Introduction :
" Great Expectations " , a Bildungsroman, , written by Charles Dickens was published in 1861. This novel appeared in a serial form in "All the Year Round ", a periodical of that time. Having suggestion and advice from his friend cum adviser, Mr. John Forster, in 1860, Dickens wrote this novel and he wrote his friend : "The book will be written in the first person throughout, and during these first three weekly numbers you will find the hero to be a boy-child, like David Copperfield." This novel is regarded Dickens' best novel and obviously the master piece of of this great literary artist.
Characters of the Novel :
The major characters of this novel are : Pip , Mr. Joe Gargery , Mrs. Joe Gargery , Biddy, Miss Havisham , Estella, Herbert. Mr. Jaggers. Wemmick, Compeyson and Magwich.
The Story in brief:
The protagonist of the story is a boy of seven named Pip who is an orphan. Pip lives with his sister and his brother-in-law Mr. Joe Gargery in the marsh-country. A fearful strange event happens one afternoon when Pip is standing in the churchyard not far from their house. A stranger of awful appearance, exhausted and haggard looking, with a great iron on his leg, suddenly appears and commands Pip menacingly to bring some food for his hungry self and a file from Joe's smithy. The man threatens Pip if he fails to fulfill his demand or tells the matter anybody he would be killed by a fierce young fellow in a cruel manner. Pip promises and runs home.
Pip fulfills the demand of the strange man and keeps the matter hidden totally. Now he passes his time with anxiety and a sense of guilt overtakes him. Gradually Pip grows old enough. A good change comes in Pip's life when Miss Havisham, an immensely rich and grim secluded old woman who lives in 'Satis House', calls Pip to pass some time with her, by playing card and by this or that. Pip meets there with an arrogant girl Estella who is brought up by this lady Miss Havisham. Estella humiliates Pip in various ways for his rustic appearance and manner. Her behaviour also instills a sense and urge to Pip for becoming sophisticated and a gentleman. Not only that, a sort of good feeling for Estella dawns in Pip's mind. However, after some days Pip is released with some gift cum remuneration amounting twenty five guineas. Next Pip is legally bound as apprentice to Joe. The relationship with Miss Havisham is not terminated as Pip goes her house occasionally and Pip has high esteem for this venerable lady.
Pip works without enjoying it. The profession of blacksmith's apprentice is not honorable to Pip and his way of living in that poor house. He feels that he is doing some degrading. More than that, Estella would soon discover him with his 'black face and black hands'. A sadful incident happens. Pip's sister is hit from behind by someone and she becomes incapacitated. Biddy, an orphan and the assistant in the night school, who helps Pip to learn the 3Rs, is engaged for maintaining the household of Joe and helping Pip's sister.
Pip's helpless cry seems to be like this 'I want to be a gentleman'. Will his desire get a material shape ? God's wish makes every thing possible . A lawyer from London Mr Jaggers appears suddenly on the scene and discloses that one of his clients wants to make Pip a gentleman and Mr Jaggers would take Pip to London if Mr. Joe raises no objection. The condition is that the identity of the benefactor will not be disclosed now and it would come to light at a suitable point of time. All arrangements are made and Pip sets out for London with Mr Jaggers and is settled in this dazzled aristocratic town. Pip is settled in Herbert Pocket's room and an intimacy between the two is developed. Pip has the notion in his mind that his benefactor is no other than Miss Havisham. From Herbert Pip collects much information about Miss Havisham an it is totally surprising. Miss Havisham inherited lot of property from her father. She courted a young man who proved to be a traitor. Her lover promised to marry but at the appointed hour he did not come. Not only that, he robbed Miss Havisham of a lot of money with the help of her own brother. For all this, she is now fully antagonist to the male folk. She is bringing up Estella in an arrogant way and wants to take revenge with the help of her. Pip is really astonished, yet he still keeps belief on Miss Havisham as his benefactor.
Pip has undergone a lot of unexpected changes. He fails to maintain a healthy and good relationship with Joe. When he comes to home town he resides in an inn, not in Joe's house. Actually he is going to be a gentleman and he wants to win Estella. Pip's intimate friend Herbert is now passing in some financial crisis . Pip, under the guidance of Wemmick invests a certain amount of money with a wealthy broker so that Herbert would get a certain handsome amount every year. Herbert is totally in dark about all this and he believes that he has got the amount by chance or by god's grace. The other matter is that Estella falls out with Miss Havisham and proves to be a heartless and ungrateful lady. She also engages herself with Drummle whom she marries later though the marriage proves fruitless.
One day the cat must be out from the bag and the identity of Pip's benefactor would come to light. That moment has come in a stormy night when Pip was alone in his boarding. An unexpected visitor arrives to Pip and that person is no other than the convict whom Pip, when a boy of seven, helped with food , wine and a file. The name of this convict is Magwitch and he is the benefactor of Pip. He declares that he may be treated as the second father of Pip and he looks upon Pip more even that a son. All the money he has saved is only for Pip. Magwitch tries to touch Pip but the latter recoils every time . Not only that Pip is flung into an agonized state. He can not imagine that he is a beneficiary of a criminal, a convict.It is a pathetic as well as a dramatic situation to both Magwitch and Pip. Magwitch tells Pip that he has come to London with a great risk as he was transported for life and the punishment of this crime is death. Strangely enough, Magwitch has decided not to go back from London to Australia.
Here we see a strange development in the life of Pip who has recently been suffering from sleeplessness. However, Pip has made a separate secret arrangement for Magwitch which is totally in the knowledge of Herbert who has helped his friend Pip much in this regard. Arthur, brother of Miss Havisham and Compeyson, her escapist and opportunist lover, appear to the scene and start the old antagonism with Magwitch and naturally his life is in a risk now. The complicated situation necessitates the escape of Magwitch. Pip and Herbert plan perfectly and try hard in the process of escape of Magwitch but all plans and efforts end in smoke. Magwitch is captured again.
The last part of the novel is really eventful. Miss Havisham's dress catches fire and this venerable old lady is hurt severely. Magwitch breathes his last in prison. Pip who runs after a lot of debt is severely ill. Naturally, Joe comes, repays Pip's debt, takes care of Pip and departs in an abrupt and strange way. Herbert leaves for Cairo to take charge of the branch office of his firm there. Estella is deserted by her husband Drummel. Joe and Biddy are tied in wedlock. Pip returns to his native village after eleven years. Pip gets a chance to meet Estella who is no more arrogant, but a changed and chastened woman. Pip takes Estella's hand and they vow that they would never part from each other. This happy union marks the end of the novel.
Fairy tale elements in " Great Expectations "
Fairy is at the centre of the 'fairy tale'. A fairy is an imaginary being, generally in the female shape, with some magical power and enchanting activities. A fairy tale transports the listeners or the readers to some wonderland where he/she feels mysterious. In it something happens unexpectedly beyond the capacity of mind and knowledge. Fairy tales, enjoyable and encouraging, are designed for providing entertainment and some moral lessons. Sometimes fairy tales are so fabricated that the story seems to intend to deceive someone. Now, we have to probe the story of the novel " Great Expectations " with a view to find the elements which conform to the fairy tales.
" Great Expectations " is a fantasy with some fantastic figures and incidents. Two fantastic figures who come into Pip's life are Magwitch and Miss Havisham. On a cold Christmas eve Magwitch, a notorious convict who escaped from jail, appears suddenly before Pip, the child protagonist , and projects his hungry, haggard and desperate appearance. He demands menacingly from Pip some food and a file to cut the irons on his legs. Pip, terror-stricken , rushes to home and steals some food from kitchen and a file from Joe's smithy
and helps the stranger.
