ABSTRACT
NicholasNicklebyisanovelwhichstrikesusasremarkableforits randomenergies.Thatatleastisthemostgenerouswayofputting thecaseforit.Morebluntly,however,wemightsaythatthere
areoccasionsonwhichthenovelreallybecomessomethingof anincoherentmuddle,andifthisstatementseemsu."tfairly
emphatic,itisatleastonewayofcorrectingtheveryuncritical
acceptanceofDickensianworldsthathasbecomesofashionable
amongrecentstudiesofthenovels.Ofcourse,NicholasNickleby isDickens'sfirstfull-scalenovelandwecanseethatinitheis
servinghisapprenticeship;butalthoughthismaybesomeexcuse,
itdoesnotalterthefactthatmuchoftheplotandnarrativeare mismanaged,thatthepresentationofsomeofthecharactersis grievouslyinconsistent,thattherearetoomanyconflicting tones,andthattheproliferatinginterestsstrainsohardagainst
eachotherthattheythreatentoblowthenovelapartatits seams.Andyetitisalsotruethatthenovel'sfaultsarewhatmake
itinteresting,sinceNicholasNicklebyisclearlyaworkwhichbetraysitsauthor'sobsessionwithcertainthemeswhichmoreor lesseruptintothenovel,inspiteofwhathetriesconsciouslyto
achieve.Suchthemesbecomedominantandcreativelyexplored inthegreatnovels,andIshallhavesomethingmoretosayabout
themalittlelater.ButIwantfirsttoinvestigatewhatiswrong withNicholasNickleby.
