‘The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’ is a sprawling adventure that follows young Nicholas’ journey across England to defend his family’s honour and regain their lost fortune. After the death of Nicholas’ father, the Nickleby family is on the brink of collapse, and they must rely on their treacherous uncle Ralph to survive. Nicholas is sent to work at a Yorkshire school but quickly learns that it is run by belligerent ghouls. After a violent confrontation, Nicholas and his friend Smike flee the school and embark on a marvellous misadventure to rescue Nicholas’ family and find love. While remaining true to Dickens’ celebrated social criticism, this novel also portrays the author’s incredible comedic abilities as the protagonists find themselves in many accidentally absurd situations. ‘The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby’ is a drama teeming with humour, romance, revenge, and murder. The story’s narrative scope and memorable cast of characters make it the perfect read for fans of Shakespeare, and it was adapted into a film starring Anne Hathaway and Charlie Hunnam in 2002.
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was a widely popular English author and social critic. Among his most famous novels are ‘Oliver Twist’, ‘A Christmas Carol’, and ‘Great Expectations’. Dickens is best known for his depictions of poor Victorian living conditions and his unforgettable characters, some compassionate and others grotesquely malicious. Dickens’ timeless tales are still as celebrated today as when they were written, and his literary style is so influential that the term Dickensian was coined to describe the literature he inspired. Many of Dickens’ novels have been adapted for movies and television, including the Academy Award-winning musical ‘Oliver’.
