Nicholas Nickleby

Physical homes are an important symbol in Nicholas Nickleby. This is a common trope in 18th- and 19th-century British literature, where residences communicate both the socioeconomic standing of their owners and (at least in theory) their moral character. A grand estate represents old money, a product of a culture of aristocratic hierarchy. Those who made their money in the new industrial economy might have equally luxurious homes, but without the attached villages that were a holdover of England’s feudal past. The professional middle classes aspired to comfortable if not opulent houses or apartments, while the poor and working classes often crowded into slum tenements. As an idea, the home was also associated with Victorian gender ideology; the ideal 19th-century woman was a homemaker who imbued her household with her own good morals.

In Nicholas Nickleby, houses are important symbols of who the homeowner or renter is. Ralph’s house is large but cold. Miss La Creevy’s apartments are characterized by her art and joviality. The cottage the Nicklebys rent from Charles Cheeryble is a space of great joy where Kate flourishes, sheltered from the manipulations of the outside world and able to devote herself to attending to the household. The Nicklebys also host friends at their cottage, building happy memories in a turbulent time and offering refuge to people in need, like Smike and Madeline. The cottage is an extension of the kindness and generosity of Kate and Nicholas and an embodiment of The Importance of Family.