Submitted by: Munazza Nadeem
Submitted to : Ma’am Safoora
Roll no. : 58
Course title : History of English Literature
Semester : 4th
GC Women University Sialkot
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens was a British novelist, journalist, editor and social commentator who wrote such
beloved classic novels as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations. Dickens is
remembered as one of the most important and influential writers of the 19th century. Among his
accomplishments, he has been lauded for providing a stark portrait of the Victorian era underclass,
helping to bring about societal change.
Introduction of the novel Great Expectations
Great Expectations is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens. It is full of extreme imagery
poverty, prison ships and chains, and fights to the death. It also has a colorful cast of characters
who have entered popular culture. These include the protagonist named as Pip, the eccentric Miss
Havisham, and the beautiful but cold Estella, and Joe, kind blacksmith. Dickens's themes include
wealth and poverty, love and rejection, and the eventual triumph of good over evil.
Main characters
Pip (protagonist)
Estella
Miss Havisham
Joe Gargery
Mrs. Joe Gargery
Mr. Jaggers
Abel Magwitch
Summary of Great Expectations
On Christmas Eve Pip, an orphan who is about seven years old, encounters an escaped convict in
the village churchyard, who obliges Pip to bring him food and file, while visiting the graves of his
parents. Too frightened child obeys him. Pip now lives with his abusive elder sister and her kind
husband Joe Gargery, a blacksmith.
Later Pip use to visit Miss Havisham, a local aristocrat, until he is old enough to learn a trade, who
teaches her adopted daughter Estelle to break men’s hearts. Because on her wedding day she was
informed that her fiancé had run off with another woman. Pip quickly falls in love with Estella.
Miss Havisham pays for Pip to be a blacksmith apprentice.
Four years into Pip's apprenticeship, Mr. Jaggers, a lawyer, tells him that he has been provided
with money, from an anonymous benefactor, so that he can become a gentleman. Pip is to leave
for London, but presuming that Miss Havisham is his benefactor, he first visits her.
When Joe visits Pip at Barnard's Inn in London, Pip is ashamed of him. Joe relays a message from
Miss Havisham that Estella will be at Satis House for a visit. Pip returns there to meet Estella and
is encouraged by Miss Havisham, but he avoids visiting Joe.
Mrs. Joe dies and Pip returns to his village for the funeral.
A week after he turns 23 years old, Pip learns that his benefactor is the convict he encountered in
the churchyard, Abel Magwitch. Pip is shocked, and stops taking money from him.
Magwitch shares his past history with Pip, and reveals that the escaped convict whom he fought
in the churchyard was Compeyson, the fraudster who had deserted Miss Havisham.
Pip declares his love to Estella, who, coldly, tells him that she plans on marrying Drummle.
After working eleven years, Pip returns to England and visits Joe, Biddy and their son, Pip. Then
in the ruins of Satis House he meets the widowed Estella, who asks Pip to forgive her, assuring
him that misfortune has opened her heart. As Pip takes Estella's hand and they leave the moonlit
ruins, he sees "no shadow of another parting from her.
Themes of Great Expectations
ambition and
self
improvement
crime,guilt and
innocense social class
sufferings revenge
