Nicholas Nickleby Character Analysis

Nicholas

Nicholas is Kate’s brother, Mrs. Nickleby and Nicholas Sr.’s son, and Ralph’s nephew. Nicholas is the novel’s protagonist. He is portrayed as kindhearted, honest, and compassionate. He almost always puts the needs… read analysis of Nicholas

Ralph

Ralph is Nicholas and Kate’s uncle, Nicholas Sr.’s brother, and Mrs. Nickleby’s brother-in-law. At the end of the novel, it’s revealed that he is also Smike’s biological father. Ralph is the… read analysis of Ralph

Smike

Smike is Nicholas’s closest friend. Near the end of the novel, it’s revealed that Smike is Ralph’s son, which also makes him Nicholas and Kate’s cousin and Mrs. Nickleby’s nephew. After… read analysis of Smike

Squeers

Squeers is Mrs. Squeers’s husband and Fanny’s father. He is one of the main antagonists of the novel. He runs Dotheboys Hall, a school where parents, stepparents, and guardians send unwanted children so… read analysis of Squeers

Kate

Kate is Nicholas’s sister and Mrs. Nickleby and Nicholas Sr.’s daughter. Kate is portrayed as kindhearted and headstrong in the same way that Nicholas is. For example, when Kate faces Mulberry’s harassment… read analysis of Kate

Mrs. Nickleby

Mrs. Nickleby is Kate and Nicholas’s mother and Ralph’s sister-in-law. She is also Nicholas Sr.’s widow. Mrs. Nickleby is portrayed as well-meaning but oblivious and easily manipulatable. Early in the novel, Ralph… read analysis of Mrs. Nickleby

Newman

Newman is Ralph’s clerk. Early in the novel, Newman tells Nicholas that he will be Nicholas’s ally because Nicholas Sr. was kind to him once when he didn’t need to be. In contrast, Newman… read analysis of Newman

Mulberry

Mulberry is Ralph’s business associate and is friends with Frederick. He is one of the novel’s chief antagonists. He sexually harasses Kate, which leads Nicholas to confront him. That confrontation ends in… read analysis of Mulberry

Miss La Creevy

Miss La Creevy is Nicholas, Kate, and Mrs. Nickleby’s first landlady when they arrive in London. At the end of the novel, she marries Tim. Miss La Creevy serves as an… read analysis of Miss La Creevy

Madeline

Madeline is Mr. Bray’s daughter. At the end of the novel, Madeline marries Nicholas. Madeline is also an acquaintance of Ned and Charles, who assist her financially to help her cover her… read analysis of Madeline

Charles

Charles is Ned’s brother and Frank’s uncle. When Charles was younger, he was in love with Madeline’s mother. After Madeline’s mother dies, Charles assists Madeline financially to help her cover Mr. Bray… read analysis of Charles

Ned

Ned is Charles’s brother and Frank’s uncle. With Charles, Ned is portrayed as a kind of benevolent and generous savior who steps in to save Nicholas and his family from their string of… read analysis of Ned

Frederick

Frederick is a Lord who becomes Ralph’s client and is one of Mulberry’s friends. Ralph invites Kate to a business dinner in an attempt to “lure” Frederick to become his client. Though Frederick… read analysis of Frederick

Frank

Frank is Ned and Charles’s nephew. At the end of the novel, he marries Kate. Frank is portrayed as being kindhearted and honest in the same way that his uncles Ned and Charles… read analysis of Frank

Mr. Snawley

Mr. Snawley is the stepfather of two boys who attend Dotheboys Hall. Ralph and Squeers enlist Mr. Snawley in a scheme in which he poses as Smike’s father, using forged documents to try and… read analysis of Mr. Snawley

Madame Mantalini

Madame Mantalini is Mr. Mantalini’s husband. She is a dressmaker and milliner (hatmaker) who owns the dress shop where Kate goes to work. While Madame Mantalini seems generally conscientious and well-meaning, her husband’s extravagance… read analysis of Madame Mantalini

Mr. Mantalini

Mr. Mantalini is Madame Mantalini’s husband. He lives an extravagant lifestyle and is constantly in debt, often to Ralph. Mr. Mantalini’s extravagance leads Madame Mantalini to declare bankruptcy. He frequently threatens to die… read analysis of Mr. Mantalini

John

John is Matilda’s husband. He socializes with Fanny, but he despises Fanny’s father, Mr. Squeers. He is also Nicholas’s close friend. After Nicholas runs away from Dotheboys Hall, John lends him… read analysis of John

Tim

Tim is the bookkeeper at the Cheeryble Brothers business. At the end of the novel, he marries Miss La Creevy. Tim has been with the Cheeryble Brothers business for 44 years. The Cheerbyle Brothers… read analysis of Tim

Arthur

Arthur is a 75-year-old money lender who is an acquaintance of Ralph and is set to marry Madeline. He is also Peg’s employer. He wants to marry Madeline in part because by marrying… read analysis of Arthur

Mr. Brooker

Mr. Brooker is a former employee of Ralph’s. Brooker has recently returned to London, where he is impoverished and begs for money on the street. Ralph and Brooker have a checkered history together, and… read analysis of Mr. Brooker

Mr. Bray

Mr. Bray is Madeline’s father. He owes a significant amount of money around town. After Madeline’s mother dies, she enlists the Cheeryble brothers to help her with that debt, which ultimately leads Nicholas to… read analysis of Mr. Bray

Peg

Peg is Arthur’s housekeeper. She cannot read and is hard of hearing. Arthur thinks that makes her a model employee because she can’t go through his papers and has a hard time eavesdropping on… read analysis of Peg

