Nancy in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist

Nancy in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist

London in the 19th century was a heavily packed city where the rich

and poor rubbed shoulders daily. Charles Dickens lived there most of

his life, growing from a poor child to a publicly famous, but often

privately troubled, writer. The city shaped his life it also patterns

his work in complex and fascinating ways. The novels picture this

great city vividly. It can also be seen to be used as a symbolic map

through which human relationships of all kinds are explored.

This description of Oliver Twist may also capture the haunting

childhood of its author, Charles Dickens. Feeling alone in the world

at the age of 12, Dickens saw firsthand the horrors Victorian England

cast upon the poor, particularly the young. Frightful living

conditions and cruel work situations were the order of the day.

As far as I am concerned Nancy is a very important in Oliver Twist.

This is due to the fact that she forfeits an enormous amount (and

ultimately her life) for the sake of Olivers protection.

Nancyis a beautiful portrayal of a mother like figure, she stands up

for poor innocent Oliver. Nancyalso has a conflict within herself

having to choose between good or evil, as she had a choice, either she

would go against Oliver or with him. She decided to go with him and

therefore this is why it was, she had a conflict within herself having

to choose between good or evil.

Nancywas often beaten. Thinking it was too late for her to search for

a better life she stayed in the company of the thieves. Even with his

violent and volatile attitude, Bill one of the thieves in the gang, is

challenged by Nancy to ensure the ...

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...x case, because although she is a prostitute,

a member of Fagin's gang, and Sikes's mistress, she also has virtuous

sentiments, which prompt her to defend Oliver and to betray Fagin.

But her good qualities also underpin her loyalty to Sikes, and that

loyalty is the direct cause of her tragic fate at his hands. According

to the novel's logic, it is miraculous that Oliver's goodness survives

in such an environment, whereas it is virtually inevitable that

goodness such as Nancy's is destroyed.'

This therefore proves that Nancy is not the most important character

in the novel as; Nancy gets destroyed and was just helping Oliver,

however she did play a big part in the novel and was mentioned a lot.

On the other hand Oliver was the one who was being oppressed, he was

the one that needed help also he was the main character.