read by Peter John Keeble 27:05
21
Madam Mantalini finds herself in a Situation . . . and Miss Nickleby finds herself in no Situation at all Read by Peter John Keeble 29:39
22
Nicholas, accompanied by Smike, sallies forth to seek his Fortune . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 34:07
23
Treats of the Company of Mr Vincent Crummles, and of his Affairs, Domestic and Theatrical Read by Peter John Keeble 29:21
24
Of the Great Bespeak for Miss Snevellicci . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 38:36
25
Concerning a young Lady from London . . . and an elderly Admirer who follows in her Train . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 31:08
26
Is fraught with some Danger to Miss Nickleby's Peace of Mind Read by Peter John Keeble 25:06
27
Mrs Nickleby becomes acquainted with Messrs Pyke and Pluck . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 34:49
28
Miss Nickleby, rendered desperate by the Persecution of Sir Mulberry Hawk . . . appeals. . . to her Uncle for Protection Read by Peter John Keeble 39:36
29
Of the Proceedings of Nicholas, and certain Internal Divisions in the Company . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 21:12
30
Festivities are held in honour of Nicholas . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 37:25
31
Of Ralph Nickleby and Newman Noggs . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 17:19
32
Relating chiefly to some remarkable Conversation, and some remarkable Proceedings . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 24:36
33
In which Mr. Ralph Nickleby is relieved, by a very expeditious Process, from all Commerce with his Relations Read by Peter John Keeble 16:15
34
Wherein Mr. Ralph Nickleby is visited by Persons with whom the Reader has been already made acquainted Read by Peter John Keeble 36:02
35
Smike becomes known to Mrs. Nickleby and Kate. Nicholas also meets with new Acquaintances . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 38:22
36
Private and confidential; relating to Family Matters . . . Mr Kenwigs underwent violent Agitation . . . Mrs. Kenwigs was as well as could be expected Read by Peter John Keeble 18:38
37
Nicholas finds further Favour in the Eyes of the brothers Cheeryble and Mr Timothy Linkinwater . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 41:35
38
Comprises certain Particulars arising out of a Visit of Condolence . . . Smike unexpectedly encounters a very old Friend . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 35:51
39
In which another old Friend encounters Smike, very opportunely . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 20:19
40
In which Nicholas falls in Love. . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 40:15
41
Containing some Romantic Passages between Mrs. Nickleby and the Gentleman in the Small-clothes next Door Read by Peter John Keeble 27:35
42
Illustrative of the convivial Sentiment, that the best of Friends must sometimes part Read by Peter John Keeble 25:03
43
Officiates as a kind of Gentleman Usher, in bringing various People together Read by Peter John Keeble 33:42
44
Mr. Ralph Nickleby cuts an old Acquaintance . . Read by Peter John Keeble 34:39
45
Containing Matter of a surprising Kind Read by Peter John Keeble 29:41
46
Throws some Light upon Nicholas's Love, but whether for Good or Evil the Reader must determine Read by Peter John Keeble 33:58
47
Mr. Ralph Nickleby has some confidential Intercourse with another old Friend. . . Read by Peter John Keeble 36:59
48
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Vincent Crummles, and positively his last Appearance on this Stage Read by Peter John Keeble 26:46
49
Chronicles the further Proceedings of the Nickleby Family, and the Sequel of the Adventure of the Gentleman in the Small-clothes Read by Peter John Keeble 36:55
50
Involves a serious Catastrophe Read by Peter John Keeble 34:19
51
The Project of Mr. Ralph Nickleby and his Friend approaching a successful Issue, becomes unexpectedly known to another Party . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 27:12
52
Nicholas despairs of rescuing Madeline Bray . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 30:26
53
Containing the further Progress of the Plot contrived by Mr. Ralph Nickleby and Mr. Arthur Gride Read by Peter John Keeble 39:31
54
The Crisis of the Project and its Result Read by Peter John Keeble 27:09
55
Of Family Matters, Cares, Hopes, Disappointments, and Sorrows Read by Peter John Keeble 29:10
56
Ralph Nickleby, baffled by his Nephew in his late Design, hatches a Scheme of Retaliation . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 30:20
57
How Ralph Nickleby's Auxiliary went about his Work, and how he prospered with it Read by Peter John Keeble 25:36
58
In which one Scene of this History is closed Read by Peter John Keeble 14:25
59
The Plots begin to fail, and Doubts and Dangers to disturb the Plotter Read by Peter John Keeble 35:35
60
The Dangers thicken, and the Worst is Told Read by Peter John Keeble 27:02
61
Wherein Nicholas and his Sister forfeit the good Opinion of all worldly and prudent People Read by Peter John Keeble 23:46
62
Ralph makes one last Appointment—and keeps it Read by Peter John Keeble 14:30
63
The Brothers Cheeryble make various Declarations for themselves and others . . . Read by Peter John Keeble 23:12
64
An old Acquaintance is recognised . . . and Dotheboys Hall breaks up for ever Read by Peter John Keeble 21:38
65
Conclusion Read by Peter John Keeble 7:01
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens gutenberg.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
