The novel “Bleak House” was written by the great English writer Charles Dickens.
A little girl named Esther Summerston spends her childhood in her godmother's house. Esther is an orphan. She really wants to know about her mother, but her godmother tells her to forget about her mother and not mention her again, since she has disgraced their family.
When the girl was 14 years old, her godmother suddenly died. Esther was left completely alone in this world. After the godmother's funeral, a certain Mr. Jarndyce takes guardianship of the girl, he sends Esther to study at the best school - a boarding school.
Having completed her studies, Esther receives an offer from Mr. Jarndyce to become an assistant for his sister Ada Claire, and happily accepts it. Esther goes to the estate, which is called Bleak House. Richard Carston, a close relative of Ada Claire, goes there with her. Jarndyce talks about his estate, says that in the old days it belonged to his grandfather Sir Tom, who spent a lot of energy and health in litigation. Esther is given the keys to all the rooms, and she begins her new duties, which she easily copes with.
The Dedlock family lives next door to the Jarndices. Lester Dedlock has a very young wife. When Esther saw her, she got excited for some reason. Milady Dedlock is very popular among the residents; many are interested in her aristocratic life, which cannot be said about her husband. Esther meets an employee named William Guppy, the young man likes her very much. Guppy, when visiting the Dedlocks, noticed a certain similarity between Milady and Esther. The young man proposes marriage to Esther, saying that he can tell about her origins. The girl refuses William. Then he goes to Lady Dedlock and reports that Esther is her daughter, my lady coldly does not want to admit this. After he leaves, the young woman realizes that her child did not die in infancy then.
Another orphan was brought to the Jarndyce estate, a girl sick with smallpox. Esther treats her and becomes infected herself. Those around her, not wanting to upset her, hid all the mirrors in the house so that the girl would not see her face, which was affected by smallpox.
Lady Dedlock, waiting for Esther to recover, waylaid her in the park and told her that she was the girl’s mother. Milady was deceived by saying that her child died at birth. She did not even suspect that the baby survived and was raised by her sister. The woman asked for forgiveness and secrecy. Milady did not want to lose her current rich life. Esther was amazed by what she heard and promised her mother to keep her mouth shut.
Lawyer Tulkinghorn is haunted by Lady Dedlock's past; he learns the whole truth about her former life and hints about it to Lester's wife. Milady is horrified, she plans to escape from her estate so that the secret is not revealed, but the lawyer promises to remain silent and she remains.
Esther shares her secret with her guardian. Jarndyce treats the girl with understanding and invites her to become a full-fledged mistress of the estate by marrying him. Esther gives her consent to this.
The lawyer, after all, did not keep his word, he wants to tell everyone about my lady’s past. Some time later he was found dead. All suspicions fell on Lady Dedlock, but it soon becomes clear that she is innocent. After an unpleasant incident, Milady leaves her home, and her husband, from the whole story, becomes seriously ill.
Everyone rushes to find the fugitive. Esther, her boyfriend, a young doctor, Allen Woodcourt, and police officers throughout the area are looking for Milady. Lester Dedlock had already forgiven his wife and was waiting for her return. After a long search, Lestor's wife was found. Allen found her lifeless body at the cemetery gates. Esther was inconsolable.
After some time, Woodcourt leads Esther down the aisle. The guardian did not interfere with their marriage; he gave the young couple a small estate, which they called Bleak House. Ada and her son move in with them, and then Jarndyce himself, and then they all return together to the old estate.
The work is written in the detective genre, it is fascinating and interesting.
Picture or drawing Bleak House
Other retellings and reviews for the reader's diary
- Summary Skrebitsky Forest Echo
The hero of the story, the boy Yura, was five years old at that time. He lived in a village. One day Yura and his mother went into the forest to pick berries. At that time it was strawberry season.
The story “Faust,” written in 1856, is fundamentally a reflection of the writer’s quest and creative experiences. Turgenev based his story on a plot that was quite fashionable at the time - adultery.
Order writing a unique work
Bleak House
.Esther Summerston spent her childhood in Windsor, in the house of her godmother, Miss Barbery. The girl feels lonely and often says, turning to her best friend, the rosy-cheeked doll: “You know very well, doll, that I’m a fool, so be kind, don’t be angry with me.”
Esther strives to find out the secret of her origin and begs her godmother to tell her at least something about her mother. One day Miss Barbery cannot stand it and sternly says: “Your mother has covered herself with shame, and you have brought shame upon her. Forget about her...” One day, returning from school, Esther finds an important, unfamiliar gentleman in the house. Having looked at the girl, he says something like “Ah!”, then “Yes!” and leaves...
Esther is fourteen years old when her godmother suddenly dies. What could be worse than being orphaned twice! After the funeral, the same gentleman named Kenge appears and, on behalf of a certain Mr. Jarndyce, aware of the sad situation of the young lady, offers to place her in a first-class educational institution, where she will not need anything and will prepare for “fulfilling her duty in the public field.”
The girl gratefully accepts the offer and a week later, abundantly supplied with everything she needs, she leaves for the city of Reading, to Miss Donnie's boarding house. There are only twelve girls studying there, and the future teacher Esther, with her kind character and desire to help, wins their affection and love. This is how six of the happiest years of her life pass.
