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Using language to portray 19th century London society Free Essay Example
How effectively does Charles Dickens use language to portray 19th century London society in his novel Oliver Twist? Oliver Twist, one of the most inspiring and legendary novels in English literature, is considered by many old as well as contemporary critics to be a satirical novel mocking the Victorian epoch. Written by Charles Dickens one of the greatest novelists of his genre, the story gives us a deep insight into the Victorian England in the 19th century. Charles Dickens gives a clear picture of the Londoners through the various characters, his moving language and his realistic setting .
The novel contains many classical Dickinsian themes-grinding poverty, desperation, fear, temptations and the eventual triumph of good in the face of grave adversity, which Dickens had fought almost all his life for. Dickens childhood experiences with the English legal system make him a life-long representative of the poor. More over he is considered to be a champion in the eyes of the third class citizens, as he has given voice to those with no voice.
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Through the novel Dickens attacks the hypocrisy of the legal system, the workhouses and the middle class moral values of England in the 19th century.
Although the novel is full of satirical humor it has a strong undertone of bitter criticism of the attitudes towards the poor Victorian middle and lower class. Dickens himself was a victim of the hypocrisy of the system since his family was in debt Dickens was forced to work in a factory since the age of twelve .
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His unhappy experiences tormented him for the rest of his life . The novel effectively echoes the humiliation and resentment of young Dickens who was a victim of child labor. He worked hard in the terrible conditions of the Warren Blacking Company in order to support his family.
Oliver Twist wanders through Victorian society as the child of fortune or misery, depending on the attitude of those he meets . He faces malice of state institutions as well as the malice of violent criminals . The novel Oliver Twist is Charles Dickens heart felt outcry against those who forced the orphans into the under world. Oliver represents the orphans and expresses their feelings in a subtle and touching manner, evident through the story and through the events encountered in his life.
Oliver Twist was mainly written by Charles Dickens to underline the cruelty that children suffered at the hands of society. The novel begins with the birth of Oliver in a workhouse near London, and the death of his mother . His mother passed away shortly after he was born. The novel begins with a tragic description of Oliver Twist’s mothers death, “She imprinted her clod white lips on the babies forehead, passed her hands over her face gazed widely round; shuddered; fell back and died. ” This is the situation that results in Oliver starting his life at the poorhouse
“Oliver and nature fought out the point between them” As it is from the first moment of Oliver’s life that he begins his struggle. The identity of the mother is unknown and remains a mystery, although it is clear that the baby has been born out of wedlock and is therefore, illegitimate. Oliver was immediately. “Badged and ticketed and fell into his place at once-a parish child -the orphan of a workhouse” The only description we are given of Oliver’s mother is by the old women, “Where she came from or where she was going to nobody knows.”
With her death Oliver Twist is left at the mercy of society. Soon after her death the surgeon “Leaned over the body and raised the left hand,” The old story” he said, shaking his head: no wedding ring, I see, ah! Goodnight. ” This also points out the hypocritical values of the Victorian society. Oliver is a child out of wed-lock which means that he is illegitimate, the product of low morality, left destitute, without a soul willing to take responsibility of him. Thus the odds are piled up against him. The indifferent parish surgeon statement.
“The old story… no wedding ring” shows that this kind of birth was not uncommon especially among the lower class. In fact throughout the story Oliver Twist companions in the workhouse as well as his colleagues in the criminal world are all without parents or relatives therefore most probably the same original background as Oliver Twist. The two persons their at this birth, the uncaring parish surgeon and heavily drunk old women represent societies attitude towards destitute. The fact that he is a parish surgeon, he is low paid off, or possibly working free.
He represents the typical attitude of the society towards those requiring charity, that they should be given the minimum of food and clothing and nothing else . In saying “AH… Goodnight” the parish surgeon, like most others in the society washes his hands off Oliver twist and leaves the newly born infant to his faith. And so his isolated life begins . He finds himself in the uncaring environment of the workhouse, where even when he struggles for life he is,” despised by all pitied by none.”
