“OLIVER TWIST”
BY
CHARLES DICKENS
BA II (British Literature)
ENG DSC203
Characters
• Mr Sawerberry: The undertaker to whom Oliver is apprenticed to
be a criminal.
• Fagin: Fagin takes homeless children and provides training to them
regarding the art of pick pocketing.
• Mr Brownlow: a gentleman who serves as Oliver’s first benefactor.
He has a sound common sense and behaves with compassion and
proves himself a great leader.
• Nancy: one of Fagin’s former child pick pockets
• Bill Sykes: A brutal professional burgler brought up in Fagin’s gang
• Rose: A virtuous character having a relationship with Oliver. even
before they are not aware of the fact that the two are related.
• Noah: Mr Sawerberry’s apprentice working as
a charity boy.
• Mr Bumble: A minor church official –for the
workhouse where Oliver is born.
Oliver Twist is born in a workhouse in England. His
mother is found on the street and dies just after
Oliver’s birth. Nobody knows the name of his
mother. Oliver spends the first nine years of his life
in a badly run home for young orphans and then is
shifted to a workhouse for adults. When other boys
bully Oliver into asking for more gruel at the end of
a meal, Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle, agrees to
give five pounds for taking the boy away from the
workhouse.
• Oliver narrowly escapes being apprenticed to
a brutish chimney sweep and is eventually
apprenticed to a local undertaker, Mr
Sawerberry. After Noah’s disparaging
comment about Oliver’s mother, the latter
attacks him. He incurs the wrath of
Sowerberry. Oliver runs away at dawn and
travels toward London.
• Outside London, Oliver tired and exhausted, meets
Jack Dawkins, a boy his own age. Jack offers him
shelter in the London house of his benefactor, Fagin.it
is revealed that Fagin is a criminal who ensnares
orphan boys to pick pockets for him.
• After learning the art of pick pocketing, Oliver starts
his mission of pick pocketing with two other boys.
Oliver feels surprised and runs off when he sees
them swipe a pockets from a gentleman. he is caught
bur fortunately escapes being convicted of the theft.
• Mr Brownlow’s handkerchief was stolen but
he takes Oliver to his home and nurses him
back to normal. Mr Brownlow is surprized by
the fact that Oliver resembles to a lady whose
portrait hangs on the walls of his house. Oliver
thrives in Brownlow’s house, but two smart
and clever adults, Bill Sykes and his lover
Nancy, captivate Oliver and had over him to
Fagin.
• Fagin deputes Oliver to help Sikes in a burglary. Oliver
is shot by a servant of the house and after Sikes
escapes, is taken in by the women who live there,
Mrs Maylie and her elegant adopted niece Rose.
• They become so familiar with Oliver and the latter
also spends quality time in summer with them in the
countryside. But Fagin and the mysterious Monks try
to recapture Oliver. Meanwhile , it is revealed that
Oliver’s mother left behind a gold locket when she
died.
• Monks obtains the locket and destroys it. After
Maylies arrive in London, Nancy secretly meets
with Rose and informs her of Fagin’s designs. But
a member of Fagin’s gang overhears this
conversation. When Sikes comes to know about
Nancy’s disclosure, he brutally murders Nancy
and flees London. His conscience constantly
pricks him. Apart from this, an angry mob chases
him and he, inadvertently, hangs himself while
trying to escape.
• Mr. Brownlow, with whom the Maylies have reunited Oliver, confronts
Monks and wrings the truth about Oliver’s parentage from him. It comes
to limelight that Monks is Oliver’s half brother. Their father Mr. Leeford
was not happy and satisfied with his marriage. Although his wife was a
wealthy lady, yet he had an affair with Oliver’s mother, Agnes Fleming.
• Monks wanted to deprive Oliver of his share of family inheritance. That is
why he has been pursuing Oliver. Mr. Brownlow forces Monks to sign over
Oliver’s share to Oliver.
• It is also revealed that Rose is Agnes’s younger sister, hence Oliver’s aunt.
Fagin is hung for his brutal crimes. In the end, Mr. Brownlow adopts Oliver,
and they and the Maylies enjoy a happy and joyful existence in the
peaceful countryside.
About the Story
• Oliver Twist is presented in 2005 as a British
drama film directed by Roman Polanski, in 3
television as a series.
• It was also presented as amini series, and
musical film in 1968.
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