Oliver Twist, a novel written by the renowned author Charles Dickens, depicts the lives of criminals and the society of the Victorian era, portraying the lives of poor people and the cruel treatment of orphans under the rigid social classes. Born as an orphan, the main character, Oliver Twist, is raised in a workhouse and trapped in a world of labor due to mid-19th-century London laws. After escaping from the workhouse, his encounter with the gang reveals the sordid lives of criminals in the era. With the help of other characters in the novel, Oliver finally discovers his parentage and lives with his remaining family. Through the titular protagonist, Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens illustrates the protagonist's journey in the Victorian era, exploring lives under the hierarchical society and revealing the harsh conditions of the pauper under the Poor Laws. The author also delves into the ending of characters in the novel, exploring the complexities of human nature and the consequences of one’s actions. Through the journey of Oliver Twist, Dickens reveals the social classes of the Victorian era, explores the efforts to change social status, critiques the Poor Law, and examines the consequences of good and evil actions.
19th century England was characterized by a rigid social hierarchy, where individuals were often trapped in their predetermined social classes with limited opportunities for social mobility. In the novel, Oliver Twist lived in the Victorian era, and through his story, Charles Dickens illustrates the rigorous social hierarchy and the importance of high social status in the era. Throughout the novel, Oliver Twist has encountered various characters from different social classes, each playing a role in shaping his experiences and understanding the world around him. Through the illustration of the lives of people from different social classes, Charles Dickens highlights the stark contrast between the poor and the rich, revealing the injustices between the impoverished and the privileged. As introduced in the novel, Oliver Twist, born as an orphan, could be in any social class depending on his clothes:
And what an excellent example of the power of dress young Oliver Twist was. Wrapped in the blanket that had hitherto formed his only covering, he might have been the child of a nobleman or a beggar; it would have been hard for the haughtiest stranger to have fixed his station in society. But now he was enveloped in the old calico robes, that had grown yellow in the same service; he was badged and ticketed, and fell into his place at once—parish child—the orphan of a workhouse—the humble, half-starved drudge—to be cuffed and buffeted through the world, despised by all, and pitied by none. (Oliver Twist, 1)
As depicted by the author, social classes are usually determined from birth. In the novel, the poor living in the workhouse have limited opportunities to become rich, with no education and opportunities for social mobility. Even worse, some poor are forced to become criminals for a living. The middle class, such as Mr. and Mrs. Bumble and Mr. Sowerberry, reach their status through hard work, yet, the rich, such as The Brownlow family, the Leedford family, and the Maylie family can not be attained by simply hard work, as they are born into wealth and privilege. Through the depiction of social classes in the novel, Charles Dickens offers a distinct contrast that highlights the harsh realities of the class system in the Victorian era.
Due to the rigid social hierarchy in the Victorian era, numerous people at that period hoped for upward mobility, yet social mobility was often arduous to obtain and immobility remains a prevalent issue in the era. Throughout the novel, numerous characters also endeavor to climb the social ladder, yet the constrained circumstances and limited opportunities hinder their efforts to achieve significant social mobility. Through the experiences of characters in the novel, Charles Dickens reveals the potential to change life situations, yet also illustrates the difficulty of obtaining an upper social status. As the author critiques throughout the novel, Victorian society was when the rich stayed rich and the poor kept poor, if not poorer. The upper class remains wealthy as the rich are born rich and obtain money through inheritance, which is usually inalterable. On the other hand, the poor remained poor under the establishment of the Poor Law, which ensured the poor were housed in workhouses and perpetuated their cycle of poverty. In the novel, Charles Dickens illustrates the pursuit of social mobility through various methods, including hard work and marriage. For instance, Charley Bates, who used to be a criminal, repented of his crime and worked strenuously for a country life. Similarly, Rose Maylie obtained a high social status through her marriage with Harry Maylie, a wealthy gentleman, and lived happily ever after. Furthermore, there are unusual circumstances for social mobility, such as Oliver Twist’s change from a lower-class orphan to a member of the upper class due to his true identity as the son of a wealthy family. Through Dickens’s portrayal of the transformation of characters in the novel, he reveals the general system of immobility and inequality, while also highlighting the exceptions and possibilities of social climbing in the Victorian era.
