Favorite Dickens Characters

Dickens created hundreds of characters over the course of his literary career, and some of them are regarded as among the most famous in British literature.  Here are a few of my favorites.  Click on their names to see illustrations (or screencaps) and quotes.   

Mr. Pickwick from The Pickwick Papers

Dickens' very first hero and one of his best loved characters, plucky Mr. Pickwick is an "observer of human nature," and enjoys traveling about England and meeting new people.  Humorously naive and delightfully altruistic, Mr. Pickwick is prone to getting into hilarious scrapes caused by misunderstandings, but he refuses to let anything permanently dampen his spirits.    

Alfred Jingle from The Pickwick Papers 

A traveling actor and conman, Mr. Jingle and his servant, Job Trotter, repeatedly cause trouble for Mr. Pickwick and the Pickwickians, oftentimes with hilarious results.  As street-savvy as Mr. Pickwick is naive, Jingle is an uproarious adversary for the novel's title character; one of his most memorable qualities is his staccato way of speaking.  

Sam Weller from The Pickwick Papers

Mr. Pickwick's incredibly loyal and streetwise servant who is frequently forced to get his master out of trouble at the last minute.  Sam's cockney witticisms and humorous observations have made him one of the most beloved characters in the Dickens canon.  

Tracy Tupman, Augustus Snodgrass, and Nathaniel Winkle from The Pickwick Papers

Mr. Pickwick's three close friends and fellow members of the Corresponding Society of the Pickwick Club.  The pudgy and good natured Tupman is quite fond of the opposite sex, the romantic Snodgrass is an aspiring poet, and poor Winkle is a humbug of a sportsman who constantly fails at every single sporting activity he tries.    

Tony Weller from The Pickwick Papers

Sam's cynical and sardonic father, a hearty coachman.  Tony was duped into marrying the widow Susan Clark and now maintains a deep fear of "widders" and their harsh temperaments.  Tony is very fond of his son and grows to admire Mr. Pickwick.    

Fagin from Oliver Twist

Arguably the most controversial of all Dickens' characters, Fagin is the manipulative leader of a gang of thieves.  Fagin uses other people to steal items that he can fence on the black market, and then "peaches" on them to the authorities, sending them to the hangman before they can betray him.  A corrupter of the innocent, Fagin is one of Dickens' most terrifying, and, simultaneously, most charismatic, villains. 

Bill Sikes from Oliver Twist

A brutal housebreaker who works with Fagin.  After Sikes commits an unspeakable crime, he becomes the first in what would go on to be a long line of haunted Dickensian villains.  Sikes is constantly accompanied by his vicious dog, Bull's-eye, who is just as brutal and loathsome as his master.    

Mr. Bumble from Oliver Twist

The self-important parish beadle who makes Oliver's life miserable in the opening sections of the novel, Mr. Bumble is so arrogant about his professional title that he has no identity outside his "parochial office."

The Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist

The irrepressible Jack Dawkins is a gifted pickpocket with a cynical outlook on life.  Wise beyond his years, the Dodger is a comically tragic figure: a young man forced to grow up far too fast due to society's imperfections. 

Vincent Crummles from Nicholas Nickleby

The  boisterous and kindhearted manager of a large traveling theatre company, Crummles contributes to the most humorous scenes in Nicholas Nickleby.  His relationship with his daughter, the "Infant Phenomenon" is particularly engaging.    

Ralph Nickleby from Nicholas Nickleby

Nicholas Nickleby's wicked and avaricious uncle.  Ralph treats his family with great cruelty, and though he occasionally feels guilty over his conduct toward his niece, Kate, he despises Nicholas with a passion.  His desire to destroy Nicholas eventually consumes him.

Wackford Squeers from Nicholas Nickleby

The brutal one-eyed Yorkshire schoolmaster who hires Nicholas as his assistant.  Squeers runs Dotheboys Hall as a virtual prison, but Dickens incorporates a great deal of dark humor in his characterization of the schoolmaster. 

