Topic > Corruption of Innocence in 'Great Expectations' and 'Pygmalion'

The social aspects of their writings made Dickens and Shaw two of the most influential figures in revolutionary and socio-political writing. William Blake, however, was also significant, especially through his work Songs of Innocence and Experience, in which he gave voice to marginalized figures in society. Blake attempted to emphasize the corrupted innocence of children. The writings of Charles Dickens have strong links to Marxism, however after this fell out of fashion, "Dickens's amorphous social criticism came to seem more universally true because it was not programmatic but based on feelings of generosity and brotherhood combined with specific criticisms of common practices in England". during his lifetime." One critic in particular suggests that Dickens was unaware of the radicalization of his writings and the influences he was having on society, writing: "The difference between Marx and Dickens was that Marx knew he was a revolutionary whereas Dickens did not had the slightest suspicion of it." part of his vocation'. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay George Bernard Shaw, in later years, then expanded Dickens's ideologies. Shaw said in an interview that "the middle and upper classes are the revolutionary element in society; the proletariat is the conservative element." This is demonstrated throughout the writings of these authors as the proletariat is often punished and described harshly. The three authors heavily base their writing on social normalities to underline the impact that a strong desire can have on the mind. This is seen through the manipulation of weaker characters, whose innocence is often corrupted. The desire for self-satisfaction of the key characters in the novels and their willingness to manipulate others, usually the most naive, provides a solid basis for exploring whether or not there is innocence. it was corrupted. The manipulative figures in the novels are Miss Havisham, her desire to manipulate based on her hatred of men, and Higgins with his constant need for personal entertainment, which together focus on the different mindset Magwitch possesses as he attempts to influence the lives of Pip. through his altruism and desire to reward goodness despite his palpable mistreatment at the hands of a corrupt legal system. Pip stealing the "spirits" for Magwitch in the opening chapter of Great Expectations proves to be a stimulus for the later theme of humility and generosity which in itself contrasts with Pip's selfish development. This is a point that Dickens exploits to highlight the cruelty of Havisham who seeks bitter revenge. An innocent boy, Pip, becomes blind to those who are less fortunate, thus forgetting his roots. Dickens is making clear that power, derived from the misuse of wealth and status, is a corrupting force. Dickens's voice, Pumblechook, observes 'the stupendous power of money', with the adjective 'stupendous' used in its negative sense, emphasizing that this is not the way upper-class society should function. Professor Higgins also uses his wealth to use Eliza as a social experiment rather than to be truly beneficial. Like Pip, she is relieved of her real life although, for her at least, there is a happy ending. Dickens uses language to great effect, leaving the audience in no doubt about his belief. Miss Havisham constantly manipulates Pip and Estella such as when she tells Estella to "break his heart". The use of the imperative "pause" shows that Miss Havisham is passionate, cold and cruel, effectively exacting revenge on male society. Successit will ensure the destruction of both Pip and Estella's innocence. Miss Havisham's desire for revenge due to her hatred of men can also be seen in her linguistic nature and self-description. “On this day of the year, long before you were born, this pile of decay' - 'was brought here. He and I have decayed together." The repetition of the noun "decay" which is then transformed into the verb "decayed" shows Miss Havisham's feelings after being abandoned. The Male Society has harshly affected her life in such a way that she feels as if death was the only part left. She says that "they decayed together". one of his internalized monologues Pip states that "ours was the swamp country." The use of the possessive pronoun shows that Pip is proud of where he comes from, which contrasts with his older self as he says, "I would be more ashamed than ever." of home, in my ungainly bosom". It is clear that Pip has realized that he has been manipulated through the use of the word "ungainly", which highlights how he is now acutely aware of his failure. The common hatred towards men and the constant desire for autonomy are also explored by Dickens in Sketches by Boz. In the sketch, Ladies' Societies, a key quote in support of this hatred is: "the thoughtless part of the parishioners laughed at it all, but the more thoughtful part of the inhabitants refrained from expressing any opinion on the subject until it was the curate intervened". had been clearly established." This is a clear example of the patriarchy ridiculing women's society whenever they try to achieve something for themselves. Higgins attempts to corrupt Eliza's innocence in a similar style to that of Miss Havisham. This occurs at due to her lack of care but desire for joy and self-satisfaction. Pickering tells Higgins in one of their first meetings with Eliza that “she is undoubtedly as clean as she can afford to be but compared to women she is very dirty.” underlines the nature of high society who ridicules her for what she can afford. Her harsh and unloving attitude towards Eliza is clearly seen when in the dialogue with Pickering she states: "The girl belongs to no one, she is of no use to anyone except to. me." This caesura to break the sentence makes Bernard Shaw clearly create an unsettling atmosphere. Without the break or the second part of the speech, "the girl