Miss Havisham Isolation

The Presentation of Miss Havisham in Chapter 8 and in Chapter 49 of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

‘Miss Havisham’ is a bitter and twisted character from the novel ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens. Carol Ann Duffy takes this character and explores her tragic life in the poem ‘Havisham’. Duffy uses Dark themes, structure, symbolism and other poetic techniques to express Havisham’s hatred for men after her tragic wedding when she was rejected by her fiancé. Duffy’s use of these poetic techniques create a sinister character and makes Havisham feel real to the reader.

An imagine Charles Dickens has left in my mind is Miss. Havisham. I see this faceless, all bone, yellow skinned lady wearing one shoe and a wedding dress. Miss. Havisham was originally described on page 47 and she was described as a weary, wore down woman and I was having fun imagining this peculiar lady. I see her like Maleficent, because she was written as very boney, again on page 47. I just imagine her cheekbones being very prominent, like Maleficent. I also see her like looking kind of deranged because on page 47 Dickens wrote; "She uttered the word with a eager look, and with a weird smile". I think the weird smile part is what lead me to believe she looks deranged. I can't see her face, but I can see her features like; sunken eyes, that

and I, but to obey our instructions. We are not free to follow our own

Miss Havisham bewildered everyone around her. Being that she never resolved the past and is still in fact stuck in time. Her outfit was yellowed yet still sparkled.The socks”once white,now yellow, had been trodden ragged”.With this in mind Havisham being stuck in the past in not normal. Life is supposed to grow and change, but she ignores change. But despite everything she strangely is is aware of her old age. “So the days have worn away, have they?” After saying this then quickly redirecting the topic, she states, “I don’t want to know” to Pip’s answer to the date. Even her room is described, “heavily overhung with cobwebs.” It is as if she never set a foot in the room. The furniture is also falling to pieces. For

She implores Pip to forgive her for making him suffer heartbreak to satisfy her own “wild resentment, spurned affection, and wounded pride” (710). It is only after Miss Havisham’s death that Pip realizes that wealth—whether referring to his own wealth or Miss Havisham’s—often brings out the worst of a person’s character, including his own. He realizes that his dreams to become wealthy and “bestow…a gallon of condescension upon everybody in the village” are petty, and that he is slated to lose everyone he loves to his own greed

By using this device, it shows a bad effect and influence of the convict based on the description. By using this literary device, it shows the negative part of the convict and shows how his bad characteristics means trouble for Pip. Entry #2 Fame and loneliness “I had heard of Miss Havisham up town- everybody

The character Miss Havisham serves as the prime example of self-swindling and explores the negative effects of it. Desperate for love, Miss Havisham swindles herself into believing that Compeyson’s romantic interest in her is genuine despite his “systematic” affection that obviously depends on her wealth (Dickens 161). Similarly, Miss Havisham’s devastating heartbreak leads her to trick herself into believing that genuine love does not exist. Because of this self-swindling, Miss Havisham ironically secludes herself from friendship and companionship, the only “natural and healing influences” that could have saved her from the eventual decay of her character (Dickens 356). Likewise, Satis House, from which “daylight was completely excluded,” reflects the lack of growth and enlightenment caused by

Dickens depicts an eccentric and rather malevolence women who has been jilted on her wedding day. therefore, she has stopped all clocks and sits in her yellowing wedding dress. Furthermore, leaving her in an agony. Consequently, that agony and misery turned into hatred towards men. When Miss Havisham employs Pip to play with Estella, Pip sees an " old brick and dismal " house which reflective the owner. Furthermore, this shows the reader that Dickens tried to give a hint on how Miss Havisham appearance might be or could be, Alternatively he wanted to show that Miss Havisham has stopped caring on her appearance as she has stopped time and rots within the house and the house within her.

The fire at Miss Havisham's house was a very tragic event. This event was caused by her own doing when she got carelessly close to the fireplace and her dress caught on fire. Dickens included this situation in his book for the purpose of shock value and to surprise readers. The purpose of this tragic event was to symbolize the end of Miss Havisham's manipulation and deceit. Now to go into more detail I have included the topics in this paragraphs of their own.

Question: How does Dickens in his portrayal of Miss Havisham explore the theme of isolation?

With her plan of revenge in mind, Miss Havisham deliberately raises Estella to avoid emotional attachment and treat those who love her with cruelty. A specific quote in the book, where Miss Havisham tells Pip that he must love Estella at all costs, sheds light on Miss Havisham's vengeful character. One can draw parallels from the life of Miss Havisham to the life that she

Since it was first published over 150 years ago, Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations has come to be known as a timeless and remarkably moving work of literature. It is considered to be one of Dickens’ most recognizable works, and is celebrated for its meaningful, universally-believed themes. In order for this novel to be properly understood, a thoughtful analysis of its major themes must be given.

Imagine living a luxurious, wealthy life full of money and possessing everything desired at any given time. This utopia may sound like an enjoyable experience, however, it would be contained of personal and emotional hardships. These everyday struggles introduce themselves when the owner of such wealth realizes that those riches can generate loneliness or great sadness. This concept of negative consequences resulting from occupying wealth is expressed in Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations. Dickens utilizes Estella, a cold-hearted, ill-mannered protagonist to portray that even with all the accessible wealth in the world, it is still possible not to discover happiness and respect for others. Dickens’ idea is conveyed through Estella’s personality, reckless attitude, and as well as Miss Havisham, Estella’s adopted mother.

Explore some of the ways in which Dickens’ attitudes to Victorian society are presented in the opening chapter of Great Expectations.