Daniel Quilp from The Old Curiosity Shop

A vile, hideous, and greedy dwarf who torments Nell Trent (and practically every other character in the novel).  Quilp is the most purely evil character in the Dickens canon, as he has absolutely no redeeming qualities.  He is the antithesis of the purely good Little Nell.    

Little Nell from The Old Curiosity Shop

The heroine of The Old Curiosity Shop and one of Dickens' most famous child heroes.  Nelly unselfishly devotes herself to her beleaguered grandfather, and her pure and untainted innocence contrasts Quilp's sadistic greed, thus creating a moving allegory of good vs. evil. 

Dick Swiveller from The Old Curiosity Shop

A dissolute, self-indulgent, yet lovable young wastrel, Dick Swiveller has a taste for simple pleasures such as food, drink, and song.  A bit shy on brains, Dick allows himself to become a pawn in the hands of the contemptible Fred Trent, and the vile Quilp.  However, when Swiveller realizes what a villain Quilp is, his conscience is aroused, and he proves that even a scoundrel can be a hero.       

Sampson Brass from The Old Curiosity Shop

Quilp's simpering and sycophantic attorney, Brass is constantly toadying himself to Quilp despite the fact that he can't stand the dwarf.  His habit of complimenting Quilp despite the dwarf's inappropriate behavior provides comic relief in the novel's darker scenes.  

The Marchioness from The Old Curiosity Shop

Sampson and Sally Brass' pint-sized servant girl.  The Marchioness is terribly mistreated by her mistress, but Dick Swiveller takes pity on her and treats her with kindness and affection.  Her loyalty to Swiveller unexpectedly helps several other characters.  

Barnaby Rudge from Barnaby Rudge

The title character of Dickens' first historical novel, Barnaby is a character in the mold of Lear's fool, for he is both insightful and insane.  Barnaby accidentally gets involved with the Gordon rioters, and Dickens contrasts his innocent madness with the violent madness of the mob.  Memorably, his closest companion is his pet raven, Grip. 

Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol

Dickens' most famous character, a shrewd miser given the chance for redemption when he is visited by the ghost of his dead partner and the three spirits of Christmas.  One of Dickens' greatest (and most culturally significant) creations.  

Jacob Marley from A Christmas Carol

Ebenezer Scrooge's deceased partner, Marley is forced to wander the earth in death as punishment for cutting himself off from humanity while he was alive.  Marley is memorably bound by the chain of greed he forged in life.  

Bob Cratchit from A Christmas Carol

Scrooge's overworked, underpaid clerk.  Though treated terribly by the cold and miserly Scrooge, Cratchit remains kindhearted and loyal.  His devotion to his family and to his employer helps to bring about Scrooge's redemption.  

Seth Pecksniff from Martin Chuzzlewit

An obnoxious and self-righteous architect, Pecksniff, though not the lead character in Martin Chuzzlewit, dominates most of the story.  His absolute hypocrisy makes him one of the most despicable, and simultaneously, hilarious, characters in the Dickens canon.  "Pecksniffian" has become an adjective which can be found in several dictionaries to describe someone who is hypocritically sanctimonious. 

Tom Pinch from Martin Chuzzlewit

Mr. Pecksniff's devoted assistant, Tom serves as a foil for most of the characters in the novel.  Whereas the Chuzzlewits and Pecksniff are all selfish and haughty, Pinch is humble, kindhearted, and selfless.  He is so loyal to Pecksniff that he does not realize how cruelly and dishonestly his master uses him.  

Mark Tapley from Martin Chuzzlewit

Martin Chuzzlewit's servant and friend, Mark, despite his lower-class slang and lack of education, is one of the most insightful characters in the novel.  He is also one of the most humorous; constantly praised for his happy-go-lucky attitude, he purposefully puts himself in disheartening situations because it is much more praiseworthy to remain cheerful under such harsh circumstances!  Mark accompanies Martin on his disastrous expedition to America.  

Sairey Gamp from Martin Chuzzlewit

An elderly nurse, Mrs. Gamp is neglectful of her clients, and much prefers taking care of herself.  She indulges heavily in food and alcohol, but her most humorous habit involves her referencing her friend Mrs. Harris (who is completely fictitious) as a means of backing up her own opinions.  One of Dickens' most bizarre and darkly funny creations.   

