Great Expectations

> "*Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape.*"
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**Great Expectations** is an 1861 novel by Charles Dickens. His 13th novel is the bildungsroman story of Pip, who received a large fortune from a mysterious benefactor and became a gentleman. He also witnesses a lot of successes and failures and learns about happiness.

Like some of Dickens' other works, *Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol,* and *A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations* is seen as one of his most famous and beloved novels and may also be his most influential.

## Plot Summary

Phillip Pirrup, who calls himself Pip for short, is a young orphan raised by his adult sister, Mrs. Joe and his blacksmith brother-in-law, Joe Gargery, in the marshes of Kent, England. One day, Pip is sitting at his parents' grave in the local churchyard when an escaped convict appears and confronts him. He demands to bring him some food and a file, and Pip obeys in fear. He steals some food from his sister's pantry and a file from Joe's workshop and offers them to the convict. Authorities later captured the man and another escaped convict.

Sometime later, Pip is invited to visit the nearby Satis House, the home to the wealthy, eccentric Miss Havisham, who still wears her old wedding dress after being jilted by her husband-to-be. Pip meets Miss Havisham's ward and adoptive niece, a beautiful young girl named Estella. She is cold-hearted towards Pip, but he visits Satis House frequently and becomes interested in Estella. He hopes he will be rich enough one day to marry her, but Joe apprentices him in his blacksmith workshop instead. He struggles to keep up with his education and spots a mysterious man named Orlick, who works with Joe.

After Mrs. Joe is suddenly attacked and becomes invalid, the local village girl named Biddy moves in to help the family household. Several years later, a lawyer named Mr. Jaggers informs Pip that a benefactor has just given him a large fortune and must come to London to begin training as a gentleman. Pip immediately suspects that Miss Havisham is his benefactor and that she is finally making him worthy enough for Estella.

Pip arrives in London and becomes friends with a young man named Herbert Pocket, whose father, Matthew Pocket, is Pip’s tutor, and they live together. He also befriends Jaggers' clerk, Wemmick, who is cold and strict at work but happy and cheerful at home. Pip forgets about his family back home and continues to go after Estella. During his time in London, Joe visits Pip, but Pip feels embarrassed and uncomfortable in Joe’s presence. Pip is brought back to Satis House, where he meets Miss Havisham and Estella again, who is now an elegant young woman. Pip is assigned to become Estella's escort when she is in London, and when he and Herbert start going into debt, they work together to help Herbert make his way into a career he secretly chose.

Mrs. Joe dies, and Pip goes home for the funeral. He feels remorseful as he becomes tormented by Estella's coldness. One night, Pip is alone at home when a strange visitor arrives. He is the same convict Pip had met many years ago, who introduces himself as Abel Magwitch and that he is Pip’s benefactor, not Miss Havisham. Magwitch claims that Pip's childhood kindness moved him so much that he decided to let him live a proper lifestyle by offering him a large fortune from Australia.

Pip was appalled and disappointed that he may never be betrothed to Estella. However, he is determined to help Magwitch escape London since he entered England illegally under the name "Provis." He is now pursued by the police and his former partner-in-crime, Compeyson. Pip also discovers that Compeyson is Miss Havisham's ex-fiance and Estella is Magwitch's daughter.

When he returns to Satis House, Pip discovers that Estella will be married to Bentley Drummle, a classmate he didn't get along with, and Miss Havisham begs for forgiveness for how she had treated him. But after Pip does, Miss Havisham's dress catches fire, and he tries to save her. She survives but becomes critically injured and invalid afterwards. She dies a short time later.

Pip and his friends prepare to help Magwitch flee from England. But as he arrives in the marshes, Orlick captures and prepares to kill him, but Herbert and the others save him. They set sail on a rowboat on a river back in London with Magwitch, but the authorities and Compeyson catch them. The two former convicts fight in the water, Compeyson drowns, and Magwitch is captured. He is sentenced to death but falls ill and dies before his execution. Pip falls ill but is nursed back to health by Joe, and they reconcile. He returns home to marry Biddy but sees that she has married Joe and instead travels abroad with Herbert as a merchant.

