Portrayal of the Victorian Era in Great Expectations Essay

Written during the Victorian Era (1850-1900) Charles Dickenss Great Expectations has echoes of Victorian Morality all throughout the novel. When looked up in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, morality is defined as the evaluation of or means of evaluating human conduct as a set of ideas of right and wrong and as a set of customs of a given society, class, or social groups which regulate relationships and prescribes modes of behavior to enhance the groups survival. Although the Victorian Era occurred over one hundred years ago, the given definition is clearly portrayed through the use of several morally different characters. These characters are shown over a lengthy period of time and at many different stages in†¦show more content†¦Pip is an honest boy who can barely live with himself after what he has done, but never tells Joe his good friend, or Ms. Joe, Joes wife. The class system becomes a focal point in young Pips life. Pip first began to think about his place in society when he was sent to visit the wealthy, old lady, Miss Havisham at her mansion. Through these visits Pip becomes socially conscious and begins to dislike his commonality. Almost instantly he wants to become uncommon. The adopted daughter of Miss Havisham, Estella, becomes a focal point and goal for Pip to obtain. Any morality Pip used to have slips away with each visit. Pip walks in circles in a barely lit room with Miss Havisam holding onto his shoulder and in doing so, Pip is somehow leaving behind all the values he was raised with. Miss Havisham and Estella end up corrupting Pip with the rich life. Greed, beauty and hubris are Pips downward spiral into an immoral life. Pip finds Estella very attractive, but Estella calls him common and this does not sit well with Pip. All of Pips expectations of becoming a rich gentleman are due to this love of Estella. Pip is informed that he is going to London to begin his gentlemanly education and this only serves to feed into his new obsession. The first to see this is wholesome and virtuous Joe. Joe was a caring and compassionate man and stays true to his character throughout the novel. It isShow MoreRelatedFeminist Criticism Of Great Expectations1190 Words   |  5 PagesFeminist Criticism of Great Expectations The correct portrayal of women in literature is highly significant as women have been marginalized throughout history. Although Charles Dickens wrote powerful and dominant female characters in his novel Great Expectations, Dickens’ portrayal of female strength is unsympathetic considering the period when he wrote this novel. During the Victorian Era, women never had dominance in situations and had less rights than men. In this case, Dickens alienated theRead MoreVictorian Era Research Paper1048 Words   |  5 PagesCentury Criminal Profiling in Great Expectations In the nineteenth century, the harsh consequences for committing crimes depended on various factors, including social status, appearance, behavior and gender. The law was biased towards those who were both superior in appearance and thoroughly educated. Women were seen as respectable but naà ¯ve rather than murderers. Through his distinction of characters, Dickens shows his interest of profiling in his novel Great Expectations. Magwitch’s story of hisRead MoreThe Portrayal of the Feminine in Stoker’s Dracula Essay1390 Words   |  6 PagesDiscuss the portrayal of the feminine in Stoker’s Dracula In Dracula, Stoker portrays the typical women: The new woman, the femme fatale and the damsel in distress, all common concepts in gothic literature. There are three predominant female roles within Dracula: Mina Murray, Lucy Westenra and the three vampire brides, all of which possess different attributes and play different roles within the novel. It is apparent that the feminine portrayal within this novel, especially the sexual nature,Read MoreThe Importance Of Realism In Hard Times By Charles Dickens1575 Words   |  7 Pageshuman life. Scholars like Raymond William have argued in his book â€Å"Forms of English Fiction in 1848† that the practices of human life in social discourses are succinctly reflected in the novels of the nineteenth century. Post romantic period English era persuaded the voice towards the emergence of the new economy thus welcoming the most difficult situation within the literary aspect. Thus it can be quoted from William, â€Å"at any particular point there are complex relations between what can be calledRead MoreGothic Literature- the Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe and Dracula by Bram Stoker1687 Words   |  7 Pagesgothic genre to appeal to the Victorian Society. Stoker used the style of the novel, his characters and the tone to create an enticing text based on the beliefs of the novel’s era. The tone of the novel Dracula seemed to be fear. Fear is a very common theme in many gothic texts. A few different types of fear were used in â€Å"Dracula† but the most prominent was the fear of evil and the supernatural. This comes from the era in which â€Å"Dracula† was written. In the Victorian era, religion played a huge roleRead MoreGender Stereotypes And Gender Roles1389 Words   |  6 Pagesprevailing cultural norms. The attitudes and expectations surrounding gender roles are not typically based on any inherent or natural gender differences, but on gender stereotypes, or oversimplified notions about the attitudes, traits, and behavior patterns of males and females. Gender stereotypes form the basis of sexism, or the prejudiced beliefs that value males over females. Common forms of sexism in modern society include gender-role expectations, such as expecting women to be the caretakersRead MoreRussell Jackson ´s Review of The Importance of Being Earnest by Osca r Wilde 1307 Words   |  6 Pageswritten by, author, poet and playwright Oscar Wilde in 1894 and debuted at St Jamess Theatre in London in 1895. The Importance of Being Earnest is Wildes most eminent work and renowned for its abundant quips and entertaining satirical views on Victorian values, marriage and love. He continuously mocks the hypocritical and superficial views of upper-class throughout the play. The pun in the title, is the initial mocking point as the true meaning of Earnest, is seriousness and sincerity, contrastingRead MoreGreat Expectations and a Christmas Carol: a True Gentleman Essay1430 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations and A Christmas Carol: A True Gentleman According to Dictionary.com, a gentleman is a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered man. However, by Victorian definition, a gentleman was, perhaps most importantly, a rich man. â€Å"Charles Dickens†¦was an author of relatively humble origins who desired passionately to be recognized as a gentleman, and insisted, in consequence, upon the essential dignity of his occupation† (Victorian Web). In Great Expectations he portrays Pip, aRead MoreGender Inequality In Othello And Shelleys Frankenstein1294 Words   |  6 PagesGender inequality will always affect the portrayal of women in society, the weaker, unnecessary, and other sex. It is not just a subject of the past, and still holds a name in society. However in the olden eras, the way women were treated and looked at was in a much harsher condition. In Shakespeare’s Othello and Shelley’s Frankenstein, women’s roles in the books are solely based on the way they are treated in their time per iod. The portrayal of women in these books demonstrate that they can neverRead MoreGender Roles Are Set Of Societal Norms1530 Words   |  7 Pagesalso alters the the attitudes, traits, and behavior patterns of males and females. Gender stereotypes on the basis of sexism, or the prejudiced beliefs that value males over females. Common forms of sexism in today’s society include gender-role expectations, such as expecting women to be the caretakers of the household. Sexism also includes of how a members of a gender group should behave. For example, women are expected to be friendly, nurturing and passive; when a woman behaves in an unfriendly