Character guide

Esther Summerson

major

Also known as Esther, little Esther, Miss Summerson, Dame Durden, Carboy

The orphaned narrator and housekeeper at Bleak House, seeking her true identity.

Lady Dedlock

major

Also known as Honoria, My Lady Dedlock, the fair Dedlock

A proud, beautiful aristocrat with a hidden past that threatens her position.

Sir Leicester Dedlock

major

Also known as Sir Leicester, Leicester, Dedlock

The baronet of Chesney Wold, devoted to his wife and family honor.

Mr. Tulkinghorn

major

Also known as Tulkinghorn, the Tulkinghorn

The Dedlock family solicitor, secretive and manipulative in his investigations.

Mr. Bucket

major

Also known as Bucket, Inspector Bucket, Detective Mr. Bucket

A shrewd detective who unravels the novel's central mystery.

Richard Carstone

major

Also known as Richard, Mr. Richard Carstone, Carstone, Rick

A young ward of Jarndyce, consumed by the Chancery suit and his own ambition.

Ada Clare

major

Also known as Ada, Miss Ada, Miss Clare, Cousin Ada

A beautiful and gentle ward of Jarndyce, who marries Richard Carstone.

Mr. Jarndyce

major

Also known as Jarndyce, John Jarndyce, John, cousin John

The benevolent guardian of Esther, Ada, and Richard at Bleak House.

Harold Skimpole

supporting

Also known as Mr. Skimpole, Skimpole, Harold

A charming but irresponsible friend of Jarndyce who lives on others' generosity.

Mr. Guppy

supporting

Also known as Guppy, William Guppy

A law clerk at Kenge and Carboy who becomes infatuated with Esther.

Jo

supporting

Also known as Joe Pouch

A homeless crossing-sweeper boy who knows too much about a secret.

Mr. Snagsby

supporting

Also known as Snagsby, young Snagsby

A mild-mannered law stationer who gets drawn into the mystery.

Mr. George

supporting

Also known as George, George Rouncewell, the trooper

A former soldier who runs a shooting gallery and has a hidden past.

Caddy Jellyby

supporting

Also known as Caddy, Caroline Jellyby, Caroline

The overworked daughter of Mrs. Jellyby who finds happiness with Prince Turveydrop.

Mr. Woodcourt

supporting

Also known as Allan Woodcourt, Allan, Woodcourt

A kind young surgeon who loves Esther and serves the poor.

Mr. Vholes

supporting

Also known as Vholes

A pale, relentless lawyer who represents Richard in the Chancery suit.

Miss Flite

supporting

Also known as Flite, little Miss Flite

A half-mad old woman obsessed with the Chancery suit and her birds.

Mr. Krook

supporting

Also known as Krook, old Krook

A rag-and-bottle merchant who hoards documents and dies mysteriously.

Hortense

supporting

Also known as Mademoiselle Hortense, mademoiselle

Lady Dedlock's fiery French maid with a vengeful streak.

Mrs. Jellyby

supporting

Also known as Jellyby

A philanthropist who neglects her family for African missions.

Boythorn

supporting

Also known as Lawrence Boythorn, Mr. Boythorn

A boisterous, generous friend of Jarndyce with a loud voice.

Mrs. Rouncewell

supporting

The housekeeper at Chesney Wold, loyal to the Dedlock family.

Mr. Smallweed

supporting

Also known as Smallweed, Grandfather Smallweed, old Smallweed

A vicious, money-lending old man in a wheelchair.

Judy Smallweed

minor

Also known as Judith Smallweed, Judy

The sharp-tongued granddaughter of Grandfather Smallweed.

Mrs. Bagnet

supporting

Also known as Bagnet

The practical, musical wife of Matthew Bagnet and friend to George.

Matthew Bagnet

supporting

Also known as Mr. Bagnet, Mat, Bagnet

A retired soldier and friend of George, who runs a small business.

Phil Squod

minor

Also known as Phil

George's loyal, disfigured assistant at the shooting gallery.

Mr. Chadband

minor

Also known as Chadband, the Reverend Chadband

A hypocritical, oily preacher who lectures the poor.

Mrs. Snagsby

minor

Also known as the watchful Mrs. Snagsby

Mr. Snagsby's suspicious and jealous wife.

Prince Turveydrop

supporting

Also known as Prince, Mr. Prince Turveydrop, young Mr. Turveydrop

A hardworking dancing master who marries Caddy Jellyby.

Old Mr. Turveydrop

minor

Also known as old Mr. Turveydrop, the elder Mr. Turveydrop

A vain, idle man who lives off his son's labor, a model of 'deportment'.

Mr. Weevle

minor

Also known as Weevle, Tony, Tony Jobling, Jobling

A young man who lodges above Krook's shop and assists Guppy.

Kenge

minor

Also known as Mr. Kenge, Conversation Kenge

A verbose lawyer from the firm handling the Jarndyce case.

