# LVI explained — Nicholas Nickleby

> Chapter companion for Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens.

## What happens

Ralph Nickleby, enraged by his nephew's interference and the sudden death that thwarted his scheme, plots revenge. He enlists Arthur Gride and later Wackford Squeers to retrieve a stolen deed that would secure an inheritance for Nicholas and Madeline. Ralph manipulates Squeers with promises of money and appeals to his greed, aiming to destroy the document and ruin Nicholas's prospects.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Injustice and Corruption

Ralph's manipulation of Squeers and Gride, and his willingness to exploit legal documents for personal gain, highlight systemic corruption.

### Ambition and Speculation

Ralph's scheme to retrieve the deed and destroy it is driven by his speculative ambition to ruin Nicholas and recover his losses.

### Family and Loyalty

Ralph's hatred for his nephew Nicholas underscores the breakdown of family bonds, contrasting with Nicholas's loyalty to Madeline.

## Character check-ins

### Ralph Nickleby

Furious and calculating, Ralph hatches a scheme to retrieve a stolen deed and thwart Nicholas's marriage to Madeline Bray.

### Arthur Gride

Cowardly and trembling, Gride is present during Ralph's rage and later becomes an unwilling accomplice.

### Wackford Squeers

Greedy and opportunistic, Squeers is recruited by Ralph to retrieve the stolen deed from Mrs. Sliderskew.

### Nicholas Nickleby

Mentioned as the object of Ralph's hatred; Nicholas has thwarted Ralph's plans and is set to marry Madeline Bray.

### Madeline Bray

Referenced as the young lady whom Nicholas has secured in marriage, and whose inheritance is at stake.

### Newman Noggs

Briefly mentioned as Ralph's clerk, who is kept in the dark about the plot.

## Key lines

> Ten thousand pounds! He said ten thousand! The precise sum paid in but yesterday for the two mortgages, and which would have gone out again, at heavy interest, tomorrow.

Ralph is shocked that Nicholas mentioned ten thousand pounds, exactly the amount he had just invested in mortgages that were supposed to yield high interest the next day.

_Reveals Ralph's financial loss and his obsession with money._

> I want that deed brought here, that I may give the man who brings it fifty pounds in gold, and burn it to ashes before his face.

Ralph tells Squeers he wants the stolen deed delivered to him so he can pay the bearer fifty gold pounds and then destroy the document.

_Shows Ralph's determination to destroy evidence of Madeline's inheritance._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicholas_nickleby_se/chapters/lvi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicholas_nickleby_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicholas_nickleby_se/chapters