Characters H-KDickens' Characters H-K
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Haggage, Dr ( Little Dorrit ) Doctor at the Marshalsea prison who delivers Amy Dorrit, described as 'amazingly shabby, in a torn and darned rough-weather sea-jacket, out at elbows and eminently short of buttons (he had been in his time the experienced surgeon carried by a passenger ship), the dirtiest white trousers conceivable by mortal man, carpet slippers, and no visible linen'. (top)
Handford, Julius ( Our Mutual Friend ) Alias taken by John Harmon in order to investigate his own supposed drowning. (top)
Haredale, Emma ( Barnaby Rudge ) Daughter of the murdered Reuben and niece of Geoffrey. She eventually marries Edward Chester (top)
Haredale, Geoffrey ( Barnaby Rudge ) Brother of the murdered Reuben and uncle of Emma. Suspected of being responsible for the murder of his brother, he spends his life in pursuit of the real killer. A Catholic, his house is burned in the Gordon Riots. He fights a duel with Sir John Chester, kills him, and leaves the country. (top)
Haredale, Reuben ( Barnaby Rudge ) Brother of Geoffrey, father of Emma. Murdered before the story begins. (top)
Harmon, John ( Our Mutual Friend )
Son of a wealthy dust contractor and heir to his fortune if he agrees to marry Bella Wilfer. He is away from England when his father dies and on the way home he is supposed drowned in a case of mistaken identity. With his supposed death the dust fortune goes to Boffin. John gets himself hired into the Boffin home as secretary John Rokesmith. Here he meets Bella and, with the help of the Boffins, wins her love as Rokesmith, and marries her. He later reveals his true identity and regains his fortune. (top)Harris, Mrs ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Imaginary friend of Sairey Gamp who uses Mrs Harris's invented quotes to establish Mrs Gamp's good reputation. (top)
Harthouse, James ( Hard Times ) A Parliamentary candidate visiting Coketown, he befriends Tom Gradgrind in an attempt to seduce his sister, Louisa, who is in an unhappy marriage to Bounderby. As a result of the attempted seduction Louisa runs home to her father and refuses to return to Bounderby and is later disowned by him. (top)
Havisham, Miss ( Great Expectations )
A very rich and grim old woman who lives in seclusion at Satis House. She is the guardian of Estella whom she teaches to break men's hearts to avenge her own being left at the altar by Compeyson years before. She continues to wear her wedding dress and her room contains the yellowing remnants of the wedding day including the mouldy wedding cake. Pip goes to Miss Havisham's to play and meets Estella. Pip believes Miss Havisham is his secret benefactor as he goes to London and becomes a gentleman, finding out later that the convict Magwitch has supplied his "Expectations". Miss Havisham dies when her house burns down and leaves her fortune to Estella. (top)Havisham, Arthur ( Great Expectations ) Miss Havisham's drunken brother who plots with Compeyson to gain his sister's fortune. (top)
Hawk, Sir Mulberry ( Nicholas Nickleby ) Business associate of Ralph Nickleby. Makes advances to Kate Nickleby and is thrashed by Nicholas. When his revenge is opposed by Lord Verisopht they duel and Verisopht is killed. Hawk flees to France. (top)
Headstone, Bradley ( Our Mutual Friend ) A school teacher and master of the boys department of a school on the borders of Kent and Surrey. Charlie Hexam becomes Headstone's pupil and Bradley becomes obsessed with Charley's sister Lizzie. Lizzie wants nothing to do with him and he becomes jealous of Eugene Wrayburn who also has eyes for Lizzie. He attempts to murder Wrayburn and believes he has been successful. Rogue Riderhood discovers the supposed murder and attempts to blackmail Headstone. In a later confrontation, Riderhood and Headstone are both drowned. (top)
Heathfield, Alfred ( The Battle of Life ) Ward of Dr. Jeddler who loves the doctor's youngest daughter, Marion. Marion runs away that her sister, Grace, may marry Alfred. Alfred becomes a doctor for the poor. (top)
Heep, Mrs. ( David Copperfield )
Widowed mother of Uriah Heep, "dead image of Uriah, only short". She is as "umble" as her son, whom she dotes on. (top)Heep, Uriah ( David Copperfield )