Eleven years later, Pip returns to England and visits Joe and Biddy, who now have a son named Pip II. Pip arrives at Satis House, now in ruins, and meets Estella again, who was abused by her husband, who is now dead. She is no longer cold and heartless than before, and Pip and Estella leave the garden together, hoping never to be apart again.

## Characters

Pip- The main protagonist and narrator. He grew up an orphan, met a fearsome escaped convict in his village graveyard, visited an eccentric jilted bride and her beautiful ward, and received "great expectations," a large fortune from an unknown benefactor. He immediately leaves his old life behind and pursues his new life as a wealthy gentleman, but later discovers some surprising secrets that would affect his wealth.

Estella- The adoptive niece and ward of Miss Havisham. She is a lovely but heartless girl who has met Pip various times. He came to Satis House, where she lived and was always cold towards him. She grows into a fair young woman and part of the upper social class. While Pip loves and adores her, she doesn't love him back until an abusive marriage she endured later in life changes her nature.

Miss Havisham- An elderly, wealthy spinster. She still wears her old yellowed wedding dress since her fiance abandoned her at the altar on their wedding day, and since then, she has become obsessed with her rejection, such as stopping all the clocks in her house at the same time her fiancé left her. She adopted her niece Estella and raised her as her child, even teaching her how to break men's hearts, just as they did hers. She encounters Pip several times and isn't kind to him until she expresses remorse for what she has done to him.

Abel Magwitch- A former criminal and convict. After he escapes from the prison ships, he meets and demands young Pip to steal some food and a file for him. Despite Magwitch looking destructive and fearsome, he is moved by Pip's boyhood kindness. He dedicates his life to him by offering Pip large amounts of money after he is transported to Australia. Years later, he returns to England under the name "Provis" but is in danger of being hunted down by the authorities looking for him.

Joe Gargery- Pip's brother-in-law and the local blacksmith. He loves Pip as his own, staying with his abusive wife to be closer to him. Despite his lack of education, Joe is a kind, faithful man who serves as Pip's father figure and guides him throughout his early years, from protecting him from Mrs. Joe's abuse to having him work with him as an apprentice. Even when Pip is ungrateful, Joe still provides for him with his moral kindness.

Hebert Pocket- A young man whom Pip first met at Satis House, where they have a fistfight. When they meet again in London, Pip and Herbert become friends and live together. He is also his loyal companion who supports him through his most difficult moments. He is determined to become a merchant and marry his fiancée.

Mr. Jaggers- A successful London lawyer Magwitch assigns as Pip's guardian as he advances into the upper social class. He also serves as Miss Havisham's attorney and even places Estella in Miss Havisham's care. He receives respect from the townsfolk, but his clients fear him as a powerful, emotionless man who constantly has a habit of washing his hands with soap to protect himself from the corruption of criminals.

Biddy- Pip's childhood friend from Kent, whom he first met while attending the village school. She is a kind, helpful girl who moves into Pip's home to help care for Mrs. Joe after she becomes invalid. She is a foil to Estella as she is more humble and moral and becomes concerned for Pip as he makes the wrong choices with his "great expectations." At the novel's end, she marries Joe, and Pip realizes that Biddy has been an important friend and mentor in his life.

Mrs. Joe Gargery- Pip's older sister and Joe's wife. She raised Pip from infancy following their parents' deaths, but she is a stern, abusive parent towards her younger brother, even using a cane called the "Tickler" to beat him. She always has a habit of cleaning the house spotlessly and reminding Pip of everything she has done for him. But after Orlick attacks her, she suffers permanent brain damage and becomes more docile.

Wemmick- Mr. Jagger's clerk and another of Pip's friends. He's known to be strict at work but jovial at home with his elderly father, whom he calls the "Aged Parent." Pip's friendship with Mr. Wemmick is different; they work together in a strict, professional relationship but have a close friendship outside of work.

