Nicholas Nickleby, Chapter 17 summary
Chapter 17 of 65 · 15 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 17, Kate Nickleby begins work at Madame Mantalini’s establishment, where gossip, long hours, and insulting customers turn her fears into painful experience. She hides her distress from her optimistic mother and draws comfort from Nicholas’s cheerful letter, although the narrator warns that her understanding of his situation is mistaken.
What happens
- Kate arrives early and overhears Mr. Mantalini soothing his jealous wife before asking for money to buy a horse.
- Madame Mantalini places Kate under Miss Knag, who praises the employers and questions Kate’s unfavorable opinion of Mr. Mantalini.
- A remark about Kate’s black clothing brings tears, and the workers learn that she mourns her father.
- A wealthy customer and her daughter insult Kate while she helps them inspect their court dresses.
- At nine, Kate leaves exhausted, conceals her distress from her mother, and takes comfort in Nicholas’s letter.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The question redirects blame from workers to privileged people who behave cruelly. It frames Kate’s humiliation as a failure of her customers’ conduct rather than her occupation.
Quick check
What first makes Kate feel humiliated by earning her living?
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