After graduation, John Jarndyce (guardian, as Esther calls him) assigns the girl as a companion to his cousin Ada Clair. Together with Ada's young relative, Mr. Richard Carston, they travel to the guardian's estate known as Bleak House. The house once belonged to Mr. Jarndyce's great-uncle, the unfortunate Sir Tom, and was called "The Spires." Perhaps the most famous case of the so-called Chancery Court, “Jarndyce v. Jarndyce,” was associated with this house.
The Court of Chancery was created during the era of Richard II, who reigned from 1377-1399, to control the Court of Common Law and correct its errors. But the British hopes for the emergence of a “Court of Justice” were not destined to come true: red tape and abuses by officials led to processes lasting for decades, plaintiffs, witnesses, and lawyers dying, thousands of papers accumulating, and no end to the litigation in sight.
Such was the dispute over the Jarndyce inheritance - a long-term trial, during which the owner of the Bleak House, mired in court cases, forgets about everything, and his home deteriorates under the influence of wind and rain. “It seemed as if the house had taken a bullet in the forehead, just like its desperate owner.” Now, thanks to the efforts of John Jarndyce, the house looks transformed, and with the arrival of young people it comes to life even more.
The smart and sensible Esther is given the keys to the rooms and storage rooms. She copes excellently with difficult household chores - it’s not for nothing that Sir John affectionately calls her Bustle! Life in the house flows smoothly, visits alternate with trips to London theaters and shops, receiving guests gives way to long walks...
Their neighbors turn out to be Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife, a good two decades younger than him. As experts joke, my lady has “the impeccable appearance of the most well-groomed mare in the entire stable.” The secular chronicle notes her every step, every event in her life. Sir Leicester is not so popular, but does not suffer from this, for he is proud of his aristocratic family and cares only about the purity of his honest name. Neighbors sometimes meet in church, on walks, and Esther for a long time cannot forget the emotional excitement that gripped her at the first sight of Lady Dedlock.
The young employee of Kendge's office, William Guppy, experiences a similar excitement: when he sees Esther, Ada and Richard in London on the way to Sir John's estate, he falls in love with the pretty, gentle Esther at first sight. While in those parts on company business, Guppy visits the Dedlock estate and, amazed, stops at one of the family portraits. The face of Lady Dedlock, seen for the first time, seems strangely familiar to the clerk.
Soon Guppy arrives at Bleak House and confesses his love to Esther, but receives a decisive rebuff. Then he hints at the amazing similarity between Hester and my lady. “Give me your hand,” William persuades the girl, “and I can’t think of anything to protect your interests and make you happy!” I can’t find out anything about you!” He kept his word. Letters from an unknown gentleman who died from an excessive dose of opium in a dirty, squalid closet and was buried in a common grave in a cemetery for the poor fall into his hands.
From these letters, Guppy learns about the connection between Captain Hawdon (that was the name of this gentleman) and Lady Dedlock, about the birth of their daughter. William immediately shares his discovery with Lady Dedlock, causing her extreme embarrassment. But, without giving in to panic, she aristocratically coldly rejects the clerk’s arguments and only after she leaves exclaims: “Oh, my child, my daughter! That means she didn’t die in the first hours of her life!”
Esther becomes seriously ill with smallpox. This happened after the orphaned daughter of a court official, Charlie, appears on their estate, who becomes both a grateful pupil and a devoted maid for Esther. Esther nurses a sick girl and becomes infected herself. Household members hide mirrors for a long time so as not to upset Troublemaker with the sight of her dull face. Lady Dedlock, waiting for Esther to recover, secretly meets with her in the park and admits that she is her unhappy mother.
In those early days, when Captain Hawdon abandoned her, she - so she was led to believe - gave birth to a stillborn child. Could she have imagined that the girl would come to life in the arms of her older sister and would be raised in complete secrecy from her mother... Lady Dedlock sincerely repents and begs for forgiveness, but most of all - for silence in order to preserve the usual life of a rich and noble person and the peace of her husband. Esther, shocked by the discovery, agrees to any conditions.
No one has any idea what happened - not only Sir John, burdened with worries, but also the young doctor Allen Woodcourt, who is in love with Esther. Smart and reserved, he makes a favorable impression on the girl. He lost his father early, and his mother invested all her meager funds in his education. But, not having enough connections and money in London, Allen cannot earn it by treating the poor. It is not surprising that at the first opportunity, Dr. Woodcourt agrees to the position of ship’s doctor and goes to India and China for a long time. Before leaving, he visits Bleak House and excitedly says goodbye to its inhabitants.
Richard is also trying to change his life: he chooses the legal field. Having started working in Kenge's office, he, to Guppy's displeasure, boasts that he figured out the Jarndyce case. Despite Esther's advice not to enter into a tedious litigation with the Court of Chancery, Richard files an appeal in the hope of winning an inheritance from Sir John for himself and his cousin Ada, to whom he is engaged.
He “gambles everything he can scrape together,” spends his beloved’s small savings on duties and taxes, but legal red tape is robbing him of his health. Having secretly married Ada, Richard falls ill and dies in the arms of his young wife, never seeing his unborn son.
And clouds are gathering around Lady Dedlock. A few careless words lead lawyer Tulkinghorn, a regular at their house, to the trail of her secret. This respectable gentleman, whose services are generously paid in high society, masterfully masters the art of living and makes it his duty to do without any convictions. Tulkinghorn suspects that Lady Dedlock, disguised as a French maid, visited the house and grave of her lover, Captain Hawdon. He steals letters from Guppy - this is how he learns the details of the love story.
