Little Dorrit (Version 2)

Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870)

Little Dorrit, one of the three great novels of Charles Dickens’ last period, was produced in monthly installments from 1855 to 1857, and is considered one of his most profound. Dickens’ father spent three months in Marshalsea Prison for debt, which made a lasting impact on his life. This story centers around life in Marshalsea Prison and, as always, society in general.

Book One begins in the infamous Marseilles Prison in France, where two prisoners, Rigaud the French rogue and the ever cheerful Italian Cavaletto, share a cell. We meet them again later, but the scene shifts quickly to the English debtor’s prison, The Marshalsea, where Mr. Dorrit is confined. His daughter Amy is born there, the only baby ever born in that prison. Tiny as a baby, she grows into a sweet-natured tiny adult, better known as “Little Dorrit.” The other inmates love and respect the child and the caring woman she becomes. Mr. Dorrit is also revered by them, and as the inmate with the longest term of imprisonment, he becomes “Father of the Marshalsea.”

Enter Arthur Clennam, who meets Mr. Dorrit and Amy. He notes that she takes care of her father’s every need, and also cooks, cleans, and mends the clothes of her older siblings. Arthur suspects that Dorrit was wrongly imprisoned, and begins investigating the case, which may involve his own family as well.

In Book Two, Mr. Dorrit has been freed, and his family begins a new life. Arthur Clennam, now a dear friend of Little Dorrit, becomes partner with an engineer and inventor named Daniel Doyce, but a surprising event occurs which puts Arthur into prison. The twists and turns of fortune for himself, the Dorrit family and many others are changed forever. (Summary by Mil Nicholson)

Genre(s): General Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Preface Mil Nicholson
00:04:56
Play 01 Book 1, Chapter 1 Mil Nicholson
00:38:32
Play 02 Book 1, Chapter 2 Mil Nicholson
00:36:56
Play 03 Book 1, Chapter 3 Mil Nicholson
00:38:01
Play 04 Book1, Chapter 4 Mil Nicholson
00:08:52
Play 05 Book 1, Chapter 5 Mil Nicholson
00:31:39
Play 06 Book 1, Chapter 6 Mil Nicholson
00:28:16
Play 07 Book 1, Chapter 7 Mil Nicholson
00:29:02
Play 08 Book 1, Chapter 8 Mil Nicholson
00:31:40
Play 09 Book 1, Chapter 9 Mil Nicholson
00:36:41
Play 10 Book 1, Chapter 10 Mil Nicholson
00:51:39
Play 11 Book 1, Chapter 11 Mil Nicholson
00:27:42
Play 12 Book 1, Chapter 12 Mil Nicholson
00:25:40
Play 13 Book 1, Chapter 13 Mil Nicholson
00:56:41
Play 14 Book 1, Chapter 14 Mil Nicholson
00:34:26
Play 15 Book 1, Chapter 15 Mil Nicholson
00:25:40
Play 16 Book 1, Chapter 16 Mil Nicholson
00:36:55
Play 17 Book 1, Chapter 17 Mil Nicholson
00:25:13
Play 18 Book 1, Chapter 18 Mil Nicholson
00:28:06
Play 19 Book 1, Chapter 19 Mil Nicholson
00:32:48
Play 20 Book 1, Chapter 20 Mil Nicholson
00:36:59
Play 21 Book 1, Chapter 21 Mil Nicholson
00:23:24
Play 22 Book 1, Chapter 22 Mil Nicholson
00:25:48
Play 23 Book 1, Chapter 23 Mil Nicholson
00:39:50
Play 24 Book 1, Chapter 24 Mil Nicholson
00:40:43
Play 25 Book 1, Chapter 25 Mil Nicholson
00:27:02
Play 26 Book 1, Chapter 26 Mil Nicholson
00:34:43
Play 27 Book 1, Chapter 27 Mil Nicholson
00:34:01
Play 28 Book 1, Chapter 28 Mil Nicholson
00:19:48
Play 29 Book 1, Chapter 29 Mil Nicholson
00:20:48
Play 30 Book 1, Chapter 30 Mil Nicholson
00:44:26
Play 31 Book 1, Chapter 31 Mil Nicholson
00:43:47
Play 32 Book 1, Chapter 32 Mil Nicholson
00:24:40
Play 33 Book 1, Chapter 33 Mil Nicholson
00:27:48
Play 34 Book 1, Chapter 34 Mil Nicholson
00:24:55
Play 35 Book 1, Chapter 35 Mil Nicholson
00:35:24
Play 36 Book 1, Chapter 36 Mil Nicholson
00:20:07
Play 37 Book 2, Chapter 1 Mil Nicholson
00:40:22
Play 38 Book 2, Chapter 2 Mil Nicholson
00:11:14
Play 39 Book 2, Chapter 3 Mil Nicholson
00:42:24
Play 40 Book 2, Chapter 4 Mil Nicholson
00:10:38
Play 41 Book 2, Chapter 5 Mil Nicholson
00:44:10
Play 42 Book 2, Chapter 6 Mil Nicholson
00:39:30
Play 43 Book 2, Chapter 7 Mil Nicholson
00:30:04
Play 44 Book 2, Chapter 8 Mil Nicholson
00:32:49
Play 45 Book 2, Chapter 9 Mil Nicholson
00:39:51
Play 46 Book 2, Chapter 10 Mil Nicholson
00:20:10
Play 47 Book 2, Chapter 11 Mil Nicholson
00:15:20
Play 48 Book 2, Chapter 12 Mil Nicholson
00:37:27
Play 49 Book 2, Chapter 13 Mil Nicholson
00:40:52
Play 50 Book 2, Chapter 14 Mil Nicholson
00:28:48
Play 51 Book 2, Chapter 15 Mil Nicholson
00:44:04
Play 52 Book 2, Chapter 16 Mil Nicholson
00:19:25
Play 53 Book 2, Chapter 17 Mil Nicholson
00:24:08
Play 54 Book 2, Chapter 18 Mil Nicholson
00:18:12
Play 55 Book 2, Chapter 19 Mil Nicholson
00:43:50
Play 56 Book 2, Chapter 20 Mil Nicholson
00:26:31
Play 57 Book 2, Chapter 21 Mil Nicholson
00:23:09
Play 58 Book 2, Chapter 22 Mil Nicholson
00:17:49
Play 59 Book 2, Chapter 23 Mil Nicholson
00:32:33
Play 60 Book 2, Chapter 24 Mil Nicholson
00:26:13
Play 61 Book 2, Chapter 25 Mil Nicholson
00:23:40
Play 62 Book 2, Chapter 26 Mil Nicholson
00:24:01
Play 63 Book 2, Chapter 27 Mil Nicholson
00:38:44
Play 64 Book 2, Chapter 28 Mil Nicholson
00:49:39
Play 65 Book 2, Chapter 29 Mil Nicholson
00:23:20
Play 66 Book 2, Chapter 30 Mil Nicholson
01:05:56
Play 67 Book 2, Chapter 31 Mil Nicholson
00:24:05
Play 68 Book 2, Chapter 32 Mil Nicholson
00:20:43
Play 69 Book 2, Chapter 33 Mil Nicholson
00:28:25
Play 70 Book 2, Chapter 34 Mil Nicholson
00:29:37