Theme Of Domestic Violence In Mrs. Joe Gargery 'By Charles Dickens'

Going back to the idea of inflicting pain upon men, Dickens includes features of violence and pettiness in the description of his female characters. Mrs. Joe Gargery is a clear example in this case. Her personality can be observed right from her name, a patronymic one which suggests that her violent side has masculine roots. Her attacks are not directed solely towards Pip, but also towards her husband, Joe the Blacksmith. Thus, they both become victims of domestic violence, the only difference being that Pip manages to escape while Joe is forced to remain in this dependent relationship due to the manner in which he was raised. Of course, the end of the novel brings a morally charged resolution to the conflict and rewards Joe for his years …show more content…
Pip becomes aware of this existing sexual and class consciousness in a brutal manner. But his upbringing is what makes him accept the torture and return to Estella’s house regularly in order to be with her in spite of her cruel nature and the harsh manner in which she treats him. The torment comes from Estella’s social position and throughout the novel the reader can discover Pip’s frustration with the fact that he is not on the same social position as Estella or Miss Havisham. And by being rejected constantly by Estella, he is drawn more powerfully into this play that leaves significant scars on his heart and personality.
Estella is one of the most complex characters in the novel and she is used to criticize the class system in which she was raised. Miss Havisham teaches her how to be manipulative, cold and cynical with the men around her, transforming her into a sort of anti-heroine. What is interestingly to be observed here is the class distinction inserted by Dickens. Although Estella is raised in the upper class environment her origin is even lower than Pip’s. Her father is Magwitch, the convict that is known to come from the lowest layers of