Florence Dombey from Dombey and Son

The heroine of Dombey and Son, Florence maintains a love and fidelity to her cold and unfeeling father despite the fact that he treats her like a nonentity.  Florence is a shattering portrait of a neglected child who blames herself for her parent's disregard.  Nevertheless, her devotion to her family, particularly to her sickly younger brother, Paul, is incredibly moving.  

Paul Dombey from Dombey and Son

Mr. Dombey's only son and the heir to the Dombey mercantile empire.  Though Mr. Dombey tries to instill hollow and selfish values in Paul, the child attains a loving and ethereal outlook on life and is curious about the spiritual realm as opposed to the business world.  The scenes describing Paul's deep love for his sister Florence are among the most stirring and poignant passages in the entire Dickens canon.  

Mr. Dombey from Dombey and Son

The title character to Dickens' seventh novel.  Mr. Dombey is a cold, unlikable man with hollow values.  His sole purpose in life is to promote the interests of his mercantile company, Dombey and Son.  Mr. Dombey's greatest flaw is his pride, as it causes him to make foolish decisions that hurt his family, particularly his children.  For all his faults, Dombey is a tragic and pitiable figure.  

Captain Cuttle from Dombey and Son

One of the two central comic figures in Dombey and Son, Captain Cuttle is a grizzled yet lovable sea captain who maintains his nautical vernacular even though he is no longer a seafaring man.  Cuttle is constantly trying to avoid his shrewish landlady, Mrs. MacStinger.

Mr. Toots from Dombey and Son

The other central comic figure in Dombey and Son, Toots is the head-boy at Dr. Blimber's academy.  Though he is incredibly absentminded and naive, Toots has a very good heart and constantly acts kindly toward Florence and Paul; he has the bad habit of mixing up people's names.    

James Carker from Dombey and Son

Mr. Dombey's sycophantic and sinister clerk.  Carker knows exactly how to get what he wants from Dombey and is an expert at playing on his boss' pride and ego.  With his catlike features and ominous grin, Carker is a sly and prowling villain.    

Edith Granger from Dombey and Son

Mr. Dombey's second wife who finds herself part of a loveless marriage based on pride, money, and power instead of love, feeling, and respect.  Edith is a realistic depiction of the devastating choices some Victorian women had to make in order to secure a viable future.    

Walter Gay from Dombey and Son

A kindhearted and valiant young man who works for Mr. Dombey's firm.  Walter is devoted to his uncle, Soloman Gills, and shares a father-son bond with both Sol and the lovable Captain Cuttle.  Walter becomes a loving friend and protector to Florence Dombey when she is a child and they maintain a strong bond into adulthood.  

David Copperfield from David Copperfield

The title character of Dickens' favorite novel, David is the narrator and hero of the book that bears his name.  Introduced as a sensitive and intelligent child who is forced to grow up all too quickly, David reflects on the sorrows and joys of his life and presents the reader with a bittersweet and genuine story.  Ultimately, David lives a happy and valuable life while touching the lives of the many other people he meets along the way.  

Betsey Trotwood from David Copperfield

David Copperfield's eccentric yet loving great aunt.  Though she first comes across as heavy-handed and unlikable, she proves herself to be a charitable, genuine, and compassionate woman.  Her tender devotion to David (whom she nicknames "Trot"), along with her humorous eccentricities, make her one of Dickens' most lovable heroines.  

Clara Peggotty from David Copperfield

David's loyal and affectionate nurse.  Peggotty loves David and Mrs. Copperfield as though they are members of her own family and tries to ease young David's burdens when the abominable Mr. Murdstone enters his life.  Peggotty remains a fixture of love and devotion for David throughout his existence.    

Daniel Peggotty from David Copperfield

Clara Peggotty's brother, a hearty and charitable fisherman.  He makes his home in a converted boat, and adopts his niece and nephew when their parents die.  He also takes in the widow of his deceased partner.  Mr. Peggoty's charitable and forgiving nature remain unchanged despite the numerous tribulations he must suffer, and he is a model of kindness, generosity, and mercy for David.

