By chapter 35, Charles Dickens’s audience already have an impression of Fagin and have already made up their minds as to whether or not they believe he is all bad. In this chapter, Bill Sikes goes to Fagin’s house and the two of them force Noah to tell them all about Nancy. Upon hearing the news of Nancy, Bill Sikes gets angry and goes to find Nancy. When Sikes catches up with Nancy he beats her up and eventually kills her.
The chapter starts by creating an atmosphere through use of setting, “nearly two hours before daybreak…the dead of night” is one on the phrases used. “The dead of night” is a metaphor because night cannot actually be dead. It is used to describe the time of night when everyone is in bed or asleep and so it is as if everything is dead. This opening paragraph continues by using personifications by explaining, “profligacy and riot have staggered home.” This is saying that even those people who are out until late at night, rioters and troublesome people have gone home. Dickens’ describes Fagin’s home as a “lair.” The word “lair” is most often associated with a dragon and so Dickens wants his audience to think of Fagin as an animal of some sort. This idea is continued into the next paragraph of chapter 35.
“He sat crouching over a cold hearth…his right hand raised to his lips….he bit is long black nails, he disclosed among his toothless gums a few fangs as should have been a dog’s or rat’s.”
This emotive description of Fagin is almost the last one Charles Dickens gives before Fagin dies. Long black nails give an impression of a dirty name that has no personal hygiene. This is further supported by the fact that Fagin has toothless gums and fangs fit for a rat – vermin. The description that Charles Dickens gives on Fagin in chapter 35 is a very effective one. After this description, the impression that an audience had of Fagin would be fixed and this is the opinion that Fagin is a conniving, dirty old man.
Fagin has relationships with a lot of characters in Oliver Twist. It is obvious to see that he takes an immediate shine to Oliver. When Oliver is brought in to meet Fagin, “the Jew grinned; and, making a low obeisance to Oliver, took him by the hand.” This lead me to believe that he liked Oliver and also Fagin tells the Artful Dodger to “draw a tub near the fire for Oliver,” which he only does for somebody that he likes. The main reason that Fagin likes Oliver Twist is that he can see a use in him. A small boy like Oliver is useful for job and robberies and we see this later when Oliver takes part in a robbery with Bill Sikes.
We learn as the book progresses that Monks is Fagin’s boss. Charles Dickens gives no indication as to how Fagin feels about him, just that he is employed by him and respects his as a boss. Bill Sikes and Fagin are colleagues. However, Fagin does not like Bill. I believe this because Sikes is rough with Fagin, e.g. “Sikes, clenched his coat collar in his huge hands and shook him soundly” and bullies him. Fagin’s relationship with Nancy is a weird one. To begin with, Fagin see Nancy as a daughter like figure and when Bill Sikes intend to go and hurt Nancy, we see Fagin’s kinder side, “you won’t be – too – violent, Bill?” he asks. Yet as soon as Fagin realises what he has said, and realises that Bill Sikes might hurt him, he changes what he says to “Be crafty…not too bold.” This shows that Fagin wanted to look after Nancy but is too scared of Bill Sikes.
Fagin is a common person and this is comes across in his speech. “Only me my dear,” and “when is it to be done,” are both examples of Fagin’s common speech. Fagin also uses a lot of slang such as, “you drab.” Dickens allows Fagin to speak a lot in Oliver Twist and from this we learn the most about his character. Fagin’s conversations with other characters allow the audience to find out about Fagin opinions on these characters. For example we find out from a Fagin talking that he has a liking for Nancy, “The worst of these women… call up some long-forgotten feeling.” When Fagin says this it give the audience an idea that Fagin has a soft side and that he us as repulsive as they originally thought.
Charles Dickens use of narrative regarding Fagin in Oliver Twist shows the real Fagin. For example, in chapter 35 when Bill Sikes comes to visit, we see that Fagin really doesn’t trust Sikes. This narration allows the audience to see that Fagin does not only not trust Bill Sikes but is also scared of him, “quivering.”
“Locking it in the cupboard, sat down again without speaking. But he did not take his eyes off the robber, for an instant, during that action…face to face, he looked fixedly at him, with his lips quivering.”
Charles Dickens’ treatment of Fagin in Oliver Twist gives readers of the book a very good idea of the feeling toward Jews in the 19th century. The Jews were seen as scapegoats for most problems and were thought of as dirt. In today’s society it is unacceptable to label somebody, i.e. refer to a character as “The Jew.” By Dickens’ using the terms “Jew” and “The Jew” we are lead to believe this was acceptable in Victorian England. This shows us that the rest of Victorian society considered anti-Semitism as acceptable.
By the end of Oliver Twist, Fagin is arrested and sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered. In my opinion, this punishment was just because Fagin was a criminal who had not only stole from hundreds of people, but also has been involved in the kidnapping of young children to work with him and in part, the murder of Nancy. Fagin’s purpose in Charles Dickens novel was to give him the opportunity to express his anti-Semitic views.
I personally believe that Charles Dickens portrayal of the magician turned criminal was very good. Dickens successfully conveys an impression of clever, devious man whose main motivation in life was money. However, I believe that his representation of Fagin is upsetting in the fact that it shows the tragic anti-Semitic views that were so widespread in Victorian England.