Dolge Orlick- A blacksmith who works for Joe in the forgery. He is a cruel, evil man who enjoys hurting others for amusement and hates Pip for causing all his problems. He was responsible for attacking Mrs. Joe, leaving her permanently invalid, and even attempting to kill Pip.

Uncle Pumblechook- Pip's uncle but is closely related to Joe. He is a pompous, arrogant merchant obsessed with money and takes credit for Pip's advancement in the social class.

Compeyson- A former criminal who was Magwitch's former accomplice and later became his enemy. He tricks people with his highly educated nature into thinking he is more honourable and innocent than the lower-class criminals. He was responsible for having Magwitch captured near the novel's end and was even the man who left Miss Havisham at the altar.

Bentley Drummle- A young gentleman who attends Mr. Pocket’s tutoring lessons with Pip. He is part of an upper-class family but uses his status to be cruel and harsh. He is Pip’s arch-nemesis, who disdains him more when he marries Estella; they would later have an abusive marriage before his death some 11 years later.

Startop- A friend of Pip and Herbert who attends Mr. Pocket’s lessons. Unlike Drummle, Startop is a kind friend to Pip and Herbert and even assists them in helping Magwitch escape England.

Mr. Wopsle- The church clerk in Pip’s village, whose great-aunt is a schoolteacher. Later, he moved to London to become an actor.

Molly- Jagger’s loyal housekeeper. He saved her from execution and had her become his faithful servant. She was later revealed to be Magwitch’s estranged wife and Estella’s mother.

Camilla- One of Matthew Pocket’s sisters and a cousin of Miss Havisham. She is selfish and only interested in having Miss Havisham’s money.

Cousin Raymond- A cousin of Miss Havisham and Camilla’s husband. Like his wife, Raymond is also interested in Miss Havisham’s money.

Sarah Pocket- Another of Matthew Pocket’s sisters. She is often at Satis House but, along with her relatives, is impatient to inherit Miss Havisham’s wealth.

Mr. and Mrs. Hubble- A married couple who live in Pip’s village and are friends with the Gargerys. Mr. Hubble worked as a wheelwright and visited the Gargery house at Christmas.

Arthur Havisham- Miss Havisham’s half-brother. He conspires with Compeyson to defraud her of her wealth.

Clara Barley- Herbert’s fiancée. She was an impoverished young woman who lived with her cruel, gout-ridden father. Towards the novel's end, she and Herbert are married and invite Pip to live with them.

Miss Skiffins- Wemmick’s fiancée and later his wife.

## Writing History/Reception

Dickens first began writing *Great Expectations* in late 1860. As standard with most of his novels, he wrote and published each chapter serially before completing it into a full-length book. When Dickens wrote what would become his 13th novel, he had already become a beloved literary figure from his success with his previous works *David Copperfield, Bleak House* and *A Tale of Two Cities*. He lived at his home, Gad's Hill in Kent, and would also travel with Wilkie Collins to North Devon to gather information for a short story they were writing, *A Message from the Sea*. He was beginning work on his next novel while going through some hard times with his family. He had recently separated from his wife, Catherine Hogarth, after 22 years of marriage and was in a relationship with his mistress, Ellen Ternan. His son was also struggling with gambling debts, his daughter was married to a man he disapproved of, and his mother, Elizabeth, was starting to show early signs of dementia.

The novel was published serially in Dickens' journal *All the Year Round* from December 1860 to August 1861 before it was published as a novel in 3 separate volumes in October 1861. It was eventually published into a full-length book in 1862. *Great Expectations* was met with critical acclaim and hailed as one of Dickens' most significant works. It sold an estimated 100,000 copies within a week after its publication. However, some critics criticized the original ending Dickens had planned to include in the publication. In the original ending, Pip and Estella meet again but then part ways forever after sharing a few reconciliation words.

*Great Expectations* would be one of Dickens’ final novels he would write in his lifetime, dying in 1870 and, nearly ten years after his 12th novel was published.

