Little Dorrit · Character

Mr. Merdle

The illustrious financier whose golden touch hypnotizes all London, though his magnificent carriage rolls on wheels nobody has thought to inspect.

supporting

Also known as Merdle, the illustrious Merdle

First appearance: xx moving in society

As a supporting figure in Little Dorrit, Mr. Merdle is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Dickens defends the extravagant conception of Mr.

In the storyPreface to the 1857 EditionOpen this moment free

See Mr. Merdle in Preface to the 1857 Edition Book page

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Merdle is the age's idol: a man so trusted that his very dullness reads as profundity, and his name alone floats shares. He moves through dinner parties and boardrooms as a solemn, dyspeptic oracle, while his wife and son's wife wage genteel war on separate floors of the same cramped temple. His vast, vague enterprises are the engine of the novel's financial plot, and everyone from the Barnacles to the Dorrits wants a hand on his coattails.

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See Mr. Merdle in xx moving in society

Character Web

27 connections

A slice of how Mr. Merdle sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Social
Other

Character groups

Financial and Medical Figures
Household and Loyal Companions
Circumlocution Office and Society

+22 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt represents the story's dramatic climax because it depicts Arthur Clennam’s psychological nadir an…

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Relationships

Mrs. Meagles
social · ambivalent
Mrs. Meagles
social · ambivalent
Mrs. Meagles
social · ambivalent

Mrs. Meagles
Mr. Merdle, a wealthy financier, interacts with Mrs. Meagles in high society circles, with underlying financial entanglements.
Mrs. Meagles
Mr. Merdle, a wealthy financier, interacts with Mrs. Meagles in high society circles, with underlying financial entanglements.
Mrs. Meagles
Mr. Merdle, a wealthy financier, interacts with Mrs. Meagles in high society circles, with underlying financial entanglements.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Mr. Merdle in xx moving in society

In the story

Mr. Merdle appears across 9 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Preface to the 1857 Edition
Dickens defends the extravagant conception of Mr. Merdle as originating after the Railroad-share epoch.
Mr. Merdle's Complaint
The host of the grand dinner, appearing fatigued and detached, drinking tea in a corner while Society flatters him. He is the subject of much discussion regarding his wealth and influence.
Mrs. Merdle's Complaint
Defends his social role as a benefactor through wealth, but is criticized by his wife for his preoccupied and vulgar manner.
In Which a Great Patriotic Conference Is Holden
Hosts a special dinner for the Barnacles and other dignitaries, seeking to cast his wealth into the Barnacle political scale and provide for Edmund Sparkler.
Getting On
Visits Mr. Dorrit to offer his services and advice, displaying his characteristic subdued and hesitant manner while exerting his influence.
XVIII: A Castle in the Air
Escorts Mr. Dorrit downstairs after the farewell banquet, reinforcing his attentiveness to the wealthy guest.
The Storming of the Castle in the Air
Mentioned as keeping a glorious state with a court bowing before him.
The Evening of a Long Day
The illustrious financier visits the Sparklers, borrowing a penknife and appearing detached.
XXV: The Chief Butler Resigns the Seals of Office
His default and crimes of forgery and robbery are the central topic of the chapter.

Chapter companion notes

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See Mr. Merdle in xx moving in society

See Mr. Merdle in Preface to the 1857 Edition