Assignment Paper 6
The Victorian Literature
Ajit A. Kaliya
M.A. Sem 2
Roll No. 1
Enrollment No. 2069108420170013
Batch: 2016-18
Email- kaliyaajitbhai@gmail.com
Department Of English, MKBU
Department Of English, MKBU
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Theme of 'purity in corrupt world' in 'Oliver Twist'
Theme
of 'purity in corrupt world is very important theme in Charles Dickens's
'Oliver Twist'. It might possible that he wanted to show that surrounded
corrupt world cannot change you, if you want to be good. It can be said that it
is a novel about reflection of corrupt world of Victorian era but more than it
its hero Oliver and some other characters represents that world always have
good people. He wanted to say that virtues always win against voices.
The
first time we see corrupt world is in workhouse. Orphan Oliver sends to
workhouse where he suffers with other children. Condition of workhouses was
very bad because of poor law of 1834. At nine Oliver is sent to workhouse where
Mr. Bumble and Mrs. Mann behave rudely with children. They don't even give
enough food to them and they keep children in threat that they can't ask for
more. And when Oliver asks for more they punish him and decided to give someone
for money. This condition does not make bad impact on Oliver's mind, does not
pour hate, and does not make him angry.
Now
Oliver, with John Dawkins, an artful dodger, goes to Fagin's place in hope of
food and shelter. But soon he realizes that Fagin and his gang of children are
pickpockets. They teaches that Oliver also. One day when Oliver goes with
dodger and Charles, they pick an old man's pocket at bookshop and flee but
Oliver caught and arrested. But fortunately owner of the bookshop had seen the
real criminals and Oliver gets free.
Here
Dickens introduces very virtuous character. Mr. Brownlow, whose handkerchief
was stolen by dodger and Charles, Mr. Brownlow takes Oliver with him and keeps
at his home. He gives Oliver new clothes and behaves very kindly. Mr. Grimwig,
Brownlow's friend has no trust on Oliver. But Mr. Brownlow has full trust on
Oliver. For proving that Oliver is faithful boy, Brownlow sends him to bookshop
for returning some books and money. Oliver captures by Nancy and his friend
Sikes, and Oliver does not return. But Brownlow has full trust on Oliver and
searches anxiously of something wrong might happened with the boy. Throughout
the novel, he behaves with compassion and common sense and emerges as a natural
leader. Mr. Brownlow represents purity of character very well. We will see how
he does other good things as story moves on.
The
attempts of Fagin and Monks to turn Oliver into a criminal are useless. He simply does not corrupt. Yet this is an interesting turn of events. Dickens is demonstrating to us that all poor
children must begin innocent until circumstances turn them corrupt. Most of Fagin’s boys are desperate,
motherless urchins who have nowhere else to go, just like Oliver. Why does Oliver have more strength of
character than they do? He is more of a
symbol than an actual person. He
progresses through the story, but nothing can touch him.
Oliver
captures and came back to Fagin. Fagin wants to take Oliver under control and
so sends him with Sikes and Toby Crackit for burglary. Oliver sent in to the
house from small window so he can open main door. But before he do that one of
the servants wakes up and shots Oliver. Sikes and Toby Crackit run away. When
Oliver wakes he stumbles to the nearest house where robbery was attempted. Here
Dickens introduces another two virtuous characters, Mrs. Maylie and Rose
Maylie.
They
take Oliver in, call doctor and nurses Oliver. They take care of Oliver and
keeps like their child. Rose Maylie was a beautiful, compassionate, and
forgiving young woman, Rose is the novel’s model of female virtue. She
establishes a loving relationship with Oliver even before it is revealed that
the two are related. She dismisses Harry's marriage proposal because she
thought she would become barrier between him and his career. She’s able to pity
Nancy, rather than condemn her. In response to Rose’s sympathy, Nancy
says," if there were more like you, there would be fewer like me!” Thus
shows how good woman she is. Mrs. Maylie also was paragon of virtues. She has
adopted Rose and Mrs. Maylie seems to like saving children who might otherwise
be prone to crime. When Oliver comes to her home she immediately takes him in
instead of he had attempted robbery. She also lies to detectives to save
Oliver.
The
most suited character for the theme 'purity in corrupt world is Nancy. The
above characters are good because they have not experienced and seen corrupt
world. They are rich and educated. So, they are good. Thus thing also is good
because all wealthy and educated people are not good. They are corrupted also.
But these characters remains good, helps others so their examples can give for
'purity in corrupt world. But Nancy's character defeats then all in this
matter. Because she is the one who have seen and experienced real criminal
world. She is the one who pays her death for Oliver's independence. She had been part of that. And now she was
prostitute. So doing good thing after years of criminal activities does not
happen daily. She proves that bad environment cannot change good things. Her
ultimate choice to do good at a great personal cost is a strong argument in
favor of the incorruptibility of basic goodness, no matter how many
environmental obstacles it may face.
Nancy
was raised by Fagin and so she comes in contact with criminal world. She is
grown up in bad environment. From childhood she is with criminals like Fagin
and Sikes. Fagin is mean and Sikes is cruel though she maintains her good side.
She loves Sikes and once helps him in kidnapping of Oliver. But after that she
feels sympathy for Oliver. She might feel that she cannot ruin the innocent
boy's life. Here virtue does not only seem for good people only. She was in
love with Sikes. When he returns from unsuccessful attempt of burglary and gets
badly ill, she takes care of him. When she hears Fagin and Monks talking about
Oliver she knows about conspiracies against Oliver. She decides to help Oliver
and never let Fagin success to get Oliver again in this business.
She
meets Rose Maylie and tells her about Fagin and Monk’s conspiracy against
Oliver. They decided to meet and tell Mr. Brownlow all about it. Nancy was very
well aware about dangers if Fagin and Sikes know about this plan. But she was
determined that she will save Oliver's live by any cost and she will not allow
criminals like Fagin, Sikes and Monks to corrupt his life.
At
night she mixes sleeping powder in Sikes's medicine and when he get in sleep
she leaves, but Fagin who was suspected about Nancy's recent activities, sends
Noah Claypole behind her to spy on her and give news to him. Nancy meets Mr.
Brownlow on London Bridge and tells about Monks and Fagin's plan of ruining
Oliver's life and getting all his property. Mr. Brownlow, Grimwig and Maylie
family decide to take steps. But Nancy gets into dangerous situation. Noah
Claypole tells everything he saw to Fagin and Fagin tell to Sikes. Sikes
furiously reaches to Nancy and kills her cruelly. Frightened Sikes runs away
towards countryside but Nancy's ghost possesses him and he returns to London
where in try to escape he hangs himself. Fagin and gang captured and Fagin
sentences to be hanged.
So
this was how Nancy, who had no relation with Oliver, sacrifices her life and
receives respect and special attention, especially when we talk about purity
and goodness in corrupt world. She stands against bad people and do good thing
and shows that if you really want to be a good person nobody can stop you.
Conclusion
So,
throughout the novel Dickens wants to prove that ultimately good wins and bad
punishes. If question is that can bad people and bad environment change good
people into bad? The answer would be No, it does not happen. In spite of Monks
and Fagin's lots of attempts to change Oliver in criminal, they did not succeed
and in spite of years of experience of criminal world, Nancy does noblest
thing, which proves that bad can not affect good. Dickens is also trying to
explain in his novel that the bad people and criminals should be punished and
the good people and orphans should live in a happy and peaceful life.
References
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