Matteo Sverzut

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Bleak House is a novel written by Charles Dickens.

Just reading the title, the intelligent reader can understand that a house is central in the novel. Reading the adjective bleak the intelligent reader may think that the house is abandoned. The text is mainly composed by narration and is divided in paragraph, probably in accord to the content.

The chapter one starts with the description of an autumn London, that is wet, cold and fogged. A famous lawsuit called “Jarndyce and Jarndyce”, which has dragged on for several generations, is brought before the Lord Chancellor. There is a bad atmosphere and the court is almost empty except for a “mad old woman”, who visits the court, and a poor man who try to attract the Chancellor’s attention but he always is ignored.

Focusing the attention on the characterization, Lord Chancellor and generally all the lawyers are descripted like corrupted men, guided by the only interest to gain more money. They have a sense of superiority towards of the common people. The court creates confusion and depression on the people, who is lost. In addition, Dickens makes a detailed characterization of the city of London of the 19^th century. London was a city full of fog and smog caused by the pollution and by industrial use of coal.

Considering the narrative techniques, there is the presence of a third-person intrusive and omniscient narrator. He is focused on the Chancery court behavior, in particular on it stagnation and lack of action. To this aim, Dickens uses static verbs, that don’t express movement. The weather of London reflects the actions of the characters. In addition, the start in medias res wants to create a sense of confusion and loss in the reader.

In conclusion, the overall effect is the Dicken’ criticsm at the inaction of Chancery court and the drama of the lives that depends from the court and wait for its decisions. In addition, there is a criticism to the industrialized society, to his corruption and to the fact that common people is unable to take decisions, because they are part of a mechanical process.