Barnaby Rudge

Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty is a historical novel by English author, Charles Dickens, first published in 1841. The story is set in the late 18th century and early 19th century, in the aftermath of the Gordon Riots of 1780, which were a series of riots in London motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment. The story intertwines several plots as it follows different individuals who get swept up in the chaos. Some of the main characters are Emma, a Catholic, and Edward, a Protestant, whose forbidden love weaves through the heart of the story; and the simpleminded Barnaby Rudge, whose fate is tied to a mysterious murder, and his beloved pet raven, Grip. As the story progresses, the different plot threads begin to converge, and the novel reaches its climax during the height of the riots. The story explores themes of love, betrayal, loyalty, and the consequences of violence and mob mentality, and is notable for its detailed and vivid descriptions of the riots themselves. Originally serialised in Dickens' own periodical, Master Humphrey's Clock, Barnaby Rudge was only one of two historical novels written by him, the other being A Tale of Two Cities.