Characters E-GDickens' Characters E-G
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Emily ( David Copperfield )
Mr. Peggotty's niece and David's childhood friend. She is later engaged to Ham but is lured away by the charms of David's friend Steerforth. Mr. Peggotty is heartbroken and searches for her, finally finding her when Steerforth tires of her and she leaves him. She later emigrates to Australia with her uncle, Mr. Peggotty. (top)Endell, Martha ( David Copperfield ) Martha went to school with Emily and works with her at Omer's. She is disgraced in her hometown of Yarmouth and Emily gives her money to go to London where she becomes a prostitute. She later helps Mr. Peggotty find Emily and emigrates to Australia. (top)
Estella ( Great Expectations )
Adopted as a child by Miss Havisham who teaches her to break men's hearts as revenge for Compeyson having left Miss Havisham at the altar years before. Pip meets Estella at Satis House and falls in love with her but she is cruel to him. Pip goes to London and becomes a gentleman and continues to adore Estella but she warns him that she is incapable of love. She later marries Bentley Drummle who mistreats her and she leaves him. Drummle dies and Estella and Pip meet two years later and vow to remain together. Estella is the daughter of Magwitch and Jagger's maid Molly. (top)F
Fagin ( Oliver Twist )
A crafty old Jew who runs a thieve's school near Field Lane in Saffron Hill. Oliver falls in with Fagin's band when he runs away from the undertaker, Sowerberry. When Fagin attempts to help Monks destroy Oliver's reputation he is arrested and executed at Newgate. Fagin was based on real-life Jewish fence (receiver of stolen property), Ikey Soloman (1758-1850). (top)Fan ( A Christmas Carol ) Scrooge's sister, mother of his nephew Fred. She has died before the story begins but lives again in the 'shadows' shown to Scrooge by the Ghost of Christmas Past. She is based on Dickens' own sister Fanny who died of consumption at age 38. (top)
Feeder, Mr ( Dombey and Son ) Assistant to Dr Blimber at the school in Brighton where Paul Dombey Jr attends. Later marries Blimber's daughter Cornelia and takes over the management of the school. (top)
Fern, Will ( The Chimes ) Country laborer who comes to London with his niece Lillian to look for work. He is arrested for vagrancy and branded a troublemaker. He and Lillian run into Trotty Veck in the street and Trotty takes them in for the night. Will and Lillian's presence help to spark Trotty's dream in which Will becomes a desperate arsonist and Lillian a prostitute. (top)
Fezziwig ( A Christmas Carol )
Scrooge was apprenticed to 'Old Fezziwig' in his youth. Scrooge visits his old employer with the Ghost of Christmas Past and is reminded of what a kind, generous man he was. (top)Fielding, May ( Cricket on the Hearth ) Former lover of Edward Plummer, she is reunited with him after nearly marrying Tackleton at the urging of her mother, Mrs Fielding. (top)
Fielding, Sir John ( Barnaby Rudge ) Blind half-brother of novelist Henry Fielding (Tom Jones). Magistrate at Bow Street. Dickens has him at the scene of the Gordon Riots when, in fact, Fielding was on his deathbed at the time of the riots. (top)
Filer ( The Chimes ) Friend of Alderman Cute, Filer makes Trotty feel guilty over his meager meal of tripe. (top)
Finching, Flora ( Little Dorrit )
Daughter of Casby and former sweetheart of Arthur Clennam who reappears 20 years later and "grown to be very broad, and short of breath". Dickens modeled the character of Flora after his own early sweetheart, Maria Beadnell, who reappears later in Dickens life not quite the way he remembered her. (top)Fips, Mr ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Old Martin Chuzzlewit's agent who hires Tom Pinch to put his library in order. Mr Fips was "small and spare, and looked peaceable, and wore black shorts and powder". (top)
Fish, Mr. ( The Chimes ) Sir Joseph Bowley's confidential secretary. (top)
Fladdock, General ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Introduced to Martin Chuzzlewit in America by the Norris family. While condemning the class system in Europe he is so outraged to be considered a fellow passenger to America with Martin, who made the trip in steerage, that "he almost laid his hand upon his sword". (top)
