ancelled Master Humphrey's Clock before 1848, and describes in a preface to The Old Curiosity Shop that he wishes the story to not be tied down to the miscellany it began within. Most later anthologies published the short stories and the novels separately.
Characters in The Old Curiosity Shop
- Nell Trent, the novel's main character. Portrayed as infallibly good and angelic, she leads her grandfather on their journey to save them from misery. She gradually becomes weaker throughout the journey, and although she finds a home with the help of the schoolmaster, she does not recover and dies before her friends in London find her.
- Nell's grandfather, Nell's guardian. After losing both his wife and daughter, he sees Nell as the embodiment of their good spirits. His grandson Fred is seen as the successor to his son-in-law, who he felt unworthy of his daughter. As such, he shows him no affection. He is paranoid about falling into poverty and gambles to try to stave that off; as his money runs out, he turns to Quilp for loans to continue to furnish for Nell the life he feels she deserves. After believing Kit has revealed his secret addiction he falls ill, and is mentally unstable afterwards. Nell then protects him as he had done for her. Although he knows Nell is dead he refuses to acknowledge it,and does not recognise his brother whom he had protected in their childhood. He dies soon after Nell, and is buried beside her.
- Christopher 'Kit' Nubbles, Nell's friend and servant. He watches out for Nell when she is left in the shop alone at night (although she doesn't know he's there)and will 'never come home to his bed until he thinks she's safe in hers'. After Quilp takes over the shop he offers her a place in his house. His mother is concerned about his attachment to Nell and at one point jokes 'some people would say that you'd fallen in love with her', at which Kit becomes very bashful and tries to change the subject. He is later given a position at the Garland's house, and becomes an important member of their household. His dedication to his family earns him the respect of many characters, and the resentment of Quilp. He is framed for robbery, but is later released and joins the party travelling to recover Nell.
- Daniel Quilp, is the novel's primary villain; he mistreats his wife, Betsy, and manipulates others to his own ends through a false charm he has developed over the years. He lends money to Nell's grandfather, and takes possession of the curiosity shop during the old man's illness (which he had caused by revealing his knowledge of Trent's bad gambling habit). He uses sarcasm to belittle those he wishes to control, most notably his wife, and takes a sadistic delight in the suffering of others. He eavesdrops so as to know all of 'the old man's' most private thoughts and teases saying 'you have no secrets from me now'. He also drives a wedge between Kit and the old man (and as a result between Kit and Nell) by pretending it was Kit who told him about the gambling.
- Richard 'Dick' Swiveller, in turn is Frederick Trent's manipulated friend, Sampson Brass's clerk and the Marchioness's guardian, and eventually husband. He delights in quoting and adapting literature to describe his situations. He is very laid back and doesn't seem to worry about anything, despite the fact that he owes money to just about everybody. Following Fred's departure from the story, he becomes more independent and eventually is seen as a strong force for good, securing Kit's release from prison and the Marchioness's future.
- The single gentleman, who is never named, is the estranged younger brother of Nell's grandfather. He leads the search for the travellers after taking lodging in Sampson Brass' rooms and befriending Dick, Kit and the Garlands.
- Mrs. Betsy Quilp, Quilp's mistreated wife. She is mortally afraid of her husband, but appears to love him in spite of everything, as she was genuinely worried when he disappeared for a long period.
- Mr. Sampson Brass, an attorney (what would now be called a solicitor) of the Court of the King's Bench. A 