Abel Magwitch

Great Expectations (BBC, 2023)

Johnny Harris (2023)

The Convict

Compeyson (former accomplice, deceased)

### Personalities

Fearsome, rough, hardened, kind, good-hearted, sympathetic, caring, sloppy, ugly, rude, vengeful, loving, dependent, honest, honourable, loyal, determined, paternal, helpful, grateful, vengeful, resilient, secretive

### Appearance

Wears ragged clothes, a bandana and iron leg (as a convict)<brWears proper clothing (as Provis)

### Allies

Pip
Herbert Pocket
Startop

Molly (formerly)

### Goal

To survive and be resourceful in his life of crime (succeeded)
To take his revenge on Compeyson for ruining his life (succeeded)
To offer Pip “great expectations” and make him a gentleman (succeeded)

To escape England after returning illegally (failed)

### Fate

Dies of failing health following his failed escape attempt, with Pip by his side

> "*A man can’t starve. At least I can’t. I took some wittles, up at the willage over yonder—where the church stands a’most out on the marshes…. And I’ll tell you where from. From the blacksmith’s.… It was some broken wittles—that’s what it was—and a dram of liquor, and a pie.*"
> ― Chapter 5
>
>

Abel Magwitch is a major character in Charles Dickens’s *Great Expectations*. He is the common-law husband of Molly and the father of Estella.

As an escaped convict in the novel’s opening scene, Magwitch makes young Pip bring him some food and a file but is so moved by Pip’s kindness that he becomes his benefactor and offers him a fortune to make him a wealthy gentleman. He is also determined to have his revenge on his former accomplice, Compeyson, for ruining his life and making him a criminal.

## Storyline

### Early Life/Partnership with Compeyson

Abel Magwitch was born an orphan and spent the earliest years of his childhood living on the streets and stealing to survive.His earliest childhood memory was when he stole turnips in Essex to survive and had been in and out of different families who took him in, leaving him to fend for himself. Some of his foster families even thought he should be jailed for stealing. He even spent most of his time in and out of jail for his life of crime.

He began odd jobs, such as a haymaker and a labourer, that avoided him from getting into trouble with the law. He learned how to read and write from a travelling soldier. Sometime later, while attending the Epsom horse races, he met a man named Compeyson, who posed as a polished gentleman and received a proper education. A landlord told Magwitch that Compeyson may be the ideal man to help with his problems.

Compeyson sympathized with Magwitch by telling him his luck had run out. Since Magwitch had just been released from the Kingston Jail, he admitted he hadn’t been very lucky. Compeyson hoped he would get back on track, and Magwitch replied by wanting more to eat. Compeyson gave him five shillings, asking him to see him again the next evening. When Magwitch met Compeyson again the next day, Compeyson took him in as his accomplice, as his business was swindling and forging banknotes. Magwitch realized that his new partner-in-crime wasn’t the man he appeared to be, as he saw him as a cold-hearted, heartless man.

Compeyson had previously worked with Arthur Havisham, and they stole large amounts of money from a wealthy, old woman. But Compeyson had lost all his money from gambling while Arthur was impoverished and dying. Only Compeyson’s wife Sally took pity on him, not her husband.

Arthur had lived above Compeyson’s house, and one night, he panicked when he saw a ghost dressed in white inside his room. Compeyson ordered Sally and Magwitch to take Arthur back to his room, where Arthur raved that the ghost would place its veil over his face, and he’d die. Sally gave him some liquor until he calmed down and fell asleep, but at five o’clock in the morning, he woke up screaming that the ghost had returned and cried about his hallucinations until he died.

Compeyson often made Magwitch do his dirty work with little pay. Magwitch had a difficult time with Compeyson, and both men were eventually charged and convicted of counterfeiting. By this point, Magwitch was so poor that he had to sell all his belongings to hire a London lawyer, Mr. Jaggers, as his defence lawyer, while Compeyson got his own defence; at the trial, everyone notices how polished and well-dressed Compeyson is, and Magwitch is dressed in rags. Compeyson even attempted to pin everything on Magwitch, claiming he had been the mastermind behind their crimes. Compeyson’s defence lawyer even argued that Compeyson had always been good, as he was well-educated with good looks and a good upbringing and deserved a second chance. Magwitch, on the other hand, was seen as an infamous criminal.

Compeyson was sentenced to just seven years in prison, while Magwitch was given a 14-year sentence. Magwitch was so infuriated that his former accomplice ruined him that he was determined to get revenge. They were kept on the same prison ship, but Magwitch couldn’t have the opportunity to get back at him for very long. When he finally got his chance, Magwitch fought Compeyson until he was caught and sent into solitary confinement in the ship’s “black hole.”