belongs to no one", this would be an emotional sentence for Eliza to hear because it demonstrates its independence. This is hastily closed down as an option by Higgins who decides to immediately say "it's no use to anyone but me". Miss Havisham and Higgins not only have a desire to manipulate for fun and hatred, but they also believe that there is only one path to happiness, hence their reason for being such demanding and authoritative figures. This is becoming a lady or a gentleman. . Higgins attempts to show care for Eliza through his dress, but does so in a rather lackluster manner and instead only supports his belief that you must be a lady or a gentleman. Higgins says, "This is my return for offering to take you out of the gutter, dress you up beautifully, and make a lady out of you," which is once again an example of male society ridiculing the lower class, especially the female class. This is contradicted by Dickens who often portrays his own feelings through characters as in Boz's Ladies' Societies from Sketches shows the denial of power-stricken patriarchy from the perspective of female society. The section that supports this is: 'He never does anything with his ownhands; but despite this he is very proud of it; and if you wish to turn your attentions to the youngest daughter, be sure to be in ecstasy with every flower and shrub in it.” Comparisons can also be made between Pip and Eliza. Pip has more of a desire to become a gentleman during Great Expectations. It is clear to see Pip's childlike innocence as he remained friends with Biddy throughout the novel. At one point Pip tells her '“Biddy”, “I want to be a gentleman”'. The demanding language used through the verb "want" shows that Pip has become a more authoritative figure, showing how even when he is innocent the success of Miss Havisham's manipulation is still evident. On the other hand, Pygmalion Eliza realizes her lack of importance when she becomes a social experiment for Higgins. Knowing that Higgins has no kind intentions, he at one point turns to Pickering and says "he might want them for the next girl you choose to experiment with." Eliza begins by speaking directly to Pickering about Higgins, but ultimately directs her anger at both of them. This could be a sign that Eliza is actually starting to take control. This clearly shows that rich people are often ignorant. Those who were manipulated saw dominant figures attempting to corrupt their innocence. Estella, raised by Miss Havisham, has been manipulated into not understanding love. An example of this is the way Estella treats Pip. In their first meeting, Estella turns to Miss Havisham when asked to play cards with Pip and says, "With this boy!" Well, he's an ordinary working boy." The use of exclamatio shows that Estella is disgusted at mixing with the lower class. Towards the end of the novel Estella tells Pip "I won't be like that". Come! Here is my hand. Shall we part, boy or visionary man?'. There is a contrasting exclamation that can be compared to when he says "With this guy!". The exclamatio used supports the idea of ​​an offering of kindness which is very different from the previous depiction, disgust. It is clear that Estella has been manipulated into thinking that the language here is acceptable due to her social status and position. Estella, however, has a feeling of remorse for her attitude and offense towards Pip as she states that "I have not poured out my tenderness anywhere." I've never had anything like it." The romantic vocabulary is shown through the noun "tenderness" which is poetic and suggests the existence of a semantic field of love. This shows that Estella has very little freedom in most of Great Expectations. The poem London, from Songs of Experience, argues that Estella has a lack of freedom. Dickens's poetic style of writing in this passage is closely related to the rhythmic poetry of Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience mind I feel" may be closely related to the predatory relationship between the controlling Miss Havisham and the fragile Estella. In their relationship, Miss Havisham becomes the "handcuffs" who in turn shape Estella's mind from seeing the outside world. An example of Estella having her feelings limited by Miss Havisham comes when Miss Havisham says "Break their hearts!" Estella since she is not given free speech in this passage. Pip is also greatly influenced by Miss Havisham. When Miss Havisham asks him what he thinks of Estella, Pip compliments her on multiple characteristics but then says, "I think she's very offensive." The exclamation is missing as Pip whispers to Miss Havisham showing his care and kindness towards others. This contrasts with Estella's attitude whichhe ridicules him on purpose. Pip is introduced to this harsh treatment of Estella when he hears her say "Good!" You can break his heart.' Once again Miss Havisham uses the harshness of the word 'break' to further convey her selfish intentions. This is why Pip's first taste of high society is bitter and leaves him feeling ashamed rather than angry, which would be justifiable. This shows how Miss Havisham manipulated Estella into being tough on men while Pip was brought up by a "mild, good-natured, good-natured, easy-going, silly dear boy". His change in attitude is forced upon him by Miss Havisham and only becomes apparent when she begins to treat Joe differently. He begins to possess the characteristics of a very snobbish, wealthy, elitist person. Dennis Butts argues that Dickensian society would suggest "working within society in the most dignified way possible." Pip states that communicating with Joe would now be seen as a "conspiracy with the convicts", which is hypocritical since Pip stole "intelligence" from Joe at the very beginning of the novel. Miss Havisham has clearly manipulated him into believing that the lower classes are worth less than the upper classes. Higgins shares similarities with the idea of ​​being "mind-forged