'Barnaby Rudge (NL)' Summary

Barnaby Rudge, an intellectually disabled young man, lives in a small village with his widowed mother. When a series of anti-Catholic riots erupt in London, Barnaby's father, who had abandoned the family years earlier, reappears and takes Barnaby with him to the city. Barnaby is soon caught up in the violence and becomes a pawn in the hands of the rioters. As the riots escalate, Barnaby's innocence is corrupted, and he is forced to confront the darkness within himself. Meanwhile, Barnaby's mother and his childhood friend, Hugh, desperately search for him amidst the chaos. In a tragic climax, Barnaby is shot and killed by Hugh, who mistakes him for a rioter. The novel ends with Barnaby's mother and Hugh mourning his loss and reflecting on the senseless violence that has torn their lives apart.