"The Antiquities Shop" is a novel by Charles Dickens, which tells the story of the fate of the young girl Nell, on whose shoulders were overwhelming trials.
Charles Dickens is one of the best British writers. He was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England on February 7, 1812. His happy childhood ended when his father was sent to a debt prison. Young Dickens had to go to work in a factory. Then he was twelve years old.
Later he got a job as a messenger and at the same time began to earn money as a reporter. Since the appearance of his first works, Dickens has managed to arouse interest and be remembered by readers.
However, the real fame and popularity to the writer came at the age of 25 after the first part of the novel "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club" was published. Dickens' subsequent works were published serially in various periodicals. They secured a reputation for him not only as a master who can colorfully depict the characters of their works, but also speaks out with harsh criticism of social evils and corrupt institutions. Among his most notable works are The Adventures of Oliver Twist, The Self-Telling Life of David Copperfield, Bleak House, Little Dorrit, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities.
Charles Dickens was interesting to his readers not only as a writer, but also as a bright personality. In 1836 he married Catherine Hogarth.
In this marriage, which lasted until 1858, the couple had nine children. The reason for the separation of Dickens and Hogarth was the novel of the writer with the young actress Ellen Ternan. Despite the scandal that was caused by the changes in the writer's personal life, he remained a public figure. Dickens continued to appear frequently in society, giving cause for conversation and presenting his new works to the readers' judgment. Dickens died in 1870 without finishing his last novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
The Antiquities Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens published between 1840 and 1841 in the weekly Master Humphrey's Watch. This work became one of two novels (the second is Barneby Raj), which the writer published in his weekly. The Antiquities Shop was so popular that when the ship with the last part of this novel arrived at the pier, New York readers literally stormed it, eager to know the ending. In 1841, this work by Dickens was also printed as a book, and when Queen Victoria read it, she found the novel "very interesting and cleverly written."
The highlight of the novel, which caused a sensation and such a violent reaction, was the plot where the main character, Nell, eventually dies. This was contrary to the public taste of the time, which favored happy ends. This ending sparked public protests against the author and his decision to kill his character.
Nell Trent (often called Nellie or "little Nell") is a sweet, gentle, kind girl. She accompanies her grandfather during his forced wanderings in England. Nell shows incredible tolerance and love for him.
Grandpa is a character whose name is never mentioned in the novel. He is Nell's old antique dealer and grandfather. The grandfather spends most of his money on gambling, wanting to provide his granddaughter with a comfortable existence, but is not very lucky.
Christopher (Keith) Nubbles is Nell's loyal friend and servant, always ready to help.
Daniel Quilp is the antagonist of the novel - an evil and cruel hunchback dwarf who led Nell and grandfather to ruin.
Frederick Trent is Nell's cunning brother. Believing that his grandfather still managed to amass a fortune, he uses his friend to implement a cunning plan to take possession of the alleged wealth.
Richard "Dick" Swivel is a manipulative friend who is an ally of Quilp and Frederick Trent.
Mr. Sampson Brass is a sneaky and corrupt lawyer. He works for Mr. Quilp.
Miss Sarah (Sally) Brass is the sister and clerk of Mr. Brass, a domineering woman often referred to as the "dragon."
Mrs Jarley is the owner of a traveling wax exhibition.
The Marquis's little maid is Miss Brass's maid. She does not know her real age, name and parents. The original manuscript suggests that she is the illegitimate daughter of Quilp and Miss Brass, but this reference has been removed in the publication.
The Lone Gentleman is an unnamed character in the book who is the younger brother of Nell's grandfather. In the next part, "Master Humphrey's Watch", which followed the "Antiquities Shop", Master Humphrey reveals to his friends that he is the character mentioned in this story as "a lonely gentleman."
The Antiquities Shop is a novel about the life of a beautiful and virtuous young girl, Nell Trent, who has not yet turned fourteen years old. As an orphan, she lives with her grandfather in his antique shop, which is a magical place with many priceless treasures of things. Despite the fact that the grandfather loves the girl very much and treats her well, Nell leads a lonely existence and practically does not communicate with her peers. Her only friend is Keith, a young guy and an honest worker who also lives in the store. Nell teaches him to read and write.
Nell's grandfather has a secret obsession with keeping Nell from dying in poverty. To provide his granddaughter with a prosperous future, he turns to gambling in erroneous attempts to make money. Under cover of night, grandfather drives out to these events, leaving Nell sleeping alone in the shop. Very soon, his hobby develops into an addiction and luck leaves him. By losing, he accumulates a large debt to Daniel Quilp, an evil and ugly moneylender who deliberately lends him large sums of money. Unable to pay off his debts, grandfather eventually loses his store.
Now grandfather and Nell find themselves on the street. To survive, they are forced to roam all over London and its environs, begging and begging. Meanwhile, Nell's brother is convinced that grandfather did manage to save up and hide in the shop a decent amount of money for Nell. To take possession of them, he develops a cunning plan. His friend, a simpleton, Mr. Swiveller, must marry Nell so that the two can subsequently share the alleged fortune.
Enlisting the help of the evil Mr. Quilp, they pursue Nell and her grandfather. Although Quilp knows there is no money, he joins Frederick Trent and Mr. Swiveller out of the simple sadistic pleasure of torturing Nell.
Wandering around Victorian England, Nell and her grandfather meet various and very peculiar characters on their way. For example, the ambitious owner of the wax museum, puppeteers, dog trainer and iron blacksmith who speaks with fire in his forge. After going through many adventures and difficulties that arise on their way, they arrive in a quiet city. Here grandfather and young Nell are helped by an old man whom he calls "The Bachelor." Everything seems to be going well. But Nell is sad and lonely. She begins to spend all her free time in the village cemetery. Only here she feels free and at ease. Soon, Nell dies, causing her grandfather and everyone who cares about her to go mad with grief.