## Themes

### Ambition and Self-Improvement

In *Great Expectations*, Pip’s ambition is to be a wealthy gentleman and be worthy of Estella. As a bildungsroman novel, it explores Pip’s personal growth and maturity and how he started from humble beginnings until he has maintained his goals. To be wealthy, he needs ambition, and if he longs to be part of the upper social class and be with Estella, he would need self-improvement, which turns him more persistent in obtaining what he most desires.

Ambition and self-improvement are divided into three forms in the story: moral, social and educational. Firstly, Pip has moral self-improvement as he tortures himself with remorse whenever he mistreats Joe and Biddy after receiving his fortune, which helps him behave better later on. Secondly, he seeks social self-improvement when he becomes a gentleman to marry Estella. However, he later finds out that being wealthy isn’t as satisfying as he thought it would be as being Joe’s apprentice. He later goes heavily into debt due to the reckless handling of his money. Thirdly, educational self-improvement is desperate as Pip thinks he would need a decent education if he could be a successful gentleman and potential husband to Estella. However, he later realizes conscience and affection are more valuable than intelligence and social position.

In the end, Pip may have failed his ambitions, but possibly in a good way, as it has made him more considerate and understand the affection and support of those who know him, and happiness doesn’t have to make him a wealthy gentleman.

### Social Class

In the Victorian era, the social class system was divided into three statuses, which Dickens explores in his novel. These include the lower classes, where the impoverished and criminals thrive, such as Joe, Biddy and Magwitch; the middle class, including Uncle Pumblechook; and the wealthy, upper class, including Miss Havisham, whose family made a fortune by running a brewery. Pip worked hard to make himself valued and respected in the upper-class society, only to realize that the lower class's affection, loyalty and inner worth are more essential to him than the riches of the aristocracy.

An example of this is given when Miss Havisham is wealthy enough to dominate over Pip, with her ward Estella quickly following her pursuit to mistreat Pip the same way. This is because the upper class doesn’t mix with the lower classes, as they cannot interact with them and are likely to consider themselves more powerful than those less fortunate. The impoverished, such as Joe, Biddy, and Magwitch, are more generous and forgiving and morally support Pip. Dickens wrote *Great Expectations* to criticize the social class for how they had overpowered the poor peasants and convicts in the Victorian era. With the social class theme, readers often get the message that it is no simple walk in the park to advance to the upper class, but it can be successful if done correctly.

### Guilt

Throughout most of the story, most characters experience guilt at one point or another. One who exhibits the most guilt and regret is the main protagonist, Pip. As a child, he had lost his sense of childhood innocence from being abused by his sister, Mrs. Joe, and he felt afraid of being harshly punished for his behaviours. Most notably, when he dares to steal some food from the pantry and a file from Joe's workshop, he has a sense of guilt that he is a criminal and fears he will face the consequences of his choices after he helped an escaped criminal. After he moves to London, he becomes so absorbed in his wealthy lifestyle that when Joe visits him, he mistreats him as he is from a lower social status. Later, Pip expresses remorse for treating one of the most important adults in his life. And then, when the convict Magwitch appears in his life a second time, Pip is forced to accept the reality that the former escaped criminal offered him his fortune. As a result, this leaves Pip ashamed of his behaviour towards his less fortunate friends and that his pursuit of Estella was for nothing.

Pip isn't the only one who suffers from guilt. Miss Havisham initially shows pride as she trains Estella to be cold towards men as revenge for her abandonment by her husband-to-be on their wedding day. She showed satisfaction as she watched Estella belittle Pip for being a boy from a lower social status. But once she finally succeeds in breaking Pip's heart, she realizes that she had only caused more pain and made a terrible mistake, which results in her redeeming herself, begging Pip for forgiveness, and lamenting her horrible actions. But not everyone experiences guilt, but they symbolize it. Orlick is a dark, shady character who is the shadow of Pip's responsibility and is often everywhere he goes. For example, after he attacked Mrs. Joe, Pip believes he was responsible for providing him with the weapon.