Oliver was now “the humble half starved drudge to be cuffed and buffeted through the world. ” The heartlessness and the indifference of the Victorian society is evident in the way Oliver is treated at the workhouse. Each new entrant was considered a burden upon society, and society considered that its role was to make the life of these wretched orphans as miserable as possible. Dickens through the novel satirizes the concept of charity. The charity of the people is represented through the word parish.
It came to be associated with words like poor, wretched, miserable, and society felt that by allowing such wretched to live, itself was enough charity. The state of the workhouse as Charles Dickens describes it was very appalling and extremely unhygienic. He also demonstrates how the orphans and people where victims “of a systematic course of treachery and deception. “The hypocrisy of the workhouse officials is well depicted by Charles Dickens as he tells us about the branch workhouse run by Mrs. Mann.
Here also Oliver and many other juvenile paupers were mistreated as they were “brought up by the hand,” proving that they even suffered from physical punishment though still very young . The “elderly lady” in charge of the work house was responsible for almost twenty to thirty orphans . We see the arbitrary and capricious attitude of Mrs. Mann who would leave the children on the brink of starvation. We see how Dickens uses satire to state this when he says that the “juvenile offenders”, “rolled about the floor all day without the inconvenience of too much food or too much clothing.
” Dickens scathing mockery is evident here as the children were completely uncared for. Perhaps during their entire infancy they were never once cuddled or even handled by a caring adult. Their helplessness and the fact that they are completely at the mercy of that surround is evident through the line – “Rolled about the floor all day. ” The well off in the society felt that it was their duty to give the minimum food and cloth to these unfortunates .
It looks like as it there was a kind of tacit understanding between all the members who were in some way connected to charity that they should do their best to ensure that these orphans would not outlive their infancy. The fact that Oliver and at least some of his companions were in a way cheating nature and society. No human child, infact no creature can survive without food and warmth but Oliver and the poor wretches of the workhouse managed to do so. Dickens portrays throughout the first part of society the extensive corruption in society.
In a way he is saying that the system was not greatly at faults because of the fact that there were poor houses and pauper homes and the government itself allotted “Seven pence half-penny a week for each small head” but the Bumbles and Manns of the Victorian society had a very clear idea of “What was good for the children” which was nothing or give them the barest minimum. However “She had a very accurate perception of what was good for herself” This means that she has pocketed a major chunk of the meager allowance of what was originally for the orphans.”
She like Mr. Bumble and all the “Fat well-fed ” gentlemen of the Board felt that the wisest and most appropriate way to deal with the orphans was to keep them on the brink of starvation for ever so that they would have a proper appreciation of life itself and the fact that society prevents them to survive. We begin to abhor the middle class morals, represented by people like Mrs. Mann for their abrasive action, and uncaring attitude. Dickens again mocks the middle-class as they, represented by Mrs. Mann even lock the orphans “for atrociously presuming to be hungry.”
Thus Oliver and the others were starved. And as we are introduced to a new character, the beadle, Mr. Bumble who is immediately viewed as a contrast to Oliver as he “was a fat healthy man, and a choleric,” which shows that he was well fed, in comparison to Oliver who was half starved. Mr. Bumble represents the moral hypocrisy of the petty bureaucrats . He outwardly express the values of the middle -class but his actions speak otherwise. He criticizes Oliver for not accepting his deprived condition but he himself eats well and is always well dressed.
In fact the entire Board were full of “fat gentlemen” who were quite obese. However they all preached the value of a meager diet to workhouse residents. The image that Dickens conveys is that of a large number of people who continue to fatten themselves at the expense of the poor and wretched of the society. These images also bring out the moral corruption in the Victorian society. People like Mr. Bumble bumbled through society exerting their power and authority and feel that it is their religious duty to teach the inmates of the workhouse a proper appreciation of their blessings.
Mr. Gamefeild who has came to buy Oliver is described by Mr. Bumble as the “kind and blessed gentleman which is so many parents to you when you have non of your own. ” The implication is that people like Bumble, and his like, are overflowing with the milk of human kindness, and in the largeness of their heart they have to come to take Oliver and “a going to prentice you, and to set you up in life, and make a man out of you although the expense to the parish is three pound ten!…. and all for a naughty child whom nobody can love. ” On the face of it these seem to be very noble ideas.
