Mr. Chadband Character Analysis in Bleak House

Mr. Chadband is a minister and pretends to be a deeply religious man. However, underneath this façade of piety, he is very greedy and interested in money. He eats a great deal and is described as an oily gentleman, which suggests that he is smarmy, gluttonous, and false. He is a friend of Mrs. Snagsby’s, who naively worships him, and is married to Mrs. Chadband. His wife used to be the maid of Miss Barbary, who is Esther Summerson’s aunt and the sister of Lady Dedlock. Mr. Chadband tries to save money and avoid paying for things at all costs. He tries to avoid paying for the cab he takes to the Snagsby’s house and, later, tries to extort money from Sir Leicester Dedlock when he discovers the link between Lady Dedlock and his wife and the fact that Lady Dedlock had an illegitimate child outside of her marriage.

Mr. Chadband Character Timeline in Bleak House

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Chadband appears in Bleak House. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

In Mr. Snagsby’s house, they prepare to have guests. Mr. Chadband , a minister, and his wife, Mrs. Chadband, are friends of Mrs. Snagsby, who is... (full context)

The guests arrive slightly late, much to the dismay of Mr. Snagsby, who is hungry. Mr. Chadband is a large but simpering man with very oily hair and skin. He makes a... (full context)

Philanthropy, Social Responsibility, and Kindness Theme Icon

The party begins to eat—after Mr. Chadband has made a long, pious speech about the food—and Mr. Chadband demolishes the platter set... (full context)

...screams that he does not. She rushes downstairs and into the room and Mr. and Mrs. Chadband also join them. The policeman says that, when he arrested Jo, the boy said that... (full context)

Social Mobility, Class, and Lineage Theme Icon

...introduced to the Chadbands. When she hears that Mr. Guppy works for Kenge and Carboy’s, Mrs. Chadband tells him that, before her marriage, she was the maid of a young child, named... (full context)

Mr. Guppy announces that he, too, knows Esther and begins to ingratiate himself to Mrs. Chadband . Mr. Chadband then begins to soliloquize on the spiritual nature of Jo, who is... (full context)

Passion, Obsession, and Madness Theme Icon

The next evening, Jo arrives for his lesson from Mr. Chadband . Mrs. Snagsby is convinced that Jo is Mr. Snagsby’s son and watches for signs... (full context)

Jo, who has nearly fallen asleep during Mr. Chadband ’s lecture, is finally allowed to leave. He meets Guster downstairs, who shares her supper... (full context)

...Ladyship at Chesney Wold. He stops to read his notes and mutters the name, “ Mrs. Chadband .” (full context)

...and Mr. Smallweed is carried into the room, followed by Mrs. Snagsby and Mr. and Mrs. Chadband . Mr. Bucket introduces himself and Sir Leicester seems amazed by this intrusion. Mr. Smallweed... (full context)

...Mr. Smallweed demands 500. Mr. Bucket laughs at this and says 50. Mr. Bucket asks Mr. Chadband what he wants, and Mr. Chadband implies that he and his wife know a secret.... (full context)