According to "Great Expectations" what is a Victorian Woman?

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According to “Great Expectations” what is a Victorian Woman?

The image many get of a Victorian Woman is a lady who stays at home, looks after the children, and does all the domestic work, and as their place is in the kitchen, they would be wearing aprons, and long dresses. Each female character has many different sides to them and the book explores this.

For instance Estella, who was an orphan, is a very independent woman. This and all her other characteristics aren’t actually her, because it is actually Miss Havisham. She has been the one who has influenced Estella to turn out the way she has. To be a woman who seeks revenge on all men, because of what Miss Havisham went through. Estella says this in ch 38

 “So” said Estella “I must be taken as I have been made. The success is not mine, the failure is not mine, but the two together make me”. Pg 306.

Also, her name Estella really reflects that of a star. Beautiful, but cold and distant. This is how Pip thought of her,

“That’s true,” said Estella, with a cold careless smile that always chilled me.” Pg 301.

This cold hearted, cruel way of her is also reflected at the beginning when they first meet. She treats him like he is of lower class, although they are both the same age, but later on, we find out something. Estella’s real parents are both convicts, so technically Pip is of higher class than her, even though Miss Havisham brought her up.

This shows that a Victorian Woman will use her position in society to look down on others, much lower than herself, regardless of age.

On the other hand we have Biddy. The kind and caring person, who is an orphan She goes from being an orphaned child like Pip, to a carer and finally a wife to Joe. She treats Pip very kindly, and throughout Pip’s life always seems to be on his side.

 “… - but she was pleasant and wholesome and sweet tempered”

ch 17, pg 125.

However, after Pip finds out about the money that he is going to receive, and begins to act like a gentleman, he treats Biddy differently. He becomes very snobbish and cold towards her.

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         “…You are envious, Biddy, and grudging. You are dissatisfied on my

         account of my rise in fortune and you can’t help showing it.” Ch 19, pg 149.

Biddy finds it an insult and to this replies

      “…say so. Say so over and over again, if you have the heart to think so.”  Ch 19, pg 149

 

Overall, Biddy is the opposite of Estella, although both of them have been bought up by people who are not their biological parents.

This shows that the ...

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