How Does Dickens Challenge The Idea Of A Perfect Woman

Charles Dickens uses a respectful and humble tone, sarcasm, and imagery in Oliver Twist to challenge the idea of a “perfect” woman as described in Nancy and Rose. Although Rose and Nancy have significantly different backgrounds, the two are awfully similar characters. During the Victorian Era, Rose is looked as the sweetest, loveliest, and most virtuous young lady (a typical Victorian heroine). Nancy on the other hand, is one of the scandalous people working for Bill Sikes and Fagin. Her turning point is after Oliver was taken from Mr. Brownlow’s house. Looking at Oliver, Nancy seemed to have been reminded of her own lost innocence. According to the standards during the Victorian Era, both of these characters are thought to be “ideal” because

Nancy was the source of the information about the plot between Monks and Fagin to trap Oliver in a criminal life. Because Nancy was so overly emotional, men who need her (like Bill Sikes and Fagin) find her difficult to work with. This is easily recognized in Fagin’s complaint about Nancy as a woman; “It’s the worst of having to do with women,…but they’re clever and we can’t get on , in our line, without ‘em.’” (Purple 125; Chapter 16). Here, Dickens cleverly uses sarcasm to describe how hard Nancy is to work with because of how emotional she is. Because a horrible person dislikes Nancy as a woman, it turns the whole idea around so that any good person would think that she is an overall good person. Unlike most people of the Victorian society, Nancy is not Coventry Patmore’s “Angel of the House” {“the popular Victorian image of the ideal wife/woman that is expected to be devoted and submissive to her husband” (excerpt from the description of the poem)}, nor she was formally educated. Instead, she learn from the reality of the streets; “’It is my living; and the cold, wet dirty streets are my home…’” (Purple 125; Chapter 16). This is a trait that Dickens likes the most out of Nancy. She is real and does not follow any model and/or image to make her “ideal” to any man. Towards the end of the book, Nancy reflects on her sins, and accepts the consequences; “’How many times do you read of such as I who spring into the tide, and leave no living thing to care for or bewail them. It may be years hence, or it may be only months but I shall come to that at last.’” (Purple 377; Chapter 46). Dickens uses sarcasm and a respectful tone to show that she will die for her sins as that it could have been worst if she did not change her malicious deeds. Her violent and harsh fate reminds the reader of how their society does not accept an exceptionally strong