Miss Knag

Miss Knag is a longtime employee at Madame Mantalini’s dress shop. When Kate struggles at the job, Miss Knag befriends her. When Kate becomes successful, though, Miss Knag accuses Kate of trying to steal… read analysis of Miss Knag

Mr. Lillyvick

Mr. Lillyvick is Mrs. Kenwigs’s uncle and Morleena’s great-uncle. He marries Henrietta, but Henrietta leaves him for another man shortly after they are married. He is a water rates collector, which earns… read analysis of Mr. Lillyvick

Mrs. Wititterly

Mrs. Wititterly is Mr. Wititterly’s wife. Kate goes to work as her “companion,” or as a kind of servant, after she stops working at Madame Mantalini’s dress shot. While the Wititterlys are wealthy… read analysis of Mrs. Wititterly

Mr. Lenville

Mr. Lenville is a dramatic actor in Mr. Crummles’s theater troupe. When Nicholas joins the troupe, Mr. Lenville becomes jealous of Nicholas’s success. As a result, he challenges Nicholas to a nose-pulling contest… read analysis of Mr. Lenville

Ninetta

Ninetta is Mr. Crummles and Mrs. Crummles’s daughter. Mr. Crummles is convinced that she is a talented actor and a child prodigy. He often calls her the “infant phenomenon.” Other actors, including Mr. Folair… read analysis of Ninetta

Mrs. Kenwigs

Mrs. Kenwigs is Mr. Kenwigs’s wife, Morleena’s mother, and Mr. Lillyvick’s niece. She is prone to dramatics. For example, at one point she declares that her daughters are too beautiful to live… read analysis of Mrs. Kenwigs

Mr. Kenwigs

Mr. Kenwigs is Mrs. Kenwigs’s husband and Morleena’s father. He diligently works to curry favor with Mr. Lillyvick so that his children might inherit Mr. Lillyvick’s fortune. For that reason, he feels betrayed… read analysis of Mr. Kenwigs

The Neighbor

The neighbor lives next to the Nicklebys when they move to the cottage owned by the Cheeryble brothers. The neighbor makes gestures toward Mrs. Nickleby that she considers romantic, including tossing cucumbers over the fence… read analysis of The Neighbor

Minor Characters

Mr. Crummles

Mr. Crummles is Ninetta’s father. He runs a traveling theater company where Nicholas and Smike briefly work. Mr. Crummles is portrayed as having a theatrical and often over-the-top personality, but he also genuinely cares about Nicholas and works to ensure that Nicholas is well taken care of.

Fanny

Fanny is Mr. Squeers and Mrs. Squeers’s daughter. She is sometimes friends and sometimes enemies with Matilda. When Nicholas arrives at Dotheboys Hall, Fanny develops feelings for him. She decides she hates Nicholas, though, after he spurns her advances.

Mrs. Squeers

Mrs. Squeers is Mr. Squeers’s wife and Fanny’s mother. She despises Nicholas for no apparent reason and conspires against him when he works at Dotheboys Hall.

Matilda

Matilda is John’s wife and Fanny’s sometimes friend, sometimes enemy. Fanny, who is single, grows jealous of Matilda after she becomes engaged to John. Along with John, Matilda ultimately becomes closer friends with Nicholas than Fanny.

Mr. Pluck

Mr. Pluck is one of Mulberry’s henchmen, along with Mr. Pyke. Mr. Pluck does Mulberry’s bidding and helps Mulberry carry out his scheme to try and seduce Kate.

Mr. Pyke

Mr. Pyke is one of Mulberry’s henchmen, along with Mr. Pluck. Mr. Pyke does Mulberry’s bidding and helps put Mulberry’s scheme to try and seduce Kate in motion.

Henrietta

Henrietta is an acquaintance of the Kenwigses. She marries Mr. Lillyvick but leaves him for another man not long after their marriage. She is an actor in a well-known company in London.

Miss Snevellicci

Miss Snevellicci is an actor in Mr. Crummles’s theater company. She frequently acts opposite Nicholas, and Nicholas thinks she is talented. She develops feelings for Nicholas, but those feelings never lead anywhere.

Mr. Wititterly

Mr. Wititterly is Mrs. Wititterly’s husband. He is also Kate’s employer when she works for Mrs. Wititterly.

Mr. Folair

Mr. Folair is a comedic actor in Mr. Crummles’s theater troupe. He has a tendency to put his foot in his mouth by telling offensive jokes.

Nicholas Sr.

Nicholas Sr. is Mrs. Nickleby’s husband, Nicholas and Kate’s father, and Ralph’s brother. He dies and leaves the family in debt. His death then becomes the catalyst that drives Nicholas, Kate, and Mrs. Nickleby to leave Devonshire and go to London at the beginning of the novel.

Morleena

Morleena is Mr. Kenwigs and Mrs. Kenwigs’s oldest child. She is also Mr. Lillyvick’s grandniece.

Godfrey

Godfrey is Ralph and Nicholas Sr.’s father, Nicholas and Kate’s grandfather, and Mrs. Nickleby’s father-in-law. Godfrey leaves 3,000 pounds to Ralph when he dies. He also leaves 1,000 pounds and the family farm to Nicholas Sr.

Mr. Curdle

Mr. Curdle is a potential patron whom Nicholas and Miss Snevellicci visit in hopes that he will financially support Mr. Crummles’s play. An off-puttingly self-important man, Mr. Curdle has strong opinions about the preservation of what he calls “the unities” in theatrical works.