# Richard Carstone — Bleak House character guide > Richard Carstone in Bleak House by Charles Dickens. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Richard, Mr. Richard Carstone, Carstone, Rick **First appearance:** 0006-v-a-morning-adventure ## Snapshot A charming, restless young ward of Jarndyce who cannot settle on a profession because the Chancery suit has taught him to wait for fortune instead of earning it. ## Who they are Richard Carstone is bright, affectionate, and hopelessly scattered — trying medicine, then law, then anything, while the Jarndyce and Jarndyce inheritance glitters in his imagination as an easy answer to every question. He loves Ada genuinely, and Esther watches the romance bloom with quiet joy and quiet worry, because Richard's inability to commit to anything but the lawsuit is already visible. His slow surrender to Chancery's false promises becomes one of the novel's most painful trajectories. ## Relationships ### [Mr. Jarndyce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/characters/mr_jarndyce) _family_ John Jarndyce is Richard's guardian and cousin, trying to guide him away from the destructive obsession with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. ### [Ada Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/characters/ada_clare) _romantic_ Ada and Richard are young lovers who marry secretly, but Richard's obsession with the lawsuit strains their relationship. ### [Mr. Jarndyce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/characters/mr_jarndyce) _family_ John Jarndyce is Richard's guardian and cousin, trying to guide him away from the destructive obsession with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. ### [Ada Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/characters/ada_clare) _romantic_ Ada and Richard are young lovers who marry secretly, but Richard's obsession with the lawsuit strains their relationship. ### [Mr. Jarndyce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/characters/mr_jarndyce) _family_ John Jarndyce is Richard's guardian and cousin, trying to guide him away from the destructive obsession with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce lawsuit. ### [Ada Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/characters/ada_clare) _romantic_ Ada and Richard are young lovers who marry secretly, but Richard's obsession with the lawsuit strains their relationship. ## In the story ### [Bleak House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/bleak-house) A ward of the court, hopeful about the Jarndyce case. ### [A Progress](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/iii-a-progress) Presented to the Lord Chancellor as a ward; shows youthful candor and confusion about the proceedings. ### [Telescopic Philanthropy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/iv-telescopic-philanthropy) Travels with Esther and Ada; jokes about Mr. Jellyby and recalls a brief meeting with Mr. Jarndyce. ### [A Morning Adventure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/v-a-morning-adventure) Joins the walk; is astonished by Mr. Krook's knowledge of the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case; leaves money for Miss Flite. ### [Quite at Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/vi-quite-at-home) Along with Esther, gives money to Skimpole; defends Skimpole's confidence to Mr. Jarndyce; enjoys the evening's music and conversation. ### [Covering a Multitude of Sins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/viii-covering-a-multitude-of-sins) Mentioned as the young ward whose future profession is under discussion; subject of Mr. Jarndyce's concerns about legal 'wiglomeration'. ### [Signs and Tokens](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/ix-signs-and-tokens) Shows his restless and generous nature; demonstrates a careless attitude toward money, mistaking it for prudence. ### [XIII: Esther’s Narrative](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xiii-esther-s-narrative) Struggles to choose a profession; decides on surgery. ### [Deportment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xiv-deportment) Leaves to begin his legal career; builds castles in the air about the Jarndyce suit making them rich. ### [XVII: Esther's Narrative](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xvii-esther-s-narrative) Visits often but fails in letter-writing; his lack of application and the Chancery suit's influence are discussed. ### [Lady Dedlock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xviii-lady-dedlock) Richard vacillates between law and medicine, eventually deciding to try Mr. Kenge's office. He is generous and careless with money, and moves into a lodging near Queen Square. ### [A New Lodger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xx-a-new-lodger) Established in Kenge's room at the office, causing Mr. Guppy to chafe. ### [An Appeal Case](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xxiv-an-appeal-case) Pursues a military commission; frustrated by Chancery delays; argues with Mr. Jarndyce about his future. ### [XXXV: Esther’s Narrative](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xxxv-esther-s-narrative) Mentioned as being consumed by the Jarndyce and Jarndyce suit; Mr. Jarndyce fears he will be drawn to ruin. ### [Jarndyce and Jarndyce](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xxxvii-jarndyce-and-jarndyce) Richard defends his involvement in Jarndyce and Jarndyce, expresses distrust of Mr. Jarndyce, and dismisses Esther's warnings about his debts and unsettled life. ### [Attorney and Client](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xxxix-attorney-and-client) Richard, now a client of Mr. Vholes, vents his anger against John Jarndyce, accusing him of embodying the Chancery suit and causing his suffering. ### [XLIII: Esther's Narrative](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xliii-esther-s-narrative) Richard remains obsessed with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce suit, ignoring advice from Mr. Jarndyce. ### [XLV: In Trust](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/xlv-in-trust) Richard is stubborn and hopeful about the Chancery suit, rejecting Ada's offer of help and refusing to leave the service. ### [Enlightened](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/li-enlightened) Now married to Ada; consumed by the Jarndyce case and anxious about his integrity. ### [Perspective](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/lx-perspective) Thin, languid, slovenly, and restless; his youth and beauty have fallen into ruin; obsessed with the lawsuit. ### [A Discovery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/lxi-a-discovery) Worn and haggard, obsessed with the Chancery suit, listlessly haunts the court. ### [LXV: Beginning the World](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/chapters/lxv-beginning-the-world) Dies after learning the Jarndyce and Jarndyce estate is entirely consumed by costs; his final words are about beginning the world. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/characters/richard_carstone - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/bleak_house_se/characters