Wilkins Micawber from David Copperfield

"A jaunty, grandiloquent, recklessly good-natured, improvident man."  David meets Mr. Micawber when he is forced to work in the Murdstone and Grinby warehouse.  Hopeless when it comes to financial matters, Mr. Micawber is constantly going in and out of debtors' prisons, but maintains a happy-go-lucky attitude.  His hilariously over-the-top way of speaking along with his congenial nature make him one of Dickens' greatest comic achievements.  

Emma Micawber from David Copperfield

Mr. Micawber's frazzled, long-suffering wife who must frequently bear the brunt of her husband's financial fiascos.  Though she always means well, Mrs. Micawber sometimes contributes to the family's problems as she is somewhat impractical herself.  She is completely devoted to her husband despite all his foibles.  

Agnes Wickfield from David Copperfield

Mr. Wickfield's compassionate and conscientious daughter who takes care of her oftentimes depressed and insecure father.  A childhood friend of David's, Agnes becomes the closest thing that he ever has to a sister, and acts as a moral guide and conscience for him throughout the novel.  

Uriah Heep from David Copperfield

Mr. Wickefield's sly, skeletal, and snaky clerk, one of Dickens' greatest and most subtle villains.  Though Uriah professes to be a model of humility and gratitude, there is something sinister lurking beneath his surface modesty.  Dickens' brilliant descriptions of Uriah's writhing mannerisms, sly looks, and sycophantic way of speaking all combine to paint a fantastic, detailed portrait of a dastardly and conniving hypocrite.  

Dora Spenlow from David Copperfield

The daughter of David's boss at Doctor's Commons in London.  Sweet, charming, and exceedingly sensitive, Dora quickly becomes the object of David's affection.  Her complete helplessness in all household affairs is both funny and sad.  

James Steerforth from David Copperfield

The most popular and admired pupil at Mr. Creakle's school, Steerforth becomes David's best friend and protector at the miserable academy.  David places Steerforth on a pedestal and adores him for his personal attractions and engaging manners, so much so that he fails to see James' very genuine and troubling character flaws.  

Little Emily from David Copperfield

Mr. Peggotty's niece and adopted daughter, David meets Emily when they are both very young children and they soon become beloved playmates and childhood sweethearts.  Emily's story-arc throughout the novel is gripping, tragic, and hopeful all at the same time.   

Esther Summerson from Bleak House

One of the two narrators in Bleak House, Esther Summerson is a benevolent young woman whose sole motivation in life is to find love and happiness following her wretched and guilt ridden childhood.  Whereas the anonymous third-person narrator presents a dark and cynical view of a miserable and cruel society, Esther (true to her name) presents a bright and hopeful example of how to make a difference in such a world.  

John Jarndyce from Bleak House

Esther's guardian and loyal friend, the master of Bleak House.  The benevolent and paternal  Mr. Jarndyce creates Bleak House to serve as a sanctuary where people can escape the heartache and contagion of Chancery.  Perpetually haunted by the wretched lawsuit that bears his name, Mr. Jarndyce can only try and protect others from Chancery; unfortunately, he can do nothing to truly fix the system.    

Allan Woodcourt from Bleak House

A compassionate and brave Welsh doctor, Woodcourt is one of the goodhearted characters who manages to make a difference in the cruel world of Bleak House.  His status as a doctor allows him to provide a possible cure for the contamination plaguing society in this novel, and he continuously helps treat the poor and destitute.    

Lady Honoria Dedlock from Bleak House

A beautiful yet coldhearted aristocrat, Lady Dedlock rules over the "world of fashion," but mysterious secrets from her past threaten to destroy the empire she has built.  One of Dickens' most intriguing and complex heroines.    

Sir Leicester Dedlock from Bleak House

Lady Dedlock's significantly older husband.  Sir Leicester is a rigid aristocrat who believes that the status quo must be preserved and fears the rise of the middle class.  One of the most dynamic characters in the novel, Sir Leicester proves himself to be a much more complex and admirable human being than one might first think.    