In the presence of the Dedlocks and their guests, Tulkinghorn tells this story, which supposedly happened to some unknown person. Milady understands that the time has come to find out what he is trying to achieve. In response to her words that she wants to disappear from her home forever, the lawyer convinces her to continue to keep the secret for the sake of the peace of mind of Sir Leicester, who “even the fall of the moon from the sky would not be as stunned” as the revelation of his wife.
Esther decides to reveal her secret to her guardian. He greets her confused story with such understanding and tenderness that the girl is filled with “fiery gratitude” and a desire to work hard and selflessly. It is not difficult to guess that when Sir John makes her an offer to become the real mistress of Bleak House, Esther agrees.
A terrible event distracts her from the pleasant upcoming chores and pulls her out of Bleak House for a long time. It so happened that Tulkinghorn broke the agreement with Lady Dedlock and threatened to soon reveal the shameful truth to Sir Leicester. After a difficult conversation with Milady, the lawyer goes home, and the next morning he is found dead. Suspicion falls on Lady Dedlock. Police Inspector Bucket conducts an investigation and informs Sir Leicester of the results: all the evidence collected points against the French maid. She's under arrest.
Sir Leicester cannot bear the thought that his wife has been “thrown down from the heights that she adorned,” and he himself falls, struck down by the blow. Milady, feeling hunted, runs away from home without taking any jewelry or money. She left a farewell letter saying that she was innocent and wanted to disappear. Inspector Bucket sets out to find this troubled soul and turns to Esther for help. They travel a long way in the footsteps of Lady Dedlock.
The paralyzed husband, disregarding the threat to the honor of the family, forgives the fugitive and eagerly awaits her return. Dr. Allen Woodcourt, who recently returned from China, joins the search. During the separation, he fell in love with Esther even more, but alas... At the grate of the memorial cemetery for the poor, he discovers the lifeless body of her mother.
Esther experiences what happened for a long time, painfully, but gradually life takes its toll. Her guardian, having learned of Allen's deep feelings, nobly makes way for him. Bleak House is empty: John Jarndyce, who is also the guardian, has taken care of arranging for Esther and Allen an equally glorious smaller estate in Yorkshire, where Allen gets a position as a doctor for the poor. He also called this estate “Bleak House”.
There was also a place in it for Ada and her son, named Richard after his father. With the first available money, they build a room for the guardian (“the grumbling room”) and invite him to stay. Sir John becomes a loving guardian to now Ada and her little Richard. They return to the “elder” Bleak House, and often come to stay with the Woodcourts: for Esther and her husband, Sir John has always remained the best friend. Thus seven happy years pass, and the words of the wise guardian come true: “Both houses are dear to you, but the elder Bleak House claims primacy.”
Order writing a unique work 1.
A girl named Esther Summerston has to grow up without parents; she is raised only by her godmother, Miss Barbery, a very cold and stern lady. To all questions about her mother, this woman answers Esther only that her birth was a real shame for everyone and the girl should forever forget about the one who brought her into the world.
At the age of 14, Esther also loses her godmother; immediately after the burial of Miss Barbery, a certain Mr. Kenge appears and invites the young girl to go to an educational institution, where she will not lack anything and will be properly prepared to become a real lady in the future. Esther willingly agrees to go to the boarding school, where she meets a truly kind and warm-hearted teacher and friendly friends. In this institution, a growing girl spends six unclouded years; subsequently, she often remembers this period of her life with warmth.
Upon completion of her education, Mr. John Jarndyce, whom Esther considers her guardian, arranges for the girl to be a companion to his relative Ada Claire. She has to go to the Jarndyce estate, known as Bleak House, and her companion on this journey is a handsome young man, Richard Carston, who is related to her future employer.
Bleak House has a gloomy and sad history, but in recent years, Esther’s guardian has managed to give it a more modern and decent look, and the girl willingly begins to manage the house, the guardian wholeheartedly approves of her diligence and agility. Soon she gets used to life on the estate and meets many neighbors, including a noble family named Dedlock.
At the same time, young William Guppy, who recently began working in the law office of Mr. Kenge, who had previously taken part in Esther’s fate, meets this girl on the estate and is immediately captivated by the attractive and at the same time very modest Miss Summerston. Having visited the Dedlocks a little later on business for his company, Guppy notices that the arrogant aristocrat Lady Dedlock reminds him of someone.
Arriving at Bleak House, William confesses his feelings to Esther, but the girl flatly refuses to even listen to the young man. Then Guppy hints to her that she is similar in appearance to Milady Dedlock, and promises to definitely find out the whole truth regarding this similarity.
The investigation of Esther's admirer leads to the discovery of letters from a certain man who died in the most wretched room and was buried in a common grave intended for the poorest and most destitute people. After reading the letters, William understands that the late Captain Howden had a past love affair with Lady Dedlock, which resulted in the birth of a girl.
Guppy tries to talk about his discoveries with Esther's mother, but the aristocrat acts extremely coldly and demonstrates that she does not understand what this man is talking about. But after William leaves her, Lady Dedlock admits to herself that her daughter did not actually die immediately after birth; the woman is no longer able to contain the emotions that gripped her.
