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Charles Dickens'
Dombey and Son

Dombey and Son - Wholesale, Retail and for Exportation

Dombey and Son - Published in monthly parts Oct 1846 - Apr 1848

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Captain Cuttle and James Carker-by Harry Furniss

Charles Dickens' seventh novel, illustrated by Phiz, was the first with his new publishers, Bradbury and Evans. Dickens worried about his new publisher's abilities to sell his work but the new novel's monthly installments were soon selling at up to 40,000 copies a month. William Thackeray, whose monthly installments of Vanity Fair were being sold by Bradbury and Evans during this same time, was selling at best only 5000 copies a month (Patten, 1978, p. 188-189).

In the writing of Dombey and Son Dickens began using notes he called "mems" to outline how the novel would progress and as an aid to decision-making about plot and character development (Slater, 2009, p. 258-260). Edgar Johnson considers Dombey and Son the first masterpiece of Dickens maturity (Johnson, 1952, p. 643).

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Plot

(contains spoilers)

The novel tells the story of Paul Dombey, powerful head of the House of Dombey. He wants a son and when a daughter (Florence) is born he despises her. His second child, a son (Paul), is weak and sickly and dies a child. Paul's first wife dies with the birth of Paul Jr and he remarries. His second wife, Edith, does not love him and eventually runs away with Carker, a manager at the firm. With Carker gone, Paul is incapable of managing the business and it fails. In the end Paul is reconciled with his daughter, living with her family, and doting on his grandchildren.

Mingled with this central thread is the story of Walter Gay and his uncle Solomon Gills, owner of the Wooden Midshipman, a nautical instruments shop. Walter Gay goes to work for the firm of Dombey and Son.

Jack Bunsby offers advise as to the fate of Walter's ship to Sol Gils, Susan Nipper, Florence, and Captain Cuttle

When Florence is lost in the London streets and captured by Good Mrs Brown, who steals her clothes, she is rescued by Walter. Walter and Florence become friends, which causes Mr Dombey uneasiness, as he loathes his daughter. When a position in the firm opens in Barbados, Dombey sees an opportunity to get rid of Walter and sends him. Walter's ship is lost and all hands are feared drowned.

Solomon Gills goes in search of Walter, leaving the Wooden Midshipman to his friend Captain Edward Cuttle. After the breakup of her home, Florence leaves and is taken in by Captain Cuttle. Walter has survived the shipwreck and returns home. Walter and Florence are to be married, on the eve of their wedding day Solomon Gills returns home after wandering the earth looking for Walter. After the wedding Walter and Florence go to sea for a year. On the day of their return Florence is reconciled to her father. Solomon Gills produces the last bottle of the old Madeira he has been saving for just such an occasion, and all drink to Walter and Florence.

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Complete List of Characters:

Character descriptions contain spoilers

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Dombey and Son Links:

Bartleby.com
The Literary Network
The Victorian Web
Wikipedia - Dombey and Son

Hablot Browne's disappointing illustration for Dombey and Son

Locations in Dombey and Son

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The Toodles

The Toodles

The Toodles represent a Cratchit-like poor, loving family. Polly Toodle is hired by Paul Dombey to nurse his newborn son, Paul Jr after his wife dies in childbirth. Her husband, a stoker and later an engine-driver on the railroad, echos Dickens sentiments in this exchange with the proud Mr Dombey:

'You have a son, I believe?' said Mr Dombey.

'To lose 'em, Sir.' (Dombey and Son, p. 17)

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Leamington Spa

Leamington Spa

After the death of his son, Paul Dombey goes to recuperate at Leamington Spa with his friend Joe Bagstock. The Royal Pump Room and Baths, where Dombey and Bagstock would have visited, opened in 1814 and were available to the well-to-do, the restorative waters were said to cure a variety of afflictions (Wikipedia).

Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle

While in Warwickshire Paul Dombey and Major Bagstock meet Edith Granger and her mother. Together the group visits Warwick castle and "the haunted ruins of Kenilworth" (Dombey and Son, p. 386-391).

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The Coming of the Railroad

During the time Dombey and Son was being serialized London was buzzing with 'Railway Mania' (Slater, 2009, p. 251) and this theme looms large throughout the novel.

Read this excerpt from from chapter 6 of Dombey and Son where Charles Dickens describes the coming of the railroad to Camden Town, a suburb in the north of London.

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