# Daniel Quilp — The Old Curiosity Shop character guide > Daniel Quilp in The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Quilp, Mr. Quilp, Daniel **First appearance:** 0004-ii ## Snapshot A grinning, pipe-smoking dwarf who waits in shadows for a child at a window and calls his malice patience. ## Who they are Daniel Quilp is the grotesque little moneylender who haunts the old curiosity shop, watching Nell from an archway across the street and tormenting everyone within reach for the pleasure of it. His defining quality is not greed but delight — he savors fear, drinks it down, and treats cruelty as a kind of sport. As the novel's presiding menace, he turns Nell's ordinary childhood into a flight, and gives the story its most unsettling and unforgettable presence. ## Relationships ### [Nell Trent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/nell_trent) _psychological_ Quilp is obsessed with tormenting and pursuing Nell, deriving cruel pleasure from her fear and suffering. ### [Richard Swiveller](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/richard_swiveller) _rivalry_ Quilp views Swiveller with contempt and enjoys manipulating him for his own amusement. ### [Sampson Brass](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/sampson_brass) _professional_ Quilp and Sampson Brass are co-conspirators, with Quilp dominating and exploiting Brass for his schemes. ### [Nell Trent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/nell_trent) _psychological_ Quilp is obsessed with tormenting and pursuing Nell, deriving cruel pleasure from her fear and suffering. ### [Richard Swiveller](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/richard_swiveller) _rivalry_ Quilp views Swiveller with contempt and enjoys manipulating him for his own amusement. ### [Richard Swiveller](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/richard_swiveller) _rivalry_ Quilp views Swiveller with contempt and enjoys manipulating him for his own amusement. ### [Sampson Brass](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/sampson_brass) _professional_ Quilp and Sampson Brass are co-conspirators, with Quilp dominating and exploiting Brass for his schemes. ### [Sampson Brass](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/sampson_brass) _professional_ Quilp and Sampson Brass are co-conspirators, with Quilp dominating and exploiting Brass for his schemes. ### [Nell Trent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/nell_trent) _psychological_ Quilp is obsessed with tormenting and pursuing Nell, deriving cruel pleasure from her fear and suffering. ## In the story ### [The Old Curiosity Shop](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/the-old-curiosity-shop) Introduced as a malicious, grotesque moneylender who holds power over the grandfather and threatens to take the shop. ### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/iii) Quilp visits the old man, asserting his right to see Nell, taunting the old man about his secret investments, and giving him gold. He displays a malicious and controlling demeanor. ### [Mr. and Mrs. Quilp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/iv) Introduced as a grotesque, tyrannical dwarf who delights in intimidating his wife and mother-in-law; he smokes, drinks, and makes horrible grimaces. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/v) Stays awake all night smoking and drinking, torments his wife, then goes to the wharf where he abuses the boy and falls asleep on the desk. ### [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/vi) Quilp reads the letter with perplexity, proposes to Nell, and later coerces his wife into spying on the child. ### [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/ix) Quilp coldly refuses the old man's pleas, reveals his knowledge of the secret gambling, and falsely blames Kit for the disclosure. ### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xi) Takes legal possession of the house, installs himself and Brass, forces them to smoke, and claims Nell's little room for himself. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xii) Quilp visits to pressure the old man into vacating the house, and later sleeps in the house, forcing Nell to retrieve the key from his room. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xiii) Has bought the shop's goods, is frustrated by the flight, and later scuffles with Swiveller before forcing a fight over a bird. ### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xxi) Quilp arrives at Kit's home with Swiveller, interrogates Kit and his mother about the fugitives, and later persuades Swiveller to join him for drinks. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xxiii) Manipulates Swiveller and conspires with Trent to exploit Nell and her grandfather. ### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xxvii) Seen by Nell emerging from a dark gateway with a boy carrying a trunk. ### [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xxxiii) The dwarf who brings Richard Swiveller to Brass's office as a clerk; he flirts with Sally Brass and speaks sarcastically to Sampson. ### [Chapter XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xxxiv) Mentioned as having offered Swiveller the clerkship and backed by Fred Trent. ### [XLI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xli) Quilp is unexpectedly present at Little Bethel, watching the congregation with a grin, causing Kit unease. ### [XLVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xlviii) Appears suddenly at the inn, spies on the single gentleman, recounts his manipulation of Swiveller and pursuit of Kit's mother, and vows to thwart the search for Nell. ### [XLIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/xlix) Returns home and secretly observes his family and Brass mourning his supposed death, then dramatically reveals himself. ### [Quilp's Bachelor's Hall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/l) Returns home, terrorizes his wife, sets up a bachelor's hall at the countinghouse, visits Swiveller, and learns of Fred Trent's failed meeting. ### [LI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/li) Visits Bevis Marks, writes a note, interrogates the small servant, and later hosts a conspiratorial tea with the Brasses. ### [LXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/lxii) In a mischievous and cruel mood, chants a legal phrase, forces Brass to drink hot liquor, and sends him off with misleading warnings about dangers. ### [LXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/lxiv) Implied as the instigator of the frame-up against Kit. ### [LXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/chapters/lxvii) Works alone in his hermitage, receives Sally Brass's warning letter, and prepares to flee after learning of Sampson Brass's betrayal. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters/daniel_quilp - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_old_curiosity_shop_se/characters