FREE ESSAY ON CHARLES DICKENS` BLEAK HOUSE

CHARLES DICKENS` BLEAK HOUSE

Chancery, The Parasite That Plagues the Victorian Society
In Charles Dickens Bleak House, Chancery is portrayed as a disease that plagues the
Victorian society. Dickens uses the suits and the lawyers of Chancery to display its
effects on the whole society.
The suits are "slow, expensive, British, constitutional kind of things" (25) that stifle
and bemuse those that come in contact with them. In Ms. Flite's case, the suit has
deteriorated her life. She attends Chancery regularly expecting a judgement that is never
to come and yet, she lives a "pinched" (73) lifestyle, unable to help herself or others.
In addition, she cages birds she intends to set free on her judgement day, however, she
states, "I positively doubt sometimes whether while matters are still unsettled I may not
one day be found lying stark and senseless here, as I have found so many birds!" (74). 
Like Miss Flite, the suit has stagnated Robert's life. Robert, "So young and handsome,
and in all respects so perfectly the opposite of Miss Flite...[is] so dreadfully like
her" in his clouded, eager, and seeking mannerism (592). Under the misconception that the
suit "can't last forever" (599), Robert declares, "I am young and earnest; and energy and
determination have done wonders many a time…I devote myself to [the suit]. I make
it the object of my life" (599). As a result, this suit not only causes Robert to loose
himself, but his misplaced suspicions cause him to loose his sound relationship with Mr.
Jarndyce.
"The one great principle of the English law is, to make business for itself…viewed
by this light it becomes a coherent scheme" (621) of which lawyers are the key players.
Mr. Vholes, Robert's lawyer, "always looking at the client, as if he were making a
lingering meal of him with his eyes as well as with his professional appetite," (624)
dupes Robert into believing that he needs him for his suit. This "respectable" lawyer
tells Robert that because he is represented he will have a voice in the legal system,
however, it means nothing for Robert's suit. Thus, these false hopes told to Robert by
his lawyer eventually results in his melancholy death.
"Make man-eating unlawful, and you starve the Vholeses," (623) however, Mr. Vholes is
only one type of lawyer. Mr. Tulkinghorn, "reputed to have made good thrift out of
aristocratic marriage settlements and aristocratic wills," (23) leads to Lady Dedlock's
demise. Mr. Tulkinghorn wished to display his power over Lady Dedlock (a representative
of the aristocratic class) thus, he blackmailed her. In Lady Dedlock's own words, "I am
to remain upon this gaudy platform, on which my miserable deception has been so long
acted, and it is to fall beneath me when you give the signal" (659). 
Mr. Tulkinghorn's desire to know the secrets of the aristocratic leads him to deceive,
bribe, threaten, blackmail and eventually kill others. One unfortunate soul used by Mr.
Tulkinghorn is Joe. He bribes Joe to confess about Lady Dedlock's visit to him disguised
as her maid. Later, he hires Inspector Bucket who says, "Don't you be afraid of hurting
the boy…it's all right as far as the boy's concerned…he'll be paid for his
trouble, and sent away again…it's the best and wisest way to keep little matters
like this quiet"(356). This inspector kidnaps Joe, bribes him, threatens him to stay away
from London and leaves him to fend for himself. However, Joe falls ill and returns to
London where he eventually dies.
Thus, Dickens successfully portrays how Chancery diminishes people's way of life, whether
they are of a lower class like Joe and Ms. Flyte, or are of an upper class like Robert
and Lady Dedlock. I personally believe that the message is that the cause and the need
for change are present and people need to work together despite their differences or
social classes to bring on the necessary change.
Bibliography
Bleak House, Charles Dickens