Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty

The past often repeats itself within the novel. How is the past’s influence in the present depicted? What are the costs of ignoring the past for the various characters? How, and to what extent, can prior mistakes and misdeeds be corrected by the characters in the present?

Dickens incorporates many elements of the Gothic genre into Barnaby Rudge. What are some of these elements? What is the wider significance of these elements in the novel in terms of setting, characterization, and/or themes?

The novel bounces back and forth between its two settings of London and Chigwell. How do these two settings compare with one another? What is the wider significance of each?

Barnaby Rudge is a fictionalized portrayal of real historical events (the Gordon Riots). Research the historical context. How does Dickens blend fact and fiction in the novel? How does his portrayal of the event compare to factual historical accounts?

How are familial ties depicted in the novel? How do these family dynamics reflect or explore some of the text’s key themes and ideas?

Explore the idea of justice and injustice in the text. How are these concepts analyzed and represented? How do the Gordon Riots expose some of the weaknesses of social and legal justice in England at the time?

Hatreds and rivalries drive many of the tensions in the text, especially religious rivalries between Protestants and Catholics. What forms do these rivalries take in the text? What does the text suggest about the nature of hatred and bigotry more generally?

There is no one true protagonist of Barnaby Rudge and several characters are arguably equally important to the narrative as Barnaby. Why is the novel’s title significant? What impact does the spotlighting of Barnaby have on the plot and characters?