Mr. Bumble claims that there are such self sacrificing people in society who will go out of the way to train a useless wretch like Oliver over and “set him up ” in such a way that he would in future be successful and prosperous and also teach him values and morals so that he becomes a proper gentleman, that is “make a man out of you. ” This kind of hypocrisy is almost unbelievable. Mr. Gamefeild only wants a working machine, a robot that will work for him throughout the day and even half the night and will cost him almost nothing.
Oliver’s act to ask for more is branded as villainous and unforgivable. He has committed an unpardonable crime and its impossible for anyone to feel a liking for him – “whom nobody can’t love”- according to Mr. Bumble. This is part of the psychological manipulation that amoral people like Mr. Bumble practice on the innocent young and helpless orphans. They were made to feel that they were so wicked that if society rejects, them starves them, tortures them, humiliates them, it is nothing more than what they deserve.
And as the Board was full of “deep philosophical men” who when they found that the poor considered the workhouse to be, “a tavern where there was nothing to pay, where it was all play and no work,” they decided to establish the rule, “that all the poor people should have the alternative of being starved by a gradual process in the house or by a quick one out of it. ” The workhouses were usually made and as the quote suggests as rancid and pungent as possible. Dickens main aim was to reveal the cruelty with which the workhouse treated the inmates.
Their main concern was their own wealth and welfare and considered each and every new inmate, “a new burden having been imposed upon the parish. Dickens mocks the Victorian society and shows its hypocrisy when he says “What a noble illustration of the tender laws of England! They even let the paupers go to sleep. “Dickens yet again shows his true cynical feelings on exploitation of the poor and helpless by giving graphic but vivid descriptions to show how underfed the boys were, ” The bowls never wanted washing, as the boys polished them out with their spoons till they shone again.
They looked at the copper as if they would devour the very bricks of which it was composed. “Oliver and his companions suffered the tortures of slow starvation. ” and “got so voracious and wild with hunger. ” that they appeared even a danger to themselves. The Victorian middle class assign all humanities lower qualities, to the poor, whom they considered as ‘criminals’, ‘filthy’ and ‘savage’ . The fat, well fed, round faced Board members treat Oliver without any sensitivity or care.
They are viewed as a contrast to the poor orphans who were, “Desperate with hunger reckless with misery. ” It shows us the hypocrisy of the Londoners and expose the truth that the children were made to suffer while the workhouse masters led comfortable, healthy lives. They call him a “savage “who is destined for the “gallows. ” Any act however trivial was viewed with extreme concern and dire predictions of the evil they will bring about in society if they survived, and this almost makes us feel that they were doing their best to ensure that these orphans would not survive.
When Oliver is sold to Mr. Sowberry the undertaker and upon being introduced to the undertaker’s wife, she immediately seems to view Oliver in a bad way because of where he is from, “I see no saving in parish children… for they always cost more to keep, than they’re worth. ” It seems that almost everybody at this time makes sweeping generalizations about orphans from poor backgrounds. After Oliver’s request for food, he was subjected to public flogging in front of the other boy’s at meal times,”
And there in sociably flogged as a public warning and example,” to serve as a reminder and to make sure that other young orphans did not make the same mistake. Physical punishment was also inflicted upon him, as he was, “kicked into the apartment. ” He was also subjected to isolation in his “apartment. ” Being “denied the benefit of exercise, the pleasure of society; or the advantages of religious consolation. ”
And as a means of getting rid of a troublesome wretch Oliver twist is sent to Mr.Sowberry, and there when Oliver is given his first meal (of cold scraps), which should have been for the dog, the way he devoured the food is noticeable and is emphatically described by Dickens- “I whish some well fed philosopher whose meat and drink turn to gall with in him, whose blood is ice, whose heart is iron, could have seen Oliver clutching at the dainty viands, that the dog had neglected . I wish he could have witnessed the horrible avidity with which he tore the bits asunder with all the ferocity of a famine.