handcuffs". Therefore he and Miss Havisham become extremely related. A "phonograph" and a "laryngoscope" are how Higgins exploits the innocent. Higgins' manipulative ways are seen through how his actions have affected Eliza's life. Higgins states that "We can throw her back in the gutter", which is a clear representation of his feelings for those less fortunate than himself. The use of the word "rogue" suggests that Higgins believes that Eliza doesn't even have a home but instead simply lives in a small, damp, cramped area. One similarity in connotations to the chimney sweep in Songs of Innocence is the description of the child. The derogatory language, “little black thing in the snow,” matches that of Higgins' treatment of Eliza. Both of these characters are outcasts from society who live in squalor. It is clear that Eliza had very little desire to become a lady, however Higgins' manipulative ways got the better of her when she finally decided that she wanted to "talk like a lady". This only occurred to her when Higgins pretended to do so. care for her compassionately instead of objectifying her. This was an incorrect assumption as Higgins believed he was "incapable of understanding anything". Manipulative predators prey on innocents because of their selfish and seemingly good-hearted actions. Miss Havisham is able to manipulate Pip and Estella through money. Her desire to manipulate comes from her own amusement and her passionate revenge on male society. Miss Havisham's passionate hatred of men is supported by a passage in Boz's sketches which focuses on possessive male society's derision of women. The crucial phrase in this passage is: "The unthinking part of the parishioners laughed at all this." This is important because it emphasizes that women have a valid reason to disobey and fight against male society. London from Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience contains the line "and ruins with plagues the marriage hearse" which also highlights Miss Havisham's hatred of men. Miss Havisham was left at the altar and this is one of the many reasons why her hatred of men has become so strong. The juxtaposition of "wedding" and "funeral" causes Blake to suggest that life is only necessary so that death can be realized. This is very similarto the attitude to life that Dickens gave to Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham never took off her wedding dress and this meant that her death was still linked to her wedding day. This leaves Miss Havisham wanting revenge and hence her reasoning for manipulating Pip and Estella in such cruel ways. Miss Havisham and Magwitch can also be compared due to the different attitudes they have. They have received very different criticisms, one of which comes from Dorothy Van Ghent who describes Miss Havisham as a "mushroom", suggesting that she grows and lives in unwanted places. In Providential Aesthetic in Victorian Fiction, Thomas Vargish describes Miss Havisham as "the most obviously guilty" and, with relevance and comparison to Magwitch, states that "her twisted nature seems more knowingly malevolent than her plan for Pip". Magwitch is not generally seen as a manipulator, however he does manipulate Pip in a way through the kindness of his heart. Magwitch demonstrates his kindness when he first informs Pip that he is his benefactor. Pip reacts harshly and disrespectfully to this informative news but is calmed by Magwitch who exclaims: "You have behaved noblely, my boy", "Noble, Pip!" And I've never forgotten it!'. Magwitch refers to Pip as his son, which highlights and portrays how he views Pip as one of the closest members of his family. John O. Jordan suggests that Magwitch is "Cain or the Wandering Jew", which portrays him not as an outcast but as a legendary figure destined to wander the Earth. Dickens describes Magwitch as a saintly figure in his court case proving John. O. Jordan is right in his assumption that he is destined for greatness. This shows that Magwitch is a selfless character as although he may appear to manipulate Piphe, he does so out of the kindness of his heart. He wants to give someone the life they never had. However, Magwitch managed to turn his life into wealth by exploiting crime. Therefore this results in a corruption of Pip's innocence as he was provided and assisted by a criminal. Higgins on the other hand has the desire to manipulate Eliza Doolittle's innocence due to her callous nature that needs to be satisfied by fun and sense of pride. . He manages to achieve this sense of pride through the suffering and ridicule of others less fortunate than himself. Higgins has a lot of money. It should also be noted that most of his money came from a large inheritance after the death of his parents. Higgins is different from Miss Havisham in that his intentions are not malicious but more misguided. His actions are not driven by compassion but by a desire for his work to prosper. In Act II of Pygmalion Higgins says 'It's almost irresistible. She is so deliciously short, so horribly dirty." By using the adjective “delightfully,” Shaw is attempting to insert humor into the minds of not only Higgins but also the audience. Dickens and Shaw both show signs that when the upper class behaves as they should, then happiness prevails. Pip and Estella in Dickens's most conventional ending will marry, however Dickens' close friend, Wilkie Collins, suggested that he use another ending in which Estella remarries and Pip remains single. Conclusion This ending would demonstrate the corruption of the innocence of both. characters as it shows that Miss Havisham is successful. Estella has not married the one who loves her and Pip is just as heartbroken as Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham and Magwitch's resolutions are interesting. Magwitch gets a chance to explain a lot to Pip before his death and becomes a manipulator who was given the chance to speak. Pip clearly wants Magwitch to repent as he says “O Lord, be.