The daughter of a deceased judge appears in Bleak House for some time. Esther takes care of the orphaned girl, looks after her when the child falls ill with smallpox, as a result of which she also becomes a victim of this serious illness. All the inhabitants of the estate try to prevent the girl from seeing her face, which is very spoiled by smallpox, and Lady Dedlock secretly meets with Esther and tells her that she is her own mother. When Captain Howden left her in his youth, the woman was led to believe that her child was stillborn. But in reality, the girl ended up being raised by her older sister. The wife of an aristocrat begs her daughter not to tell anyone the truth in order to maintain her usual lifestyle and high position in society.
Young doctor Allen Woodcourt, who comes from a poor family, falls in love with Esther; it was very difficult for his mother to give him a medical education. This man is very attractive to the girl, but in the English capital he has no opportunity to earn a decent living, and Dr. Woodcourt, at the first opportunity, goes to China as a ship's doctor.
Richard Carston starts working at a law firm, but things aren't going well for him. Having invested all his savings in the investigation of an old case related to the Jarndyce family, he loses not only his funds, but also his health. Carston enters into a secret marriage with his cousin Ada and almost immediately passes away before seeing their child.
Meanwhile, a certain cunning and clever lawyer Tulkinghorn, a greedy and unprincipled man, begins to suspect Lady Dedlock of keeping unseemly secrets and begins his own investigation. He steals letters from the late Captain Howden from William Guppy, from which everything becomes clear to him. Having told the whole story in the presence of the owners of the house, although it was supposedly about a completely different woman, the lawyer seeks a meeting with Milady alone. The lawyer, pursuing his own interests, persuades Lady Dedlock to continue to hide the truth for the sake of her husband’s peace of mind, although the lady is already ready to leave and leave the world forever.
Lawyer Tulkinghorn changes his intentions; he threatens Lady Dedlock to tell her husband about everything very soon. The next morning, the man's corpse is discovered, and Milady becomes the prime suspect. But in the end, the evidence points to a maid of French origin who served in the house, and the girl ends up under arrest.
Lady Dedlock's husband, Sir Leicester, who is unable to bear the shame that has befallen his family, is crushed by a severe blow. His wife runs away from home, the police are trying to find the woman along with Esther and the doctor Woodcourt, who returned from the expedition. It is Dr. Allen who finds the already deceased Lady Dedlock near the cemetery.
Esther painfully experiences the death of her newly acquired mother, but then the girl gradually comes to her senses. Mr. Jarndyce, having learned about the mutual love between Woodcourt and his ward, decides to act nobly and give way to the doctor. He also sets up a small estate for the future newlyweds in the county of Yorkshire, where Allen will treat the poor. The widowed Ada then settles on the same estate with her little son, to whom she gives the name Richard in honor of her late father. Sir John takes custody of Ada and her son; they move to Bleak House with him, but often visit the Woodcourt family. Mr. Jarndyce will always remain the closest friend of Dr. Allen and his wife Esther.
Charles Dickens
Bleak House
Esther Summerston spent her childhood in Windsor, in the house of her godmother, Miss Barbery. The girl feels lonely and often says, turning to her best friend, the rosy-cheeked doll: “You know very well, doll, that I’m a fool, so be kind, don’t be angry with me.” Esther strives to find out the secret of her origin and begs her godmother to tell her at least something about her mother. One day Miss Barbery cannot stand it and sternly says: “Your mother has covered herself with shame, and you have brought shame upon her. Forget about her..."
One day, returning from school, Esther finds an important, unfamiliar gentleman in the house. Having looked at the girl, he says something like “Ah!”, then “Yes!” and leaves...
Esther is fourteen years old when her godmother suddenly dies. What could be worse than being orphaned twice! After the funeral, the same gentleman named Kenge appears and, on behalf of a certain Mr. Jarndyce, aware of the sad situation of the young lady, offers to place her in a first-class educational institution, where she will not need anything and will prepare for “fulfilling her duty in the public sphere.” The girl gratefully accepts the offer and a week later, abundantly supplied with everything she needs, she leaves for the city of Reading, to Miss Donnie's boarding house. There are only twelve girls studying there, and the future teacher Esther, with her kind character and desire to help, wins their affection and love. This is how the six happiest years of her life pass.
After graduation, John Jarndyce (guardian, as Esther calls him) assigns the girl as a companion to his cousin Ada Clair. Together with Ada's young relative, Mr. Richard Carston, they travel to the guardian's estate known as Bleak House. The house once belonged to Mr. Jarndyce's great-uncle, the unfortunate Sir Tom, and was called "The Spires." Perhaps the most famous case of the so-called Chancery Court, “Jarndyce v. Jarndyce,” was associated with this house. The Court of Chancery was created during the era of Richard II, who reigned from 1377-1399, to control the Court of Common Law and correct its errors. But the British hopes for the emergence of a “Court of Justice” were not destined to come true: red tape and abuses by officials led to processes lasting for decades, plaintiffs, witnesses, and lawyers dying, thousands of papers accumulating, and no end to the litigation in sight. Such was the dispute over the Jarndyce inheritance - a long-term trial, during which the owner of Bleak House, mired in legal matters, forgets about everything, and his home deteriorates under the influence of wind and rain. “It seemed as if the house had taken a bullet in the forehead, just like its desperate owner.” Now, thanks to the efforts of John Jarndyce, the house looks transformed, and with the arrival of young people it comes to life even more. The smart and sensible Esther is given the keys to the rooms and storage rooms. She copes excellently with difficult household chores - it’s not for nothing that Sir John affectionately calls her Bustle! Life in the house flows smoothly, visits alternate with trips to London theaters and shops, receiving guests gives way to long walks...
