Who Mrs Gamp is
Mrs Gamp belongs to the London side of the story, where sickness and grief become matters of business. She is a nurse and midwife, but Dickens describes her as poor at nursing.
Her drinking and gossip sit beside the serious needs of the people she attends. Through her, the novel shows how caring for others can become a trade rather than an act of kindness.
Mrs Gamp and the others in the story
Mrs Harris is an absent friend who appears repeatedly in Mrs Gamp's talk. Mrs Gamp brings this friend's opinions into her conversation, making Mrs Harris part of her comic voice.
Her speech is rich and tangled, full of personal phrases and talk that seems to keep flowing. Dickens uses that voice to make her vivid, even while showing the faults in her conduct.
Questions
Who is Mrs Gamp in Martin Chuzzlewit?
Mrs Gamp is a London nurse and midwife whose drinking, gossip, and speech make her a comic figure.
Is Mrs Gamp a good nurse?
She is portrayed as poor at nursing, rather than as an example of devoted care.
Who is Mrs Harris?
Mrs Harris is the friend Mrs Gamp repeatedly talks about, who seems to exist only in her conversation.