Ranging from sunny farce to grimly acute criminal psychology, in Martin Chuzzlewit Charles Dickens level his characteristically sharp wit and piercing social criticism at the twin vices of selfishness and hypocrisy. Two descendants of the brothers Chuzzlewit, both born and bred a heritage of selfishness, proceed toward contrasting destinies: Martin by good fortune escapes, while Jonas reaps a fatal harvest. Such Dickens immortals as Mrs. Gamp, Poll Sweedlepipe, Montague Tiggs, Chevy Slyme, make this novel a comic masterpiece.