Oliver Twist is a well known novel which features controversial and unique characters. Set in London town, this famous book was written by Charles Dickens, a renowned author. It was published in 1838. Oliver Twist mirrored a lot of what was going on in that time in London, such as poverty, prostitution, and murder. They are three of the main themes which run all the way through Oliver Twist, as we are taken on a gripping journey from workhouses to hospitals, mansions to prisons, all the way back to the squalid, rat ridden streets of London.
When Fagin is in his cell, we are given references to living conditions in 19th century London. Some examples of this are ‘a stone bench’ which implies that people used to sleep rough in Victorian London. Previous descriptions of Fagin suggest that he is very similar to early preconceptions of the devil. We are made to think, as readers, that Fagin is evil and will undoubtedly go to hell. ‘Sitting in a vault strewn with dead bodies’ could be seen as a morbid grave yard or mortuary or again, as hell. The ongoing theme of darkness links with death, which Fagin knows will be his fate. ‘It was very dark; why didn’t they bring a light?’ Shows that light is needed in this situation, but they are deprived of it, maybe to make them realise they have done evil things, so their punishment is to be starved of light, a basic life necessity, until they are slaughtered for everyone to see. The lack of light links with the idea that life and death are linked with light and dark.
The Essay on Oliver Twist 3
Oliver Twist is the main character in Charles Dickens’s novel of the same title. He has gone through a series of unfortunate events and hardships in his young life. After his mother’s death he was sent to an workhouse where he stayed until he was capable enough to work for considerably small wages for the rest of his life. But, being treated and then abused, Oliver couldn’t stand anymore then ran ...
Death is a theme which resonates across the novel. ‘They rose up in such quick succession’ showing that peoples lives could be over so soon, after a relatively long life of easy living. This cross references with Shakespeare’s Richard III, in the ‘parade of ghosts’. Fagin is haunted by ghosts of previously living men that he knew, and they show his guilt. The Jew was then terrified. ‘He had seen some of them die, and joked too, because they died with prayers on their lips.’ So, Fagin laughed at the men up on the scaffold, and now it was going to happen to him. He felt remorseful. ‘Dangling clothes’ is an obvious reference to hanging on the rope, and how they are just left, carelessly almost, dangling out in the open for everyone to see. ‘One, deep, hollow sound – Death’ is personification of death itself, as death does not literally have a sound. It is highlighting the presence of death and how you can feel it. You can hear sounds; sense them, just like you can sense death creeping up on you.
There are many references to light and dark and the contrast between them. These references could symbolise good and evil and how much there is in this novel. The good and evil content can be interpreted differently by different people, but Fagin is definitely a main contender for one of the most evilly perceived people in the novel. Fagin seeks forgiveness because he doesn’t want to die, and he refuses to pray to a Christian God because he is a Jew. ‘Jesus is the light of the world’ but Fagin will not take that light, the only light he is being offered, as he is a Jew, as will be mentioned in the following section. Fagin’s desperation for forgiveness changes the reader’s impression of him, possibly making him seem more vulnerable than before, yet still greedy.
As is mentioned frequently throughout the novel, Fagin is a Jew. In the Victorian era, Jews were seen as evil disgusting people and Fagin is called ‘The Jew’ a lot in this book. It is quite a degrading nickname. Religion is a running theme in Oliver Twist, and strong opinions of 19th century England are shown. For example, in the court, Fagin is told to pray to God but doesn’t as he is a Jew and would rather protect his religion than himself. Religion is a frequently mentioned topic in this novel which suggests it is a very important subject, and was a very important subject in Victorian times. ‘One time he raved and blasphemed, and at another howled and tore his hair.’ This could suggest he is blaspheming to get back at God for letting him be punished, and so that God knows what he has done. It shows that Fagin is fuming at the fact he is being punished for his actions. All the way through this chapter, Fagin is portrayed as a stereotypical Jew. Angry, devilish, blaspheming and generally evil, so his manner in the cell in the days coming up to his execution shows this even more. It makes us feel a little sorry for him when he is constantly referred to as ‘the Jew’ as though he is not a person, and as though he is an object, or an animal.
The Essay on Capital Punishment Death People Life
Capital Punishment Capital punishment is an extreme punishment used to correct extreme crimes. The death penalty has been used for centuries before Christ and hopefully centuries after him. The old version of the death penalty was used for strange crimes such as: marrying a Jew, cutting down a tree, treason, or stealing. Capital punishment today is more humane today with new methods like lethal ...
