Hard Times, Chapter 11 summary
Chapter 11 of 37 · Book 1: Sowing · 11 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 11, Stephen Blackpool visits Mr. Bounderby during the mill’s midday break to ask how he can end his marriage and marry a woman who comforts him. Bounderby explains that legal freedom costs far beyond Stephen’s means, then treats his protest against unequal laws as a dangerous complaint rather than a plea for help.
What happens
- Stephen works steadily amid the mill’s machinery while the narrator contrasts measurable engine power with the unknown depths of workers’ lives.
- At the noon break, Stephen visits Mr. Bounderby, who receives him with Mrs. Sparsit present.
- Stephen describes his wife’s drinking, repeated returns, and arrival at his home the previous night.
- He asks how to leave his marriage and marry the woman whose kindness sustains him.
- Bounderby explains that divorce requires several legal proceedings and an expense Stephen cannot afford.
- Stephen calls the system confused and unjust; Bounderby rebukes him and blames outside influence before Stephen leaves.
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In this chapter
What to notice
Stephen distinguishes laws that punish him from laws that offer relief. His plea exposes the gap between legal restrictions and affordable protection.
Quick check
Why does Bounderby say Stephen cannot obtain legal freedom to marry again?
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