Bleak House is a novel written by Charles Dickens, first published in monthly installments in 1852 and 1853 Set in both London and the fictional rural village of Dingley Dell, the novel follows numerous characters in their intertwining plots. At the center of the novel is Lady Dedlock, a woman of high society and a beautiful, mysterious figure. Also at the heart of the novel are the Jarndyce family, caught up in a legal battle which nobody seems to know how to resolve.
The main themes of Bleak House are justice, law, and class. It is often hailed as a critique of the British legal system – in particular, the interminable Chancery case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce. At the same time, it examines society and its social divides, contrasting those of the powerful upper classes, depicted in the Lady Dedlock subplot, with those of the less privileged, embodied in the character of Esther Summerson.
To explore these themes in greater depth, here are five essay topic ideas:
1. Lady Dedlock as a social and political critique: Lady Dedlock is depicted as a figure of beauty, desirability, wit, and wealth, but also as a victim of her social status, her marriage, and the legal system. How is she constructed as a vehicle for critique?
2. Exploring the relationships between law and justice in Bleak House: How does Bleak House explore the intertwining, and often conflicting, relationships between law and justice?
3. Class divisions and social inequalities: How does Dickens use the characters of Esther Summerson and Lady Dedlock to explore class divisions and differences in the British society of the time?
4. Examine the character of Harold Skimpole: How is Harold Skimpole used as a vehicle for exploring hypocrisies and social inequalities in the novel?
5. The Chancery Court case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce: How does Bleak House use the case in Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce as a tool for exploring the legal system and its flaws?