Dickens used guilt as a theme of what one feels when prejudicing others who are weaker and less fortunate, but it also symbolizes that remorse would allow them to make up for their mistakes and accept what is to come for them.

## Symbols

### Miss Havisham's Stopped Clocks

All the clocks inside Satis House have been stopped at twenty minutes to nine. This symbolizes Miss Havisham’s attempt to stop time and refusing to move on. Twenty minutes to nine was the exact time when Miss Havisham’s fiancé left her on their wedding day. Since then, Miss Havisham has kept that traumatic moment in her life the same for all eternity.

### Satis House

Satis House is the sombre, Gothic home of Miss Havisham and Estella. The house got its name from the Latin word ‘saris,’ meaning ‘enough.’ It symbolizes frustration, disappointment and confinement, where Miss Havisham lived in seclusion for years and where Pip’s ambition to marry Estella was met and failed. It was here that Pip was disappointed he would never have Estella, but unbeknownst to him, disappointment would also lead to Estella’s failed marriage. Therefore, once Satis House is in ruins at the novel’s conclusion, Pip and Estella can recover from their failed hopes with their subsequent romantic relationship.

Everything in Satis House is a grim reminder of Miss Havisham’s tragic past. The furniture inside has been in the same position for years; the wedding feast and cake are covered with insects and cobwebs, and the clocks are stopped simultaneously (as mentioned above). This also symbolizes that Miss Havisham’s confinement affects her and is meant to be her prison; she once stated that when she dies, her body will be placed on the banquet table, and the house will likely become her tomb.

### The Mist in the Marshes

The mist surrounding Pip's marshes village symbolizes possible danger and uncertainty for him. When Pip is threatened by the convict and is terrified into obeying him, the mist unsettles him of the atmosphere he is in. Later, when an unknown informant summoned Pip, he passed through the mist and was confronted by Orlick, who attempted to kill him.

However, the mist doesn't always symbolize a negative vibe. At the novel's end, Pip walks through the mist and is surprised to find Estella at the ruins of Satis House, which is a sign of the start of a new life.

## Foreshadowing

* Pip meets Magwitch on the marshes during foggy weather. This foreshadows him meeting another convict, Compeyson, in the same weather conditions and the secret he is forced to keep. This also foreshadows Magwitch returning into Pip’s life many years later during a stormy night.
* Shortly after encountering the convicts, Pip meets Orlick at the local pub, who has the same file Pip had given to Magwitch and gives Pip some money, which makes him feel unsettled that he has been secretly helping an escaped convict. Foreshadows the discovery that Magwitch is Pip’s benefactor, leaving Pip ashamed and guilty.
* Miss Havisham teaches Estella to be cruel towards men and break their hearts. Foreshadows that her plan will eventually succeed when Estella successfully breaks Pip’s heart by being married to his nemesis, Bentley Drummle.
* Miss Havisham has worn her wedding dress ever since she was abandoned at the altar as a sign of her everlasting heartbreak. Foreshadows that both Pip and Estella will have miserable lives ahead of them, with Estella being in an abusive marriage and Pip being alone and unmarried. Even if Pip and Estella are reunited at the novel's end and plan to start their life together, Miss Havisham’s wedding dress also foreshadows that their love lives won’t be easy.

## Adaptations

* A film adaptation was released in 1934. Directed by Stuart Walker, it features Phillip Holmes as Pip, Jane Wyatt as Estella, Florence Reed as Miss Havisham and Henry Hull as Abel Magwitch. The film featured mostly American actors and is slightly different from the source material.

* A film adaptation was released in 1946. Directed by David Lean, who also directed the 1948 adaptation of *Oliver Twist*, it features John Mills as Pip, Valerie Hobson as Estella and Alec Guinness as Herbert Pocket. The film was nominated for 3 Oscars and won 2, and being considered the most critically-acclaimed adaptation of *Great Expectations,* and featured as one of the greatest British films.

## References

1. ↑ https://the-toast.net/2016/06/23/alternate-endings-to-great-expectations/
2. ↑ The Victorian era occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria, which spanned from 1837 to 1901.