William Guppy from Bleak House

An ambitious and impulsive law clerk, Guppy has the bad habit of taking his work with him everywhere he goes; he is so obsessed with the legal profession that even his casual conversation is laden with legal jargon and allusions to the court system.  

Sergeant George from Bleak House

A gallant, charitable, but impoverished military man, George owns a shooting gallery in London and struggles to make ends meet.  Nevertheless, he shows great kindness towards anyone in need.  He is repeatedly targeted by the vile Grandfather Smallweed and the coldhearted Tulkinghorn.  

Inspector Bucket from Bleak House

A hard-nosed, intelligent, and (at times) compassionate police investigator, Inspector Bucket is one of the first detectives in British fiction.  One of the few morally ambiguous characters in the Dickens canon, Bucket uses his tremendous deductive powers for both good and ill in Bleak House.    

Joshua Smallweed from Bleak House

A dwarfish and crippled old moneylender, Grandfather Smallweed is a wicked miser who makes things difficult for several characters in the novel, particularly the gallant Sergeant George.  He is abusive toward his family, especially his senile wife.  Humorously, he is constantly telling his granddaughter Judy to shake him up and help him sit upright in his sedan chair.  

Lawrence Boythorn from Bleak House

Mr. Jarndyce's loyal friend and former schoolmate.  Boythorn is an energetic, hearty, and unruly fellow with a kind and generous heart.  He engages in an unending and hilarious feud with Sir Leicester over a plot of land.  His boisterous personality conceals the emotional setbacks and heartbreaks he has suffered throughout his life.  

Mrs. Jellyby from Bleak House

An energetic but incompetent philanthropist, Mrs. Jellyby engages in useless charitable causes that fail to benefit anyone.  She simultaneously ignores her very large family, allowing her children to run wild and overlooking the needs of her eldest daughter, Caddy.  Through Mrs. Jellyby, Dickens shows that charity should indeed begin at home.    

Josiah Bounderby from Hard Times

An obnoxious and self-important factory owner in Coketown, Bounderby is constantly boasting to people about how he built himself up from nothing.  His relationship with his servant Mrs. Sparsit adds a touch of humor to an otherwise dark novel about the downside of utilitarianism.  

Amy Dorrit from Little Dorrit

The title character of Dickens' darkest novel, Amy is eternally devoted to her father who is a prisoner in the Marshalsea.  This devotion is her greatest virtue as well as her greatest flaw, as she ignores her own needs for the sake of her ungrateful family.   

Arthur Clennam from Little Dorrit

A depressed and unsure middle-aged man, Arthur is, much like Little Dorrit, a prisoner, though it is his own doubts, fears, and reservations that hold him captive.  As he tries to help Amy's family, he is oftentimes met with the same ingratitude shown toward Little Dorrit herself.    

The Barnacle Family from Little Dorrit

The obnoxious Barnacles hold a great deal of power in the British government and basically have free run of the Circumlocution Office.  Masters of the philosophy of "how not to do it,"  they better themselves while ignoring the needs of the public that  they are meant to serve.  

William Dorrit from Little Dorrit

The disingenuous "Father of the Marshalsea," Dorrit has spent years in the debtors prison but has deluded himself into thinking that he is still a gentleman and thus deserves respect.  As such, he accepts tribute and praise from his fellow prisoners while ignoring the fact that his daughter is the one holding his family together.  

Flora Finching from Little Dorrit

Arthur Clennam's former lover, a plump, boisterous, and dotty woman.  Flora has the bad habit of speaking a million words per minute, the result being it is very difficult to follow what is being said.  One of Dickens' greatest comic creations, she prefigures Molly Bloom's memorable monologue from the final chapter of Joyce's Ulysses.   

Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities

A dissolute and demoralized lawyer who is given a chance for redemption when he falls in love.  Carton's selfless devotion to Lucy Manette and her family precipitates the tragic yet moving conclusion to A Tale of Two Cities.

Pip from Great Expectations

The narrator and hero of Great Expectations, Pip is a goodhearted but easily misled youth who is given the chance to become a gentleman.  As he begins to forsake his humble family and origins, he eventually comes to realize that being a true gentleman involves more than attaining wealth and status. 