### Relationship with Molly

Around the time of his partnership with Compeyson, Magwitch fell in love with a woman named Molly, who was vengeful and jealous. They were together for four to five years and had one daughter named Estella, whom Magwitch loved.Molly was accused of murdering a woman. Magwitch came into contact with Mr. Jaggers, who defended Molly, as there was no evidence that Molly actually killed the woman. The attack occurred in the barn, and the victim was a strong woman, but Molly was smaller, according to Mr. Jaggers’ defence. Nobody knew exactly what happened inside, but the victim was found dead afterwards.

The night before the murder, Molly told Magwitch she would kill their daughter and told him he must never see Estella again. She then disappeared from his life, and Magwitch assumed she had kept her promise and murdered Estella. Fearing he would be charged with Estella’s murder or called upon to testify, Magwitch hid himself when the trial lasted. After Molly was acquitted, Magwitch never saw her or Estella again, and Compeyson manipulated and blackmailed him with knowledge of his murdered daughter.

After Molly’s acquittal, she became Mr. Jaggers’ housekeeper. Estella was adopted by Miss Havisham, a wealthy spinster Compeyson was engaged to, but abandoned her at the wedding altar to financially humiliate her.

### Meeting Pip

While in confinement, Magwitch escapes the prison ship and swims to shore. The prison ship is in the marshes of Kent, and he hides himself in a churchyard. He then spots a young boy sitting at one of the gravestones, and he charges at the boy, threatening to cut his throat.The boy pleads for his life and Magwitch demands his name. The boy’s name is Pip and Magwitch demands where his parents are and where he lives now. Pip says his parents are dead and he lives in the nearby village with his older sister and her husband, who is the local blacksmith.

## Personality/Appearance

Since his childhood as an orphan, Magwitch was treated like a lonely outcast, as he was forced to fend for himself. His life as a criminal makes him rough and brutal, and he would make threats to ensure he would get what he needed. For example, when he first meets Pip in the churchyard, he confronts him by threatening to cut his throat or eat his liver if he doesn’t bring him food and a file. Despite his brutality, Magwitch isn’t cold-blooded or cruel like his evil accomplice, Compeyson, as he is desperate to avoid capture and will do anything to keep his freedom, even if it means threatening others. He is terrified of being sent back to jail and reliving his traumatic past of being a notorious criminal who everyone thinks deserves to be locked away rather than be respected in society.

Because he was never raised in a proper family and lived on the streets, Magwitch had never been taught etiquette or manners, such as being a messy eater. However, he had educated himself and worked odd jobs to support himself. As such, he only relied on himself to learn the basics of life and how to survive independently without guidance or support.

Despite his fearsome nature, Magwitch has a good side that some readers initially overlook during the novel's first part. Pip’s childhood kindness makes him so moved that he starts to cherish and adore him like his own son. Since he has lost his daughter, Estella, Magwitch becomes affectionate towards him and wants to protect him from getting into trouble and give him the best life possible. After Pip steals food and a file for him, Magwitch confesses in his place and takes the blame instead of Pip. Later, he becomes Pip’s secret benefactor by working hard and offering him a large fortune so he can live a lavish life as a gentleman, as Magwitch wants to show that he can be a useful member of society and carries through any plans that he makes to assure he will have Pip be respected in society. During this time, he was living in a penal colony in Australia, and after many years, he decided to return to England and reveal to Pip that he did this because of his childhood kindness. However, Magwitch will risk being sentenced to death if he returns to England, but he won’t let it stand in his way as he wants to see Pip how he has changed from his “great expectations.”

Since Compeyson manipulated and ruined him during their life of crime together, Magwitch despises him and is determined to take revenge on him and make him pay a brutal price for destroying his life. He also seeks revenge on society for mistreating him as a lowlife criminal, so he gives Pip his large fortune. Whenever he comes across Compeyson face to face, he physically fights him. When the authorities capture him, he is adamant about having Compeyson arrested and sent back to the hulks. Even if he has finally succeeded with his revenge by fighting Compeyson in the River Thames until he drowns and makes Pip a wealthy gentleman, he ends up paying a heavy price that costs him his freedom and the money he had worked so hard for over the years. Towards the end of his life, Magwitch offers gratitude to Pip for always staying by his side and knowing the fate of his daughter Estella, as well as maintaining moral innocence. In his death, he can finally be with Estella through Pip’s love and generosity.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 42
2. ↑ Chapter 50
3. ↑ Chapter 1