Again, Fagin is portrayed as an animal of some sort. ‘Howled and tore at his hair’ this makes you think of a wild animal, such as a wolf. This links to how he is being kept in a cage, like a circus animal, locked up to be poked fun at. The judge was definitely belittling him for being a Jew. Fagin’s hair is mentioned a lot, it is described as ‘Matted red hair’ which again suggests that he is a wild beast; unclean and inhuman. I don’t think it is fair how Charles Dickens has portrayed Fagin because everyone should be treated the same. This was clearly not how everyone thought in Victorian times. Especially as Fagin was a criminal. We feel sorry for the Artful Dodger and the boys, as the Jew is shown as a beast, so the boys would be terrified of him, and rightly so!
At the beginning of the novel, Fagin is shown with a toasting fork in his hand, which makes us think of the devil, so already he has devilish characteristics. The theme of Satan goes all the way through the novel. Jews in 19th century London were frowned upon, and linked automatically with the devil. In chapter 26 Fagin says he is bound to the devil, it goes without saying that this is just an obvious reference to Satan and hell. ‘Gasping mouth and burning skin’ symbolises thirst and burning, both to do with hell, which suggests that maybe this is where the Jew belongs in Charles Dickens’ eyes.
‘Those dreadful walls of Newgate…’ is how the prison is described, and clearly it is not a place anyone would want to be. The whole description of the prison gives us an idea of what hell is like. ‘A gloomy passage’ this could be implying that the prison is haunted by the ghosts of deceased prisoners. Again, a theme of death which could link in with hell and the devil. 19th century London was a dirty and dark place, which matches the prison perfectly, particularly in the poorer places. This could possibly mean that the poorer people are more likely to be in the prison, in the surroundings they recognise.
The Essay on Critical Analysis of the Artful Dodger in Dickens’ Oliver Twist
Write a Critical Analysis of the Character of the Artful Dodger in Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Would You Describe the Dodger Only as a Victim of Circumstances? Jack Dawkins, also known as the Artful Dodger, is one of the most interesting and memorable characters in Dickens’ Oliver Twist. He is reckless and very good at pickpocketing. He is denied the opportunity of choosing his own way of life and is ...
The stereotypical views of Jewish people in the 19th century are that they are mad, wild beasts with red hair, big noses, and a bad temper. Dickens chose to make Fagin appear to go mad because that was the view of Jews at that time. For that same reason, everyone believed it. ‘Rocking from side to side’ – stereotypically something a crazy person would do, which just sets it further in our minds that Fagin is going mad. This could make us feel a little sorry for him as it seems like he is being punished for something beyond his control.
Oliver has stood by Fagin throughout it all. ‘God forgive this wretched man!’ which shows that Oliver knows what Fagin has done, but he has forgiven him. Dickens was trying to tell the readers of the novel that Oliver is a good person at heart. He could be compared to Christ as he is willing to be punished for his sins to undo Fagin’s, and the fact that he is acting like a good Samaritan also links to the bible. This is another reference to religion, which is again, a popular theme in the novel.
The link between day and night, and life and death is mentioned a lot, as a very symbolic paradox. Day and life are the same, as it is lighter in the day, and earlier than night. That could symbolise age. Night, however, is dark. It is also the end of the day. ‘Night so long and yet so short’ meaning he wants the night to go slowly so he has more time, but the hours speed by, and get closer to his execution. This could also be something that Fagin wants, however – so that the whole thing is just over as quickly as possible, so that this process of waiting is drawn out no longer. The paradoxes have an effect on our impressions of Fagin. That effect is that he is going crazy. He is waiting and waiting for the day he dies, and every time night falls, he is reminded of what is to come. Clearly, that must make him more mad.
The Essay on Oliver Twist Dickens Bad Guys
Charles Dickens wrote a masterpiece in Oliver Twist. He wrote a book that sold more than 4 million copies in the decade after his death in England alone. Oliver Twist continues to be one of the most famous books around. His novel is a delight to read because of his clever writing style, and important messages. It is true that Dickens panders to the audience with Oliver Twist, but he wrote Oliver ...
Hanging was seen as a form of entertainment, and this is apparent by the way Dickens talks about it. ‘Smoking and playing cards…’ This is showing that hanging is nothing out of the ordinary and it is quite common to just go and watch, playing cards and smoking cigarettes. In chapter 9, Fagin says he approves of hanging, but then in chapter 18, he says he doesn’t want Oliver to suffer that fate. This shows that Fagin is caring and kind, especially to Oliver. The final part of the chapter makes us feel sorry for Fagin, and like justice was not the outcome.
In conclusion, I feel sorry for Fagin and feel that hanging was not the appropriate punishment for him. I think that Charles Dickens calling Fagin ‘The Jew’ frequently was not the right thing to do. In the rest of the novel, excluding chapter 52, Fagin is portrayed to be a hard, evil Jew, but in this chapter I have really seen a new side to him and his actions.