Their neighbors turn out to be Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife, a good two decades younger than him. As experts joke, my lady has “the impeccable appearance of the most well-groomed mare in the entire stable.” The secular chronicle notes her every step, every event in her life. Sir Leicester is not so popular, but does not suffer from this, for he is proud of his aristocratic family and cares only about the purity of his honest name. Neighbors sometimes meet in church, on walks, and Esther for a long time cannot forget the emotional excitement that gripped her at the first sight of Lady Dedlock.
The young employee of Kendge's office, William Guppy, experiences a similar excitement: when he sees Esther, Ada and Richard in London on the way to Sir John's estate, he falls in love with the pretty, gentle Esther at first sight. While in those parts on company business, Guppy visits the Dedlock estate and, amazed, stops at one of the family portraits. The face of Lady Dedlock, seen for the first time, seems strangely familiar to the clerk. Soon Guppy arrives at Bleak House and confesses his love to Esther, but receives a decisive rebuff. Then he hints at the amazing similarity between Hester and my lady. “Give me your hand,” William persuades the girl, “and I can’t think of anything to protect your interests and make you happy!” I can’t find out anything about you!” He kept his word. Letters from an unknown gentleman who died from an excessive dose of opium in a dirty, squalid closet and was buried in a common grave in a cemetery for the poor fall into his hands. From these letters, Guppy learns about the connection between Captain Hawdon (that was the name of this gentleman) and Lady Dedlock, about the birth of their daughter. William immediately shares his discovery with Lady Dedlock, causing her extreme embarrassment. But, without giving in to panic, she aristocratically coldly rejects the clerk’s arguments and only after she leaves exclaims: “Oh, my child, my daughter! That means she didn’t die in the first hours of her life!”
Esther becomes seriously ill with smallpox. This happened after the orphaned daughter of a court official, Charlie, appears on their estate, who becomes both a grateful pupil and a devoted maid for Esther. Esther nurses a sick girl and becomes infected herself. Household members hide mirrors for a long time so as not to upset Troublemaker with the sight of her dull face. Lady Dedlock, waiting for Esther to recover, secretly meets with her in the park and admits that she is her unhappy mother. In those early days, when Captain Hawdon abandoned her, she - so she was led to believe - gave birth to a stillborn child. Could she have imagined that the girl would come to life in the arms of her older sister and would be raised in complete secrecy from her mother... Lady Dedlock sincerely repents and begs for forgiveness, but most of all, for silence in order to preserve the usual life of a rich and noble person and the peace of her husband. Esther, shocked by the discovery, agrees to any conditions.
No one has any idea what happened - not only Sir John, burdened with worries, but also the young doctor Allen Woodcourt, who is in love with Esther. Smart and reserved, he makes a favorable impression on the girl. He lost his father early, and his mother invested all her meager funds in his education. But, not having enough connections and money in London, Allen cannot earn it by treating the poor. It is not surprising that at the first opportunity, Dr. Woodcourt agrees to the position of ship’s doctor and goes to India and China for a long time. Before leaving, he visits Bleak House and excitedly says goodbye to its inhabitants.
Richard is also trying to change his life: he chooses the legal field. Having started working in Kenge's office, he, to Guppy's displeasure, boasts that he figured out the Jarndyce case. Despite Esther's advice not to enter into a tedious litigation with the Court of Chancery, Richard files an appeal in the hope of winning an inheritance from Sir John for himself and his cousin Ada, to whom he is engaged. He “gambles everything he can scrape together,” spends his beloved’s small savings on duties and taxes, but legal red tape is robbing him of his health. Having secretly married Ada, Richard falls ill and dies in the arms of his young wife, never seeing his unborn son.
And clouds are gathering around Lady Dedlock. A few careless words lead lawyer Tulkinghorn, a regular at their house, to the trail of her secret. This respectable gentleman, whose services are generously paid in high society, masterfully masters the art of living and makes it his duty to do without any convictions. Tulkinghorn suspects that Lady Dedlock, disguised as a French maid, visited the house and grave of her lover, Captain Hawdon. He steals letters from Guppy - this is how he learns the details of the love story. In the presence of the Dedlocks and their guests, Tulkinghorn tells this story, which supposedly happened to some unknown person. Milady understands that the time has come to find out what he is trying to achieve. In response to her words that she wants to disappear from her home forever, the lawyer convinces her to continue to keep the secret for the sake of the peace of mind of Sir Leicester, who “even the fall of the moon from the sky would not be so stunned” as the revelation of his wife.
Esther decides to reveal her secret to her guardian. He greets her confused story with such understanding and tenderness that the girl is filled with “fiery gratitude” and a desire to work hard and selflessly. It is not difficult to guess that when Sir John makes her an offer to become the real mistress of Bleak House, Esther agrees.