Fledgeby, "Fascination" ( Our Mutual Friend ) Moneylender who operates Pubsy & CO. Fledgeby employs the old Jewish man Riah as his front man. (top)
Fleming, Agnes ( Oliver Twist ) Mother of Oliver, whom she has out of wedlock with Edwin Leeford. Agnes is also the sister of Rose Maylie. (top)
Flintwinch, Jeremiah ( Little Dorrit )
Mrs. Clennam's clerk to whom her son Arthur relinquishes his share of the family business. He intrigues with his twin brother Ephraim against Mrs Clennam. Husband of Affery. (top)Flintwinch, Ephraim ( Little Dorrit ) Twin brother of Jeremiah with whom he intrigues against Mrs Clennam. (top)
Flintwinch, Affery ( Little Dorrit ) Wife of Mrs. Clennam's clerk who sees the evil doings of the house in dreams. (top)
Flite, Miss ( Bleak House ) A slightly mad old woman who is a regular attendant at the court of Chancery expecting to receive a favorable judgement in a case that no one is sure has ever existed. (top)
Flopson ( Great Expectations ) One of Mrs Pocket's maids (along with Millers) who helps control the Pocket's 'tumbled up' children. (top)
Folair, Augustus (Tommy) ( Nicholas Nickleby ) Pantomimist in Crummles' troupe, jealous of the attention paid to Ninetta Crummles, the 'infant phenomenon', he believes the crowds would be better entertained by his specialty: the Highland Fling. (top)
Fred ( A Christmas Carol ) Good hearted nephew of Ebenezer Scrooge, son of his sister Fan. (top)
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Gabelle, Theophile ( A Tale of Two Cities ) Former servant of Charles Darnay who finds himself imprisoned by the revolutionaries in Paris. Gabelle writes to Darnay who comes to Paris to aid Gabelle. Darnay is then put in prison for his trouble. (top)
Gamp, Sairey ( Martin Chuzzlewit )
A midwife, nurse, and "layer out" of the dead, although she is much more concerned with her own creature comforts than those of her patients. Habitually in liquor, she creates the imaginary Mrs Harris whose good opinion is used to promote Mrs Gamp's character. Sairey Gamp is one of Dickens most intriguing characters. Meet Mrs Gamp. (top)Gargery, Joe ( Great Expectations )
Blacksmith and friend to Pip, Joe is the husband of Pip's sister, who badly mistreats both Joe and Pip. After his wife's death Joe comes to London and nurses Pip through an illness. Later Joe marries Pip's friend Biddy. (top)Gargery, Mrs Joe ( Great Expectations ) Wife of Joe Gargery and sister of Pip who cruelly mistreats them both, frequently going "on the rampage" and employing "the tickler" to beat them with. She is beaten by Orlick and later dies. (top)
Gashford ( Barnaby Rudge ) Lord George Gordon's hypocritical secretary. He urges the rioters to exact revenge on Geoffrey Haredale, who had exposed his treacherous ways. He abandons Lord Gordon when the riots are suppressed by soldiers and becomes a government spy. He later poisons himself. (top)
Gaspard ( A Tale of Two Cities ) Parisian peasant whose child is killed when hit by the carriage of the Marquis de St Evremonde. The grief-stricken Gaspard follows the Marquis to his country home and kills him in his bed. Gaspard is hung on a 40-foot gallows over the town fountain. (top)
Gay, Walter ( Dombey and Son ) Sol Gill's nephew, he is employed in the house of Dombey and Son. Walter befriends Florence Dombey, her father is displeased and sends him to the firm's branch in Barbados. The ship in which he sails is lost and Sol goes to search for him. Walter returns and marries Florence. Mr. Dombey, after the failure of the house, goes to live with Walter and Florence. (top)
General, Mrs ( Little Dorrit ) Matron hired as chaperone to 'varnish' Amy and Fanny Dorrit. She admonishes the girls that reciting "Papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes and prism" is good for the lips. She has designs on William Dorrit but he dies before he can propose. (top)
Ghost of Christmas Future ( A Christmas Carol ) Shows Scrooge the demise of Tiny Tim and of himself, leading to Scrooge's reformation. (top)
Ghost of Christmas Past ( A Christmas Carol ) Shows Scrooge his lonely and difficult childhood and gradual decline into the miser he will become. (top)