The social stratification in the Victorian era was aggravated by the establishment of the Poor Law, which ensured that poor people were housed in workhouses. In the novel, Charles Dickens condemns the dehumanizing effects of the Poor Law, highlighting its role in perpetuating poverty. Established under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, stating that “all relief for the poor should be given in workhouses,” the Poor Law aimed to alleviate poverty-stricken citizens by providing shelter and work. However, the paupers were not alleviated by the Poor Law but worsened their circumstances as they were imprisoned in workhouses, laboring for their lives yet earning little money to survive. As Charles Dickens reveals in the novel, the Poor Law is a cycle of poverty, causing the lower class to continue to live in poverty as they have limited opportunities to enhance their lives, such as receiving an education. Moreover, the children in the workhouses were treated dreadfully as they were forced to labor, received little food to survive, and were constantly beaten. As Dickens illustrates in the novel, the orphans were forced to labor in workhouses under the Poor Law:
“He should be despatched to a branch-workhouse . . . where twenty or thirty other juvenile offenders against the poor-laws, rolled about the floor all day, without the inconvenience of too much food or too much clothing.” (Oliver Twist, 2)
As Charles Dickens illustrates, the Victorian era was a time of great social injustice, where the rigid class system kept the rich wealthy and the poor impoverished. The lack of social mobility and limited opportunities in the workhouse perpetuate a cycle of poverty, causing the impoverished to be trapped in a system that offers little hope for improvement.
Throughout the novel, Charles Dickens explores the complexities of human nature and emphasizes the importance of deciding one's actions, as good and bad decisions bring lasting consequences. The protagonist, Oliver Twist, navigating a world where external and natural circumstances shape individuals’ choices and destinies, encounters numerous characters that lead to different fates from their decisions. Through vivid characters and stark contrasts, Charles Dickens explores the harsh realities faced by individuals that shape their actions, yet also emphasizes that good and bad actions ultimately lead to their destiny. For instance, Fagin, the manipulative and deceitful leader of a group of young thieves, meets a tragic end due to his immoral actions. Contrarily, Oliver Twist, despite his miserable childhood, receives a happy ending as he chooses a life of integrity and honesty. Oliver Twist’s portrayal of characters in the novel exemplifies the power of one’s actions and their ultimate rewards or consequences. However, Charles Dickens also illustrates the complexities of human nature and explores the predisposition of one’s fate. Through the complex plot of Nancy and Charley Bates, the author depicts the exceptions of being punished or rewarded. For instance, although fallen into a life of crime, Nancy shows pity and empathy towards Oliver Twist, yet her tragic end demonstrates the complexities of one’s destiny. Furthermore, characters such as Monks are born with high social status, yet as a “born criminal,” he still commits immoral actions, which leads to his eventual downfall. Through the depiction of characters in the novel, Charles Dickens highlights the unpredictable nature of fate and emphasizes the potential of shaping one’s destiny through actions and decisions.
Written by the father of Victorian literature, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist is a serial novel that illustrates the life of the protagonist, Oliver Twist, in the Victorian era. Born as an orphan and raised in a workhouse, Oliver Twist encountered various characters that influenced his life journey, allowing him to understand the society he lives in and ultimately shaping his destiny. Through Oliver Twist’s journey, Charles Dickens vividly illustrates the life of the poor and criminals in the Victorian era, under the establishment of the Poor Law. By exploring the lives of paupers in the workhouse and revealing the social hierarchy of Victorian society, the author critiques the inequality and injustices faced by the poor in the era, exposing the harsh realities faced by individuals. Through the lens of Oliver Twist’s journey from the workhouse to the streets, Dickens explores the social system of the era, illustrates social mobility and immobility at that time, exposes the failure of the Poor Law, and highlights the significance of one’s actions. Dickens’s descriptions of the struggles faced by the impoverished and the illustration of criminals in 19th century England depict the rigid social hierarchy of the Victorian era, and his emphasis on the consequences of one’s actions showcases the impact of social class, morality, and personal choices on one’s fate.
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