A terrible event distracts her from the pleasant upcoming chores and pulls her out of Bleak House for a long time. It so happened that Tulkinghorn broke the agreement with Lady Dedlock and threatened to soon reveal the shameful truth to Sir Leicester. After a difficult conversation with Milady, the lawyer goes home, and the next morning he is found dead. Suspicion falls on Lady Dedlock. Police Inspector Bucket conducts an investigation and informs Sir Leicester of the results: all the evidence collected points against the French maid. She's under arrest.
Sir Leicester cannot bear the thought that his wife has been “thrown down from the heights that she adorned,” and he himself falls, struck down by the blow. Milady, feeling hunted, runs away from home without taking any jewelry or money. She left a farewell letter saying that she was innocent and wanted to disappear. Inspector Bucket sets out to find this troubled soul and turns to Esther for help. They travel a long way in the footsteps of Lady Dedlock. The paralyzed husband, disregarding the threat to the honor of the family, forgives the fugitive and eagerly awaits her return. Dr. Allen Woodcourt, who recently returned from China, joins the search. During the separation, he fell in love with Esther even more, but alas... At the grate of the memorial cemetery for the poor, he discovers the lifeless body of her mother.
Esther experiences what happened for a long time, painfully, but gradually life takes its toll. Her guardian, having learned of Allen's deep feelings, nobly makes way for him. Bleak House is empty: John Jarndyce, who is also the guardian, has taken care of arranging for Esther and Allen an equally glorious smaller estate in Yorkshire, where Allen gets a position as a doctor for the poor. He also called this estate “Bleak House”. There was also a place in it for Ada and her son, named Richard after his father. With the first available money, they build a room for the guardian (“the grumbling room”) and invite him to stay. Sir John becomes a loving guardian to now Ada and her little Richard. They return to the “elder” Bleak House, and often come to stay with the Woodcourts: for Esther and her husband, Sir John has always remained the best friend. Thus seven happy years pass, and the words of the wise guardian come true: “Both houses are dear to you, but the elder Bleak House claims primacy.”
- Esther Summerston spent her childhood in Windsor, in the house of her godmother, Miss Barbery. The girl feels lonely and often says, turning to her best friend, the ruddy...
- N. Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter The introductory essay to the novel tells about the author’s hometown - Salem, about his ancestors - Puritan fanatics, about his work in...
- The introductory essay to the novel tells about the author's hometown - Salem, about his ancestors - Puritan fanatics, about his work in the Salem customs house and about...
- R.B. Sheridan School of Scandal The play opens with a scene in the salon of the high-society intriguer Lady Sneerwell, who is discussing with her confidante Snake the latest developments in the field of aristocratic...
- The play opens with a scene in the salon of the high-society intriguer Lady Sneerwell, who is discussing with her confidante Snake the latest achievements in the field of aristocratic intrigues. These achievements are measured in numbers...
- O. de Balzac The brilliance and poverty of courtesans In 1824, a dazzlingly handsome young man appears on the arm of a lovely lady at a ball at the Opera. Co...
- In 1824, a dazzlingly handsome young man appears on the arm of a lovely lady at a ball at the Opera. To everyone's amazement, Lucien Chardin somehow managed...
- S. Richardson The Story of Sir Charles Grandison The work is preceded by a foreword by the publisher (as Richardson calls himself), reminiscent of the heroes of previously published novels. "Pamela" is a certificate of benefit... The action of the comedy takes place in a fabulous country for the English of Shakespeare's time - Illyria. Duke Orsino of Illyria is in love with the young Countess Olivia, but she is in mourning after...
- George Sand Indiana The action of the novel takes place during the Restoration era, a time when everyone still remembers both the events of the revolution and the reign of Napoleon. In the living room of the Chateau de la Brie...
Esther Summerston spent her childhood in Windsor, in the house of her godmother, Miss Barbery. The girl feels lonely and often says, turning to her best friend, the rosy-cheeked doll: “You know very well, doll, that I’m a fool, so be kind, don’t be angry with me.” Esther strives to find out the secret of her origin and begs her godmother to tell her at least something about her mother. One day Miss Barbery cannot stand it and sternly says: “Your mother has covered herself with shame, and you have brought shame upon her. Forget about her...” One day, returning from school, Esther finds an important, unfamiliar gentleman in the house. Having looked at the girl, he says something like “Ah!”, then “Yes!” and leaves...
Esther is fourteen years old when her godmother suddenly dies. What could be worse than being orphaned twice! After the funeral, the same gentleman named Kenge appears and, on behalf of a certain Mr. Jarndyce, aware of the sad situation of the young lady, offers to place her in a first-class educational institution, where she will not need anything and will prepare for “fulfilling her duty in the public field.” The girl gratefully accepts the offer and a week later, abundantly supplied with everything she needs, she leaves for the city of Reading, to Miss Donnie's boarding house. There are only twelve girls studying there, and the future teacher Esther, with her kind character and desire to help, wins their affection and love. This is how six of the happiest years of her life pass.