Gridley

minor

Also known as Mr. Gridley, poor Gridley

A man driven mad by the Chancery suit, known as 'the man from Shropshire'.

Mrs. Pardiggle

minor

Also known as a Mrs. Pardiggle

An aggressive philanthropist who forces charity on the poor.

Mr. Bayham Badger

minor

Also known as Mr. Badger, Badger

A physician in Chelsea who employs Allan Woodcourt.

Peepy

minor

The youngest Jellyby child, often neglected and getting into scrapes.

Rosa

minor

A young maid at Chesney Wold, devoted to Lady Dedlock.

Charley

supporting

Also known as King Charles, poor Charley

Esther's loyal maid, a young girl who cares for her siblings.

Miss Volumnia

minor

Also known as Volumnia

Sir Leicester's flirtatious, aging cousin who visits Chesney Wold.

Miss Jellyby

minor

Caddy's younger sister, who eventually runs away with a lover.

Mrs. Chadband

minor

Also known as Chadband

The wife of Mr. Chadband, formerly Miss Barbary's servant.

Mrs. Smallweed

minor

The bedridden wife of Grandfather Smallweed, rarely seen.

Coavinses

minor

Also known as The Coavinses, little Coavinses

A debt collector who arrests Skimpole; his children later appear.

Mrs. Blinder

minor

Also known as a Mrs. Blinder

A kind landlady who helps the poor in Tom-all-Alone's.

Mrs. Bucket

minor

Also known as Bucket

The wife of Inspector Bucket, who assists him in his investigations.

Mr. Quale

minor

An enthusiastic but ineffectual philanthropist friend of Mrs. Jellyby.

Watt

minor

Mrs. Rouncewell's grandson, a young ironmaster who loves Rosa.

Mr. Rouncewell

minor

Also known as Rouncewell, Young Mr. Rouncewell

Mrs. Rouncewell's son, a successful ironmaster and reformer.

Guster

minor

Also known as Still Guster

The Snagsbys' epileptic maidservant, prone to fits.

Jenny

minor

A poor brickmaker's wife who befriends Esther and Lady Dedlock.

Mr. Jellyby

minor

Also known as poor Mr. Jellyby

Mrs. Jellyby's meek, neglected husband.

Mrs. Woodcourt

minor

Also known as Woodcourt

Allan Woodcourt's proud mother, who values her Welsh ancestry.

Captain Hawdon

supporting

Also known as Nemo

A former soldier who dies in poverty, later revealed as Esther's father.

Miss Barbary

minor

Also known as the late Miss Barbary

Esther's stern aunt who raised her in secrecy.

Mrs. Rachael

minor

Also known as Rachael

Miss Barbary's servant, later Mrs. Chadband.

Little Swills

minor

Also known as Swills

A comic singer at the Sol's Arms tavern.

Lady Jane

minor

Also known as Jane

Krook's ill-tempered cat, often associated with his death.

Mr. Sladdery

minor

A fashionable society tailor who gossips about his clients.

Mr. Pardiggle

minor

The henpecked husband of Mrs. Pardiggle.

Mr. Gusher

minor

An enthusiastic philanthropist who works with Mrs. Jellyby.

Miss Donny

minor

The head of the boarding school where Esther was educated.

Professor Dingo

minor

A scientist who marries Mrs. Bayham Badger after her first husband's death.

Mrs. Skimpole

minor

Harold Skimpole's long-suffering wife, rarely mentioned.

Miss Dedlock

minor

Sir Leicester's spinster cousin, a gossip at Chesney Wold.

Joshua Smallweed

minor

A relative of the Smallweed family, a moneylender.

Lignum Vitae

minor

Also known as Lignum

A woodworker who makes George's walking sticks.

Mr. Bogsby

minor

Also known as Mr. J. G. Bogsby, J. G. Bogsby

The proprietor of the Sol's Arms tavern.

Mr. Grubble

minor

Also known as Mister Grubble

The landlord of the Dedlock Arms in the village.

Mr. Tangle

minor

A barrister who argues before the Lord Chancellor in the Jarndyce case.

Old Tom Jarndyce

minor

Also known as Tom Jarndyce

The previous owner of Bleak House who died by suicide over the suit.

Captain Swosser

minor

Mrs. Bayham Badger's first husband, a naval captain.

Mrs. Piper

minor

Also known as young Piper

A neighbor in the court who gossips about the Krook affair.

Alexander Piper

minor

Also known as Alexander, James

A young boy in the neighborhood, often mentioned with his mother.

Mr. Sangsby

minor

A minor character, possibly a misprint for Snagsby.

Mercury

minor

The Dedlocks' footman, known for his speed and silence.

Peffer

minor

A former partner of Snagsby in the law-stationery business.

Fitz-Jarndyce

minor

Also known as Fitz Jarndyce, Miss Fitz Jarndyce

A distant relative of the Jarndyce family, a claimant in the suit.

Mrs. Guppy

minor

Also known as Guppy

Mr. Guppy's mother, who lives with him.