The Old Curiosity Shop

Charles Dickens's "The Old Curiosity Shop" was published in serial form from 1840 to 1841 in a periodical titled Master Humphrey's Clock. The novel caused a sensation at the time and the ending sparked public demonstrations against the author.

As a relatively early entry of Dickens's, "The Old Curiosity Shop" bridges his early work, such as "The Pickwick Papers", with his more familiar novels that he is remembered for today, including "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations". In other words, we can look at "The Old Curiosity Shop" as a crucial step in Dickens's development as a writer.

Among its many significant achievements, including one of the most detestable villains in all of literature, the novel might best be remembered for its interesting experiments with narrative structure. This is the form that the story takes and the perspective from which it is told.

"The Old Curiosity Shop" is the story of Little Nell Trent and the evil dwarf Quilp. When Little Nell's grandfather gambles away his curiosity shop to his creditor Quilp, the girl and the old man flee London. Nell's friend Kit Nubbles and a mysterious Single Gentleman (who turns out to be the wealthy brother of Nell's grandfather) attempt to find them but are thwarted by Quilp.