After graduation, John Jarndyce (guardian, as Esther calls him) assigns the girl as a companion to his cousin Ada Clair. Together with Ada's young relative, Mr. Richard Carston, they travel to the guardian's estate known as Bleak House. The house once belonged to Mr. Jarndyce's great-uncle, the unfortunate Sir Tom, and was called "The Spires." Perhaps the most famous case of the so-called Chancery Court, “Jarndyce v. Jarndyce,” was associated with this house. The Court of Chancery was created during the era of Richard II, who reigned from 1377-1399, to control the Court of Common Law and correct its errors. But the British hopes for the emergence of a “Court of Justice” were not destined to come true: red tape and abuses by officials led to processes lasting for decades, plaintiffs, witnesses, and lawyers dying, thousands of papers accumulating, and no end to the litigation in sight. Such was the dispute over the Jarndyce inheritance - a long-term trial, during which the owner of the Bleak House, mired in court cases, forgets about everything, and his home deteriorates under the influence of wind and rain. “It seemed as if the house had taken a bullet in the forehead, just like its desperate owner.” Now, thanks to the efforts of John Jarndyce, the house looks transformed, and with the arrival of young people it comes to life even more. The smart and sensible Esther is given the keys to the rooms and storage rooms. She copes excellently with difficult household chores - it’s not for nothing that Sir John affectionately calls her Bustle! Life in the house flows smoothly, visits alternate with trips to London theaters and shops, receiving guests gives way to long walks...
Their neighbors turn out to be Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife, a good two decades younger than him. As experts joke, my lady has “the impeccable appearance of the most well-groomed mare in the entire stable.” The secular chronicle notes her every step, every event in her life. Sir Leicester is not so popular, but does not suffer from this, for he is proud of his aristocratic family and cares only about the purity of his honest name. Neighbors sometimes meet in church, on walks, and Esther for a long time cannot forget the emotional excitement that gripped her at the first sight of Lady Dedlock.
The young employee of Kendge's office, William Guppy, experiences a similar excitement: when he sees Esther, Ada and Richard in London on the way to Sir John's estate, he falls in love with the pretty, gentle Esther at first sight. While in those parts on company business, Guppy visits the Dedlock estate and, amazed, stops at one of the family portraits. The face of Lady Dedlock, seen for the first time, seems strangely familiar to the clerk. Soon Guppy arrives at Bleak House and confesses his love to Esther, but receives a decisive rebuff. Then he hints at the amazing similarity between Hester and my lady. “Give me your hand,” William persuades the girl, “and I can’t think of anything to protect your interests and make you happy!” I can’t find out anything about you!” He kept his word. Letters from an unknown gentleman who died from an excessive dose of opium in a dirty, squalid closet and was buried in a common grave in a cemetery for the poor fall into his hands. From these letters, Guppy learns about the connection between Captain Hawdon (that was the name of this gentleman) and Lady Dedlock, about the birth of their daughter. William immediately shares his discovery with Lady Dedlock, causing her extreme embarrassment. But, without giving in to panic, she aristocratically coldly rejects the clerk’s arguments and only after she leaves exclaims: “Oh, my child, my daughter! That means she didn’t die in the first hours of her life!”
Esther becomes seriously ill with smallpox. This happened after the orphaned daughter of a court official, Charlie, appears on their estate, who becomes both a grateful pupil and a devoted maid for Esther. Esther nurses a sick girl and becomes infected herself. Household members hide mirrors for a long time so as not to upset Troublemaker with the sight of her dull face. Lady Dedlock, waiting for Esther to recover, secretly meets with her in the park and admits that she is her unhappy mother. In those early days, when Captain Hawdon abandoned her, she - so she was led to believe - gave birth to a stillborn child. Could she have imagined that the girl would come to life in the arms of her older sister and would be raised in complete secrecy from her mother... Lady Dedlock sincerely repents and begs for forgiveness, but most of all - for silence in order to preserve the usual life of a rich and noble person and the peace of her husband. Esther, shocked by the discovery, agrees to any conditions.
No one has any idea what happened - not only Sir John, burdened with worries, but also the young doctor Allen Woodcourt, who is in love with Esther. Smart and reserved, he makes a favorable impression on the girl. He lost his father early, and his mother invested all her meager funds in his education. But, not having enough connections and money in London, Allen cannot earn it by treating the poor. It is not surprising that at the first opportunity, Dr. Woodcourt agrees to the position of ship’s doctor and goes to India and China for a long time. Before leaving, he visits Bleak House and excitedly says goodbye to its inhabitants.
Richard is also trying to change his life: he chooses the legal field. Having started working in Kenge's office, he, to Guppy's displeasure, boasts that he figured out the Jarndyce case. Despite Esther's advice not to enter into a tedious litigation with the Court of Chancery, Richard files an appeal in the hope of winning an inheritance from Sir John for himself and his cousin Ada, to whom he is engaged. He “gambles everything he can scrape together,” spends his beloved’s small savings on duties and taxes, but legal red tape is robbing him of his health. Having secretly married Ada, Richard falls ill and dies in the arms of his young wife, never seeing his unborn son.
And clouds are gathering around Lady Dedlock. A few careless words lead lawyer Tulkinghorn, a regular at their house, to the trail of her secret. This respectable gentleman, whose services are generously paid in high society, masterfully masters the art of living and makes it his duty to do without any convictions. Tulkinghorn suspects that Lady Dedlock, disguised as a French maid, visited the house and grave of her lover, Captain Hawdon. He steals letters from Guppy - this is how he learns the details of the love story. In the presence of the Dedlocks and their guests, Tulkinghorn tells this story, which supposedly happened to some unknown person. Milady understands that the time has come to find out what he is trying to achieve. In response to her words that she wants to disappear from her home forever, the lawyer convinces her to continue to keep the secret for the sake of the peace of mind of Sir Leicester, who “even the fall of the moon from the sky would not be as stunned” as the revelation of his wife.