A hypocritical clerk of Mr. Wickfield's who is continually citing his humbleness. He deviously plots to ruin Wickfield but is later undone by Mr. Micawber. On their first meeting, David describes him as "a red-haired person - a youth of fifteen, as I take it now, but looking much older - whose hair was cropped as close as the closest stubble; who had hardly any eyebrows, and no eyelashes, and eyes of a red-brown, so unsheltered and unshaded, that I remember wondering how he went to sleep. He was high-shouldered and bony; dressed in decent black, with a white wisp of a neckcloth; buttoned up to the throat; and had a long, lank, skeleton hand, which particularly attracted my attention, as he stood at the pony's head, rubbing his chin with it, and looking up at us in the chaise. He had a way of writhing when he wanted to express enthusiasm, which was very ugly" Uriah Heep, wonderfully hideous, is one of Dickens' greatest triumphs in character creation. His description of Heep's writhing and scheming, and his cold, clammy nature, makes one's skin crawl. (top)Hexam, Charlie ( Our Mutual Friend ) Son of Gaffer and brother to Lizzie. Charlie is educated by Bradley Headstone and supports Headstone's advances toward his sister. When Lizzie refuses to marry Headstone Charlie rejects her. (top)
Hexam, Gaffer ( Our Mutual Friend )
Waterman, father of Lizzie and Charlie, who plies the Thames looking for dead bodies. He finds a body thought to be John Harmon, the central character in the story. (top)Hexam, Lizzie ( Our Mutual Friend )
Daughter of waterman Gaffer Hexam and sister of Charlie. She is opposed to her father's business of combing the Thames looking for drowned bodies but is true to him. When her father drowns she goes to live with Jenny Wren. Lizzie rejects the advances of schoolmaster Bradley Headstone and opposes the attention of Eugene Wrayburn, although she loves him, because they come from different classes of society. She runs away from London to a mill up the river. Wrayburn succeeds in finding her and is followed by Headstone who attempts to murder Wrayburn. Lizzie rescues Wrayburn and later marries him. (top)Higden, Betty ( Our Mutual Friend ) Old woman who operates a 'minding school', for orphans and other children. She is adamant about earning her keep and staying away from the workhouse. When an orphan in her keep dies she hits the road and earns a living doing needlework. She dies in the arms of Lizzie Hexam who promises not to take her to the workhouse. Dickens uses the character to illustrate the horror many of the truly needy had of the workhouse system. (top)
Hominy, Mrs ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Conceited American literary lady Martin is forced to accompany on the first leg of the trip to Eden. (top)
Honeythunder, Luke ( The Mystery of Edwin Drood ) Loud, overbearing philanthropist and guardian of Neville and Helena Landless. (top)
Hortense ( Bleak House ) Lady Dedlock's French maid. She is dismissed in favor of Rosa and aids lawyer Tulkinghorn in discovering Lady Dedlock's secret. When Tulkinghorn spurns her she murders him. Hortense is based on Mrs Manning, a murderer whose execution Dickens witnessed in 1849. (top)
Hubbles, Mr and Mrs ( Great Expectations ) Friends of the Gargerys, Mr Hubble is the village wheelwright. (top)
Hugh ( Barnaby Rudge ) Hostler at the Maypole. Joins the rioters in London and is later hanged. Revealed to be the son of Sir John Chester. (top)
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Jaggers ( Great Expectations ) Lawyer who serves Miss Havisham and Magwitch. It is through Jaggers that Pip receives the benefits of the great expectations that he assumes are from Miss Havisham. Pip later discovers the convict Magwitch has been his benefactor. (top)
Janet ( David Copperfield ) Betsy Trotwood's maid. "a pretty blooming girl of about nineteen or twenty". She later marries a tavern keeper. (top)
Mrs Jarley ( The Old Curiosity Shop ) Proprietor of a traveling waxwork who employs Nell and her grandfather. When the grandfather schemes to steal from Mrs Jarley, in order to support a gambling habit, Nell persuades him that they should take to the road again. (top)
Jarndyce, John ( Bleak House ) Owner of Bleak House and party in the Chancery suit of Jarndyce and Jarndyce. He adopts Esther Summerson who becomes close friends with John's cousins, Ada Clare and Richard Carstone. John hates the lawsuit which has gone on for so long with no end in sight. Richard, however, becomes consumed with the case hoping it will make him his fortune. This obsession causes Carstone and Jarndyce to suffer a falling out. Jarndyce falls in love with Esther and proposes marriage, she accepts out of respect for him. Jarndyce later finds that Esther is in love with Woodcourt and releases her from their engagement. (top)
Jasper, John ( The Mystery of Edwin Drood ) Uncle of Edwin Drood who has an opium habit. He cares for his nephew but harbors secret feelings for Edwin's fiancee Rosa Bud. Edwin disappears and the story ends prematurely with Dickens death but many believe that it was Jasper who killed Edwin Drood. Dickens describes Jasper as "a dark man of some six-and-twenty, with thick, lustrous, well-arranged black hair and whiskers. He looks older than he is, as dark men often do. His voice is deep and good, his face and figure are good, his manner is a little sombre. His room is a little sombre, and may have had its influence in forming his manner". (top)
