List of Dickensian Characters - J

J

• Jaggers is a lawyer in Great Expectations.
• Janet Betsy Trotwood's maid. "a pretty blooming girl of about nineteen or twenty". She later marries a tavern keeper in David Copperfield.
• Jarndyce, John An unwilling party in Jarndyce and Jarndyce, guardian of Richard Carstone, Ada Clare, and Esther Summerson; owner of Bleak House in the novel of that name. Vladimir Nabokov called him "the best and kindest man ever to appear in a novel". A wealthy man, he helps most of the other characters out of a mix of disinterested goodness and guilt at the mischief and human misery caused by Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which he calls "the family curse". He falls in love with Esther and wishes to marry her, but gives her up because she is in love with Dr Woodcourt.
• Jasper, John Uncle of Edwin Drood who has an opium habit. He cares for his nephew but harbours secret feelings for Edwin's fiancee Rosa Bud. Edwin disappears and the story ends prematurely with Dickens death but many believe that it was Jasper who killed Edwin Drood. Dickens describes Jasper as "a dark man of some six-and-twenty, with thick, lustrous, well-arranged black hair and whiskers. He looks older than he is, as dark men often do. His voice is deep and good, his face and figure are good, his manner is a little sombre. His room is a little sombre, and may have had its influence in forming his manner." in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
• Jeddler, Dr Anthony Country doctor whose view of life is altered by the sacrifices made by his youngest daughter, Marion, for her sister, Grace in The Battle of Life.
• Jeddler, Grace Older daughter of Dr Jeddler. She is the recipient of the sacrifice of her younger sister Marion, who runs away that Grace may marry her beau Alfred Heathfield in The Battle of Life.
• Jeddler, Marion Younger daughter of Dr Jeddler. She runs away to live with her Aunt Martha that her sister Grace may marry Alfred Heathfield in The Battle of Life.
• Jeddler, Martha Maiden sister of Dr Jeddler. The doctor's younger daughter, Marion, runs away and secretly lives with Martha in The Battle of Life.
• Jellyby, Mrs is an Africa-obsessed woman who takes in the protagonist and her two friends in Bleak House. She neglects her own family whilst relentlessly pursuing her misguided charitable efforts.
• Jellyby, Mr is the indebted husband of Mrs Jellyby in Bleak House.
• Jellyby, Caroline (Caddy) is the miserable daughter of Mrs Jellyby in Bleak House, who eventually finds happiness with Prince Turveydrop.
• Jemmy, "Dismal" see Hutley, Jem.
• Jenny Brickmaker's wife, befriended by Esther Summerson after Jenny's child dies. Later exchanges coats with Lady Dedlock, throwing Bucket off in his pursuit of Lady Dedlock as she flees following the revealing of her secret in Bleak House.
• Jingle, Alfred is a garrulous strolling player and mountebank in The Pickwick Papers.
• Jo is a crossing sweeper who finds solace in the generosity of Captain Hawdon in Bleak House
• Jorkins, Mr is the unseen partner of Mr Spenlow, who blames Jorkins for any unwelcome decisions, in David Copperfield.