How Does Dickens Present The Different Types Of Love

Great Expectations, written by Charles Dickens in 1860-1861 and set in the early 1800s, presents several forms of love. The most prominent is the romantic love Pip holds for Estella, however this ‘love’ is merely infatuation. Similarly, in The Young Victoria, which is also set in the early 1800s, Prince Albert displays true love for Victoria. Pip’s affection is shallow, and based solely on appearance, wealth and status, as even Pip comes to understand, “I loved her simply because I found her irresistible.” He loves her because she is unreachable. Conversely, Prince Albert seeks out Victoria as part of a ‘game’ he is forced to play, but naturally falls in love with her, even admitting that he “likes her more than [he] could ever hope.” In the

Many of the environments they interact in are cold, lifeless or dark, (such as Satis House) and convey to the readers an oppressive, foreboding tension, foreshadowing an unhappy path for the two. In his text, Dickens challenges the attitude that real love is “blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the whole world,” by portraying the harsh reality of this form of love. In contrast the use of visual codes in, The Young Victoria portrays Prince Albert and Victoria’s relationship with warm colours and soft lighting, to allude to the tenderness and understanding between them. Their relationship is built on trust and equality, which can be summarised by Victoria asking, “We will take care of each other won’t we?” and Albert replying “Always.” This is a stark contrast to the damaging relationship between Pip and Estella. The film shows the value