Jeddler, Dr. Anthony ( The Battle of Life ) Country doctor whose view of life is altered by the sacrifices made by his youngest daughter, Marion, for her sister, Grace. (top)
Jeddler, Grace ( The Battle of Life ) Older daughter of Dr. Jeddler. She is the recipient of the sacrifice of her younger sister Marion, who runs away that Grace may marry her beau Alfred Heathfield. (top)
Jeddler, Marion ( The Battle of Life ) Younger daughter of Dr. Jeddler. She runs away to live with her Aunt Martha that her sister Grace may marry Alfred Heathfield. (top)
Jeddler, Martha ( The Battle of Life ) Maiden sister of Dr. Jeddler. The doctor's younger daughter, Marion, runs away and secretly lives with Martha. (top)
Jellyby ( Bleak House ) Mrs. Jellyby is involved in many causes and charities but neglects her large family. Her eldest daughter, Caddy, marries Prince Turveydrop, the dance instructor. Dickens modeled Mrs Jellyby on Caroline Chisholm. (top)
Jellyby, Caroline (Caddy) ( Bleak House )
Neglected daughter of Mrs Jellyby and her personal secretary ("I'm pen and ink to ma"). Caddy leaves home and marries Prince Turveydrop. (top)Jenny ( Bleak House ) Brickmaker's wife, befriended by Esther Summerson after Jenny's child dies. Later exchanges coats with Lady Dedlock, throwing Bucket off in his pursuit of Lady Dedlock as she flees following the revealing of her secret. (top)
Jingle, Alfred ( Pickwick Papers )
A wandering rascal who befriends Mr. Pickwick and accompanies the group to the Wardle home at Dingley Dell. He entices Miss Rachel to elope with him and is run down and bought off by Rachel's brother. Pickwick later finds a penitent Jingle in the Fleet Prison, pays his debt, and sends him and his servant, Job Trotter, off to Demerara, an area of Guyana, to turn over a new leaf. (top)Jinkins, Mr ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Oldest boarder at Todger's Boarding House. A fish-salesman and book-keeper aged forty. (top)
Jo ( Bleak House ) The crossing sweeper. When Jo shows Lady Dedlock the haunts of Captain Hawdon, lawyer Tulkinghorn has Jo kept moving from place to place. He befriends Esther Summerson at Bleak House and communicates smallpox to Charlie, and then Esther. Jo later dies at the shooting gallery of George Rouncewell. (top)
Joe (The Fat Boy) ( Pickwick Papers )
Servant of Mr. Wardle, has an amazing ability to fall asleep anytime, unless he's eating. (top)Jobling, Dr. ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Medical officer for the Anglo-Bengalee Disinterested Loan and Life Assurance Company. Dr Jobling takes the company's money but distances himself from its Board. (top)
Jobling, Tony (Weevle) ( Bleak House ) Friend of Guppy who takes Nemo's room at Krook's after Nemo's death. Jobling and Guppy discover the spectacular death of Krook and are temporary celebrities, drinking for free at the Sol's Arms. (top)
Joe, Old ( A Christmas Carol ) Fence who buys Scrooge's bed linen from Mrs Dilber when Scrooge is shown the future by the Ghost of Christmas Future . (top)
Jorkins ( David Copperfield ) Partner to Mr Spenlow who plays the heavy in the business. "a mild man of a heavy temperament, whose place in the business was to keep himself in the background, and be constantly exhibited by name as the most obdurate and ruthless of men." (top)
Jupe, Sissy ( Hard Times ) Daughter of Signor Jupe, a clown in Sleary's circus, who is deserted by her father and taken in by Gradgrind where she befriends Louisa. (top)
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Kedgick, Captain ( Martin Chuzzlewit ) Landlord of the National Hotel where Mark and Martin stay on their way to and from Eden. (top)
Kenge ( Bleak House ) Solicitor for John Jarndyce in the firm Kenge and Carboy. Known as 'Conversation Kenge'. (top)
Kenwigs ( Nicholas Nickleby ) Neighbors of Newman Noggs. Nicholas tutors their three daughters. Mrs Kenwigs' uncle, Mr Lillyvick, is a well-to-do collector of water rates and the family hopes to eventually profit from this relation. Their expectations are dashed when Lillyvick marries actress Henrietta Petowker and are revived when she runs away with a retired navy captain. (top)
Kidgerbury, Mrs. ( David Copperfield ) Maid (at intervals) to David and Dora Copperfield, and the "oldest inhabitant of Kentish Town." (top)
Krook ( Bleak House ) Drunken and illiterate proprietor of a rag and bottle shop. Known as the 'Lord Chancellor', Krook collects court documents. A will, instrumental in the Jarndyce and Jarndyce court case, is found among his holdings by Mr Smallweed who inherits Krook's possessions after his demise by spontaneous combustion. Krook is Mrs Smallweed's brother. (top)