Esther decides to reveal her secret to her guardian. He greets her confused story with such understanding and tenderness that the girl is filled with “fiery gratitude” and a desire to work hard and selflessly. It is not difficult to guess that when Sir John makes her an offer to become the real mistress of Bleak House, Esther agrees.
A terrible event distracts her from the pleasant upcoming chores and pulls her out of Bleak House for a long time. It so happened that Tulkinghorn broke the agreement with Lady Dedlock and threatened to soon reveal the shameful truth to Sir Leicester. After a difficult conversation with Milady, the lawyer goes home, and the next morning he is found dead. Suspicion falls on Lady Dedlock. Police Inspector Bucket conducts an investigation and informs Sir Leicester of the results: all the evidence collected points against the French maid. She's under arrest.
Sir Leicester cannot bear the thought that his wife has been “thrown down from the heights that she adorned,” and he himself falls, struck down by the blow. Milady, feeling hunted, runs away from home without taking any jewelry or money. She left a farewell letter saying that she was innocent and wanted to disappear. Inspector Bucket sets out to find this troubled soul and turns to Esther for help. They travel a long way in the footsteps of Lady Dedlock. The paralyzed husband, disregarding the threat to the honor of the family, forgives the fugitive and eagerly awaits her return. Dr. Allen Woodcourt, who recently returned from China, joins the search. During the separation, he fell in love with Esther even more, but alas... At the grate of the memorial cemetery for the poor, he discovers the lifeless body of her mother.
Esther experiences what happened for a long time, painfully, but gradually life takes its toll. Her guardian, having learned of Allen's deep feelings, nobly makes way for him. Bleak House is empty: John Jarndyce, who is also the guardian, has taken care of arranging for Esther and Allen an equally glorious smaller estate in Yorkshire, where Allen gets a position as a doctor for the poor. He also called this estate “Bleak House”. There was also a place in it for Ada and her son, named Richard after his father. With the first available money, they build a room for the guardian (“the grumbling room”) and invite him to stay. Sir John becomes a loving guardian to now Ada and her little Richard. They return to the “elder” Bleak House, and often come to stay with the Woodcourts: for Esther and her husband, Sir John has always remained the best friend. Thus seven happy years pass, and the words of the wise guardian come true: “Both houses are dear to you, but the elder Bleak House claims primacy.”
As you know, V.A. Zhukovsky is a romantic poet. But his romanticism, unlike others, has its own specifics - in his works there are a lot of mystical images, details, and concepts. Even such a classical concept as romantic dualism (two worlds) is revealed by Zhukovsky with a touch of mysticism (which is associated with his belief in the afterlife). Zhukovsky’s mystical worldview was most fully expressed in his ballads. A ballad is, as a rule, a plot narrative in verse about some unusual, often mysterious adventures, and there is usually no direct lyrical self-expression, no
The general contradictory concept of the novel, the heterogeneity of its individual parts, undoubtedly made themselves felt as work on the novel unfolded. At the same time, insufficient knowledge of the era was clearly reflected. All this together, in all likelihood, was the reason that Gogol stopped working on the novel “Hetman”; however, he did not give up the idea of writing a work dedicated to the events that were touched upon in the novel. There are undoubted similarities between “Taras Bulba” and “Hetman”; individual images and scenes of “Hetman” are, as it were, sketches for “Taras Bulba”. Except as noted
More than sixty years have passed since the death of the great M. Bulgakov. The writer’s tombstone at the Novodevichy cemetery was a stone from the grave of his beloved N.V. Gogol. Now it has two names on it. Next to his Master lies his Margarita, Elena Sergeevna Bulgakova. It was she who became the prototype of this most captivating female image in Russian literature of the 20th century. “Follow me, reader! Who told you that there is no real... love in the world?.. Follow me, reader, and only me, and I will show you such love! This is how Bulgakov begins the second part of his “sunset” novel, as if anticipating the joy of
The great Russian poet Sergei Yesenin is the “singer of the country of birch chintz”, the “singer of love, sadness, sorrow”, he is also the “Moscow mischievous reveler” and, of course, a poet-philosopher. Yesenin was always concerned with such philosophical and ideological problems as Man and the universe. Man and nature, Man and the world of his earthly deeds, joys, passions, anxieties, his love and hatred, his loyalty to the Motherland, his life and death. The dialogue of the lyrical hero with the World (man, nature, earth, universe) is constant. “Man is a marvelous creation of nature, a unique flower of living life.” In the poem "Flowers" Yesenin managed to do everything
The main character of the novel I.S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons” - Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov. He is a nihilist, a man who proclaims the idea of “complete and merciless negation,” without recognizing any limits that could limit its implementation. He denies love, poetry, music, the beauty of nature, and philosophical thinking. Bazarov considers it necessary to start history anew, from scratch, regardless of “popular opinion.” And all these are not just ideas, before us is a truly new person, daring, strong, incapable of illusions of compromise, ready to go towards his goal, crushing everything in his path. Following
Currently watching: (module Summary:)
Loading...