Ghost of Christmas Present ( A Christmas Carol ) Shows Scrooge the joy that Christmas brings, both at the poor household of the Cratchits and at the home of his nephew Fred. The ghost also introduces Scrooge to the children, Ignorance and Want. (top)
Gills, Soloman ( Dombey and Son )
Uncle of Walter Gay and owner of a ship's chandler shop called "The Wooden Midshipman". When Walter's ship is lost at sea Solomon goes in search of him, leaving the care of the shop to his friend, Capt. Cuttle. (top)Gordon, Lord George ( Barnaby Rudge ) 1750-1793 Historical figure and leader of the Gordon (anti-Catholic) Riots (1780) (top)
Gowan, Henry ( Little Dorrit ) Untalented artist who marries Pet Meagles against her parents wishes. Henry's snobbish mother feigns disappointment at her son's marrying beneath himself. Gowan had earlier jilted Miss Wade. (top)
Gradgrind, Louisa ( Hard Times ) Oldest daughter of Thomas. She marries Bounderby, whom she doesn't love. She later leaves her husband and returns to her father. (top)
Gradgrind, Thomas ( Hard Times ) A mill owner retired from business and father of Louisa and Tom. He runs a school and emphasizes the importance of facts and figures over fancy to his students and his children. By the end of the story he learns that facts and figures must be tempered by love and forbearance. (top)
Gradgrind, Tom ( Hard Times ) Son of Thomas. He is employed at Bounderby's bank from whom he later steals, the blame is set on Stephen Blackpool. He later leaves the country with the aid of Sleary and his circus troupe. (top)
Graham, Mary ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Mary cares for old Martin Chuzzlewit with the knowledge that she will not profit from Martin's wealth after his death. Chuzzlewit's grandson, Martin, falls in love with Mary which displeases his grandfather who disinherits young Martin. Young Martin goes to America to seek his fortune. Finding only sickness and misery in America, Martin returns to England, is reconciled with his grandfather and marries Mary. (top)
Grainger ( David Copperfield ) Friend of Steerforth's who has dinner with David at his chambers at the Adelphi. (top)
Granger, Edith ( Dombey and Son ) Paul Dombey's second wife is the widow of Colonel Granger and the daughter of Mrs Skewton. She marries Dombey but does not love him. She later elopes with Carker, a manager at Dombey's firm, to punish her husband. (top)
Grayper, Mr and Mrs ( David Copperfield ) Neighbors of Clara Copperfield in Blunderstone. (top)
Grewgious ( The Mystery of Edwin Drood ) Guardian of Rosa Bud. He is upset at John Jasper's advances to Rosa and finds her lodging in London at an apartment owned by Mrs Billickin. He later investigates the disappearance of Edwin Drood and is suspicious of Jasper. Described as "an angular man with no conversational powers". (top)
Gride, Arthur ( Nicholas Nickleby ) Old moneylender who develops a scheme, along with fellow usurer, Ralph Nickleby, to get Walter Bray's consent to give his daughter, Madeline's, hand for the forgiveness of debts to Gride and Ralph. Gride's plan is undone when Bray dies on the morning of the wedding and his old housekeeper, Peg Sliderskew, jealous of the young wife, steals documents that reveal his scheme. Gride is murdered by burglars before he can be prosecuted. (top)
Gridley ( Bleak House ) Known as the 'Man from Shropshire' and another casualty of Chancery. (top)
Grimwig, Mr. ( Oliver Twist ) Cantankerous friend of Mr. Brownlow. Quote: "I'll eat my head!" (top)
Grueby, John ( Barnaby Rudge ) Loyal servant of Lord George Gordon who tries to isolate Gordon from the rioters when the protest turns to violence. (top)
Gulpidge, Mr and Mrs ( David Copperfield ) Guests at a dinner party given by the Waterbrooks. (top)
Mrs. Gummidge ( David Copperfield )
Widow of Mr. Peggotty's former partner, who had died very poor. She lives with Mr. Peggotty and later emigrates to Australia with him. Quote: 'a lone lorn creetur' and everythink went contrary with her'. (top)William Guppy ( Bleak House )
Clerk for Kenge and Carboy. Proposes marriage to Esther Summerson which she refuses. Guppy is involved in the investigation of Lady Dedlock's secret. (top)