Estella from Great Expectations

A beautiful but coldhearted young woman with whom Pip falls hopelessly in love.   Estella becomes an obsession for Pip, and the upper-class world she represents is just as fascinating to him.  Proud, manipulative, yet somehow vulnerable, Estella is in many ways a tragic and haunted character.  

Jaggers from Great Expectations

A famous and mysterious London lawyer who holds the secret to the source of Pip's "great expectations."  Jaggers uses his incredible power for both benevolent and sinister purposes throughout the novel.  He is constantly washing his hands to try and free himself from the dirty feelings brought on by his less-than-admirable business practices.

Miss Havisham from Great Expectations

A cruel and jaded old woman driven to insanity after being jilted by her fiancée.  Clad in a faded wedding dress and surrounded by darkness and decay, Miss Havisham is a terrifying specter from Pip's childhood. 

Joe Gargery from Great Expectations

A powerful blacksmith with a heart of gold: Pip's brother-in-law and central father figure.  Joe loves Pip dearly and patiently puts up with the young man's snobbery and coldness after Pip comes into his great expectations. 

John Wemmick from Great Expectations

Jaggers' head clerk, Wemmick leads a double-life.  In the office he is cold, robotic, and selfish, while at home, he is loving, charitable, and devoted to his elderly father, the Aged Parent.  Wemmick presents a delightful and insightful satire of the incompatibility of middle-class business values with Victorian domesticity.  

Herbert Pocket from Great Expectations

Pip's best friend and roommate in London.  Whereas Pip thinks being a gentleman means acting haughty and accumulating wealth, Herbert proves that becoming a true gentleman depends largely on treating people with common courtesy and kindness.

John Rokesmith from Our Mutual Friend

The title character to Dickens' last completed novel, Rokesmith is the "mutual friend" of the kindly Mr. Wilfer (his landlord) and the lovable Mr. Boffin (his employer).  Though likable and industrious, there is some dark cloud that hangs over Rokesmith and his secrets arouse the curiosity of the Boffins and Bella Wilfer.    

Bella Wilfer from Our Mutual Friend

One of the two principal heroines of Our Mutual Friend, Bella is one of the most complex women in the Dickens canon.  Spoiled because of her good looks and engaging personality, Bella grows up haughty, materialistic, and mercenary.  However, there is much more to her personality beneath her surface selfishness.   

Nicodemus Boffin from Our Mutual Friend

Old John Harmon's servant, "Noddy" Boffin is a kindhearted, naive man who becomes the heir to a great fortune largely by accident.  Unfortunately, becoming rich slowly seems to bring out the worst elements of Mr. Boffin's personality, as he begins to act paranoid, selfish, and cold towards others.   

Eugene Wrayburn from Our Mutual Friend

A thoughtless attorney, Eugene has not had a single client in his seven years of practicing law.  Sarcastic yet affable, Eugene finds himself attracted to the impoverished Lizzie Hexam, though he knows a relationship would be impossible given their conflicting social statuses.  Like many other characters in the novel, there is much more to Eugene beneath his shallow carelessness.  

Jenny Wren from Our Mutual Friend

A handicapped child who works as a doll-maker to try and support  her alcoholic father.  Memorably, Jenny treats her father like he is a child while she acts like an adult, frequently disciplining him and chastising him for his behavior.  She is a tragicomic figure, as her scenes in the novel contain a strange mixture of humor and dark pathos.  

Riah from Our Mutual Friend

A loyal and sympathetic Jewish clerk, Riah works for the detestable Mr. Fledgeby, a coldhearted usurer.  Fledgeby plays upon people's intolerance of Jews and uses Riah's own ethnicity against him.  Riah puts up with these abuses and shows more charity and kindness than many of the people who oppress him.   

John Jasper from The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Edwin Drood's opium-smoking uncle, the choirmaster of Cloisterham Cathedral.  Jasper leads a double-life as a respected musician and a burnt-out drug addict.  He also possesses an incredible power over other people and is constantly bending others to his will.