The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit (commonly known as Martin Chuzzlewit) is a novel by English author Charles Dickens, considered the last of his picaresque novels. It was originally serialised between January 1843 and July 1844. While he was writing it, Dickens told a friend that he thought it was his best work thus far, but it was one of his least popular novels, judged by sales of the monthly instalments. Characters in this novel gained fame, including Pecksniff and Mrs Gamp. Like nearly all of Dickens's novels, Martin Chuzzlewit was first published in monthly instalments. Early sales of the monthly parts were lower than those of previous works, so Dickens changed the plot to send the title character to the United States. Dickens had visited America in 1842 in part as a failed attempt to get the US publishers to honour international copyright laws. He satirized the country as a place filled with self-promoting hucksters, eager to sell land sight unseen. He also unfavourably highlighted slavery and featured characters with racist attitudes and a propensity to violence. In later editions, and in his second visit 24 years later to a much-changed US, he made clear in a speech that it was satire and not a balanced image of the nation and then included that speech in all future editions. The main theme of the novel, according to Dickens's preface, is selfishness, portrayed in a satirical fashion using all the members of the Chuzzlewit family. The novel is also notable for two of Dickens's great villains, Seth Pecksniff and Jonas Chuzzlewit. Dickens introduced one of the first literary private detective characters, Mr Nadgett, in this novel. It is dedicated to Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts, a friend of Dickens.
Plot summary Martin Chuzzlewit has been raised by his grandfather and namesake. Years before, Old Martin took the precaution of raising an orphaned girl, Mary Graham, to be his companion and nursemaid, with the understanding that she would receive income from him only as long as Old Martin lives. Old Martin considers that this gives her a motive to keep him alive, in contrast to his relatives, who want to inherit his money. Young Martin falls in love with Mary and wishes to marry her, conflicting with Old Martin's plans. Young Martin and his grandfather argue, each too proud to yield to a resolution. Young Martin leaves home to live on his own, and Old Martin disinherits him. Young Martin becomes an apprentice, at the late age of 21, to Seth Pecksniff, a relative and greedy architect. Instead of teaching his students, Pecksniff lives off their tuition fees and has them do draughting work that he passes off as his own. He has two spoiled daughters, Charity and Mercy, nicknamed Cherry and Merry. Pecksniff takes Young Martin on to establish closer ties with his wealthy grandfather.
Young Martin befriends Tom Pinch, a kind-hearted soul whose late grandmother gave Pecksniff all she had in the belief that Pecksniff would make an architect and a gentleman of him. Pinch is incapable of believing any of the bad things others tell him of Pecksniff and always defends him vociferously. He works for exploitatively low wages while believing that he is the unworthy recipient of Pecksniff's charity, rather than a man of many talents. Young Martin spends one week at the house of Pecksniff, alone with Tom, as the family spends the week in London. Young Martin draws the designs for a school during that week. When Old Martin learns of his grandson's new life, he asks that Pecksniff kick him out. When Pecksniff returns, they argue and Young Martin leaves, once again to make his way alone. Soon, Old Martin and Mary arrive in the area; the former seems to fall under Pecksniff's control. During this time Pinch falls in love with Mary, who loves to hear him play the organ, but does not declare his feelings, both because of his shyness and because he knows she is attached to Young Martin. Pecksniff decides that Mary should be his next wife and rudely courts her. Old Martin's brother, Anthony Chuzzlewit, is in business with his son, Jonas. Despite their considerable wealth, they are miserly and cruel. Jonas, eager for the old man to die so that he can inherit, constantly berates his father. Anthony dies abruptly and under suspicious circumstances, leaving his wealth to Jonas. Jonas then woos Cherry, while arguing constantly with Merry. He then abruptly declares to Pecksniff that he wants to marry Merry and jilts Cherry, not without demanding an additional £1,000 on top of the £4,000 that Pecksniff has promised him as Cherry's dowry, with the argument that Cherry has better chances for matchmaking. Jonas becomes entangled with the unscrupulous Montague Tigg, formerly a petty thief and hanger-on of a Chuzzlewit relative, Chevy Slyme, and joins in Tigg's crooked insurance business. As Young Martin raises funds in London, Tigg cheats him at the pawn shop of the full value of his valuable pocket watch. Tigg uses the funds to transform himself into a con man with a new personal appearance, calls himself "Tigg Montague" and rents a fine office. This new image convinces investors that he is an important businessman from whom they may greatly profit. At this time, Pecksniff, in front of Old Martin, orders Pinch out of his house. He does this after eavesdropping on a conversation between Tom and Mary, when Mary tells of Pecksniff's villainous designs on her. Pinch suddenly sees the true character of his employer and goes to London to seek new employment. He meets John Westlock, a good friend. Pinch rescues his sister Ruth from mistreatment by the family that employs her as a governess, and the two rent rooms in Islington. Pinch quickly receives an ideal job from a mysterious employer with the help of an equally mysterious Mr Fips.
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