The Victorian period Essay Example for Free

The Victorian period Essay TASK: Pip changes a lot during his time in London. As we read the second stage of the novel, we do not like what we see of Pip because he becomes more and more of a snob. Do you agree with this opinion? The hero of Great Expectations is Pip and throughout the novel, our opinions of him change drastically. During his stay in London Pip changes the most and as we go on to read the second stage of the novel, we often fail to sympathise with Pip because he becomes more and more of a snob. Prior to his arrival in London, Pip makes it quite clear that he wishes to become a gentleman so that he can ultimately win over Estellas heart and with it her hand in marriage. But what exactly is a gentleman? A modern dictionary definition of this is: A well-mannered honourable man who may have a good social position. This is not too far away from the Victorian view (which would have been adopted by Magwitch and later on by Pip) as to what would have made a gentleman. At that time, any man was high in social rank or class, had the right by birth to be called a gentleman. A gentleman was also someone who could profitably manage his finances and would eventually own their own estate. A gentleman was also honourable and chivalrous and was a person against whom moral values could be judged. In short, a gentleman was an ideal for others to strive towards. During Pips stay in London, he becomes acquainted with many people. After his reunion with the pale young gentleman (Herbert Pocket) in the Barnards Inn, he meets the rest of Herberts family. It is at this point in the novel that we are introduced to Bentley Drummle. Pip immediately takes a dislike to Drummle and believes that Drummle can never be a true gentleman at heart because he was arrogant, snobbish and neither chivalrous nor honourable hardly making him a role model in society. However, Drummles lavish lifestyle and attitudes eventually rub off on Pip who consequently decides to join a frivolous and expensive London club and to hire a servant. Like a fast spreading poison, the lavishness and carelessness of Pips lifestyle corrupts Herberts life and lands them both in heavy debt as we are told later on in the novel. Just as there are gentleman who can be considered as being true at heart, there also those in the novel mainly Drummle and Compeyson, who certainly are not. It is a principle of his [Matthew Pocket] that no man who was a true gentleman at heart, ever was, since the world began, a true gentleman in manner. They are both only gentlemen by right of birth. Drummle is a spider fellow who possesses arrogance and snobbery of the highest order, has almost no moral values and is certainly not an ideal for others to strive towards. Compeyson is far from being honourable and chivalrous (he jilted Miss Havisham twenty minutes before they were to be joined together in holy matrimony), has no moral values (is happy to manipulate people just for money) and like Drummle, is not an ideal for others to strive towards. In the novel, Compeyson represents the greed of some of the middle class society and the beginnings of middle class crime, which occurred during the Victorian period. Pip makes it clear that he does not wish to turn out like either of the aforementioned characters but when Joe comes to visit Pip, this is not the case. Upon hearing of Joes intended visit (Chapter 27), Pip explicitly expresses his feelings to reader. He admits that if the chance arose, he would pay to keep Joe away from the Inn. If I could have kept him away by paying money, I certainly would have paid money. The apparent reason for this is that he does not wish for Joe to run into Drummle who Pip quite clearly holds in contempt (e. g. his self-revelation about his self-centredness at Jaggers dinner party [Chapter 26]). He criticises Joe before he arrives on his clumsy manner and his inability to read fluently. This was somewhat a strange criticism coming from Pip as at the time of the novel, there was no compulsory State education and reading was a much more common ability than writing. The criticism itself is very reminiscent of the way Estella criticises his appearance at his first visit to Satis House (Chapter 8). After Joe arrives, Pip illicitly makes him feel unwanted. He pays more attention to others at his home, especially to news from Miss Havisham and Estella. In general, the atmosphere is tense with Pip feeling very uncomfortable until Herbert enters the room. When Herbert enters the room, there is a drastic change in the rooms atmosphere. Herbert and Joe get on quite well with each other with friendly chat and Herbert offering Joe a warm beverage. Pip is unafraid for Joe to be seen by Herbert (who Pip believes is a gentleman at heart and of the sort of company that he would want Joe to see him with). However, this pleasant warm atmosphere is short-lived when Herbert has to tend to his hat. After Herbert leaves the room, Joe gets so uncomfortable that he is forced to explain to Pip why he really came to see him.