"Who is Fagin?" is not only a question one might come across when reading Charles Dickens’s "Oliver Twist" or watching one of its screen adaptations. In fact, this question has so far concerned different literary critics all approaching various aspects from his role as the "Jew" (Paganoni, Steyn, Morse), over the question whether he is actually villainous or not, to debates concerning gender issues (Foley) and therefore asking if he fulfils either a maternal or paternal role for the children of his gang. Without a doubt there is probably no other character in Charles Dickens‘s novel that offers so many points of critique and or possible interpretations. Although the main plot of the story is about Oliver Twist, it is Fagin who‘s depiction in the novel and later on screen adaptations gets most of the attention by reviews and discussions.
Consequently in my term paper I will mainly deal with Fagin in Charles Dickens’s "Oliver Twist" and will focus on the way Fagin is depicted. Before going into detail on several very distinctive issues, I will analyse his behaviour, language and appearance in general throughout the novel. One of those distinctive issues is his special role for the children as he could be regarded not only as a villain figure but to a certain extent also as some caring paternal or maternal figure. Moreover the question about Fagin‘s depiction as the Jew will be taken care of in a very detailed way since this had been a extremely polarising issue throughout the ages.
Since several of those aspect also come up in Ben Kingsley’s interpretation of his role as Fagin in Roman Polanski’s film version of the novel, I will also analyse whether Polanski’s Fagin is a ‘realistic’ adaptation of the character Dickens portrays in his novel or whether Polanski and Kingsley create their own Fagin and to what extent Polanski‘s adaptation shows similarities with and differences to the novel. Nevertheless I will mainly focus on Dickens’s Fagin and his importance for the story of Oliver.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The depiction of Charles Dickens‘s Fagin
2.1 Appearance, language and behaviour
2.2 Fagin and the conflict of gender roles
2.3 Fagin as a Jew - Race and prejudices
2.4 Fagin as a threat to the Anglo-Christian Victorian family values
3. Polanski‘s screen adaptation of Oliver Twist
3.1 Polanski‘s and Kingsley‘s interpretation of Fagin
3.2 Differences and similarities between the film and the novel
3.2.1 Similarities
3.2.2 Differences
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
5.1 Primary texts
5.2 Secondary texts
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper examines the complex character depiction of Fagin in Charles Dickens's novel Oliver Twist, analyzing his multifaceted roles as a villain, a surrogate father figure, and a figure reflecting 19th-century anti-Semitic prejudices. Furthermore, it investigates how these character traits are adapted and reinterpreted in Roman Polanski’s 2005 film version, focusing on the performance of Sir Ben Kingsley.
- Analysis of Fagin’s behavioral patterns, language, and physical appearance in the novel.
- Exploration of Fagin’s maternal and paternal attributes within the context of Victorian gender roles.
- Examination of the racial tropes and historical prejudices associated with Fagin as "The Jew."
- Comparative analysis of Fagin’s characterization between Dickens’s literary source and Polanski’s cinematic adaptation.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Appearance, language and behaviour
When it comes to analysing Fagin‘s depiction in Charles Dickens‘s novel Oliver Twist, one has to take a “superficial“ look at some features which might appear to be very evident and not very exceptional, but also have to be taken into account, when forming an opinion about the depiction of Fagin.
The moment Fagin is introduced to the reader, Oliver is introduced to him by one of his boys, Dodger. From the first moment, Fagin somehow appears to be strange or misplaced in a way. His „greasy flannel gown, with his throat bare [...]“ and the way he bows to Oliver in a very humble way, do not want to fit his “villanous-looking and repulsive face [...]“ (Dickens 65). For the moment, Fagin goes on with his very accommodating behaviour towards Oliver, telling him to be “very glad to see [...] Oliver [...]“, also providing him with food (66). However, the very next moment, Fagin more or less forced Oliver to drink a glass of hot gin, which does not really match the caring behaviour a few moments earlier. The next Fagin is talking to himself a lot, while admiring his very own and precious treasure. In how far this behaviour can be regarded as feminine or not, will be discussed in detail later on (2.2). Again his talking to himself shifts from a very caring and probably proud tone to a firstly shocking statement, when he explains “[w]hat a fine thing capital punishment is!“ to ensure his own safety (Dickens 67). However, even more shocking is Fagin‘s reaction on recognising that he has been watched by Oliver. Not only does he close his box in a fury, but also threatens Oliver with a knife, asking him what he has seen (Dickens 67-68). Yet again, Fagin‘s behaviour and the way he talks to Oliver change in an instance, when he figures out that Oliver has not watched him as long as he supposed.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research interest in the multifaceted character of Fagin, setting the stage for an analysis of his literary depiction and cinematic adaptation.
2. The depiction of Charles Dickens‘s Fagin: Explores the primary literary text, focusing on Fagin's behavior, potential gender-role conflict, racial representations, and his role as a threat to Victorian family values.
3. Polanski‘s screen adaptation of Oliver Twist: Provides a comparative analysis of the film, highlighting how Ben Kingsley’s performance reinterprets Fagin’s character through similarities and differences to the novel.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes findings on Fagin's ambiguity and reflects on the critical discourse surrounding Dickens’s portrayal of Jewish stereotypes.
5. Bibliography: Lists the primary and secondary sources used for the analysis.
Keywords
Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, Fagin, Roman Polanski, Ben Kingsley, Literary Criticism, Victorian Literature, Anti-Semitism, Gender Roles, Adaptation Studies, Film Analysis, Racial Prejudice, Victorian Family Values, Character Depiction, Pseudofamily
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper primarily investigates the character of Fagin in Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist, exploring how he is depicted as a complex, often contradictory figure and how this depiction is translated to the screen by Roman Polanski.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include the ambiguity of Fagin’s role (villain vs. caregiver), the impact of Victorian gender role expectations, racial and anti-Semitic stereotypes, and the conflict between "pseudofamilies" and ideal Victorian family structures.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The objective is to deconstruct Fagin’s characterization, looking at both the novel’s internal logic and the cinematic choices made by Polanski to humanize or adapt the character for modern audiences.
Which methodology is employed in this paper?
The paper uses a literary and film analytical approach, synthesizing existing academic criticism and close reading of the original text, contrasted with explicit scenes from Polanski’s film.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body examines Fagin’s behaviors and appearance, his role as a parental figure, the discourse surrounding race and Jewishness in the 19th century, and a detailed comparison between scenes in the book and their adaptation in the film.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The key concepts include Fagin, Oliver Twist, Dickens, Polanski, adaptation, anti-Semitism, Victorian values, and character ambiguity.
How does the author evaluate Fagin’s role as a "father" figure?
The author discusses how Fagin, despite his criminal nature, provides shelter and food, leading to academic debates about whether he fulfills a maternal or paternal role for his gang of boys.
Does the author conclude that Dickens was an anti-Semite?
The author presents various critical perspectives on this issue, acknowledging the prejudiced nature of the depiction while suggesting that it must be contextualized within the social and moral climate of Victorian England, without excusing the harmful stereotypes.
- Citar trabajo
- Fabian Zschiesche (Autor), 2012, The depiction of Fagin in Dickens‘s novel and Polanski‘s screen adaptation of "Oliver Twist", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/368122
