In "Oliver Twist", Dickens presents the everyday existence of the lowest members of English society and realistically portrays the horrible conditions of the nineteenth century workhouses. Hence, in the story of Oliver Twist, Dickens uses past experiences from his childhood and targets the Poor Law of 1834 which renewed the importance of the workhouse as a means of relief for the poor. In fact, Dickens’ age was a period of industrial development marked by the rise of the middle class. In the elections brought about by the accession of William IV in 1830, the Tories lost control of the government. Assumption of power by the Whigs opened the way to an era of accelerated progress.
In this time period, children worked just as much, if not more, than some of the adults. After 1833, an increased amount of legislation was enacted to control the hours of labour and working conditions for children and women in manufacturing plants. The Poor Law of 1834 wanted to make the workhouse more of a deterrent to idleness as it was believed that people were poor because they were lazy and needed to be punished. So people in workhouses were deliberately treated harshly and the workhouses were similar to prisons.
In the following, it will be analyzed how Dickens attacks the defects of existing institutions in his novel "Oliver Twist". Hence, it will be shown how Dickens creates a fictive world that was a mirror in which the truths of the real world were reflected. However, firstly, it is necessary to take a closer look at the historical background. Thus, the attitude of Victorian society towards the poor comes into view and with it the central issues of child labour, Poor Laws and workhouse conditions. Secondly, when regarding the central theme of child labour in "Oliver Twist", one must also be aware of Dickens’ childhood and social background, "Oliver Twist" being partly an autobiographic novel.
Table of Contents
0. Introduction
1. Victorian Morals and the Poor
1.1. Poor Laws and Workhouses
1.2. Child Labour
2. Dickens’ Childhood and Background
3. Cold Reality of Workhouses: Oliver Twist’s Social Commentary
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
This work examines the harsh socio-economic conditions of the Victorian Era and analyzes how Charles Dickens utilized his novel "Oliver Twist" as a medium for social commentary. The primary research goal is to demonstrate how Dickens drew upon his own childhood hardships and the historical realities of the Poor Law of 1834 to expose the systemic injustice, exploitation of children, and the punitive nature of the Victorian workhouse system.
- Historical context of Victorian morals and the rise of the middle class.
- The role and impact of the Poor Law of 1834 on the impoverished.
- Systemic child labor practices and their effect on education and health.
- The influence of Dickens' personal autobiography on his literary characterization.
- Social criticism of institutional hypocrisy and the neglect of the vulnerable.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Cold Reality of Workhouses: Oliver Twist’s Social Commentary
Dickens novel Oliver Twist shows the social injustice of the nineteenth century, for the first part of the novel challenges the organizations of charity run by the church and the government in Dickens’s time. The system Dickens describes was put into place by the Poor Law of 1834, which stipulated that the poor could only receive government assistance if they moved into government workhouses. Dickens uses the story of the boy Oliver Twist to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the petty middle-class bureaucrats, who treat a small child cruelly while voicing their belief in the Christian virtue of giving charity to the less fortunate.
Hence, Oliver is the touchstone for the lack of mercy and charity in society. His plight absorbs the main force of the narrative, sometimes to a profoundly moving extent, as when he voices his agony of his childish grief on being brought away by Bumble from the wretched baby-farm, associated merely with depravation, but containing also his companions in misery. So he desperately cries: “So lonely, sir! So very lonely!”, causing even Bumble to lose his composure (Oliver Twist, Ch. IV, p. 40). Isolated from those who can offer him the compassion and security for which he so desperately longs, Oliver is a pitiful object. Thus, his primary function is to reveal the neglect and corruption of those around him.
Summary of Chapters
0. Introduction: This chapter introduces the societal context of poverty in the nineteenth century and establishes the author's intent to analyze Dickens' "Oliver Twist" as a critique of Victorian social structures.
1. Victorian Morals and the Poor: This section explores the historical backdrop of the era, focusing on the rise of the middle class and the subsequent implementation of the Poor Law of 1834, which mandated punitive workhouses.
1.1. Poor Laws and Workhouses: This subsection details the institutionalized misery within workhouses, describing the harsh treatment of inmates and the underlying ideology of deterrence over support.
1.2. Child Labour: This subsection examines the widespread exploitation of children in factories and mines, highlighting the severe lack of education and the dangerous, unsanitary living conditions they endured.
2. Dickens’ Childhood and Background: This chapter connects Charles Dickens' early personal experiences of poverty and child labor to the themes present in his literary work.
3. Cold Reality of Workhouses: Oliver Twist’s Social Commentary: This chapter analyzes how "Oliver Twist" functions as a mirror to reality, specifically targeting institutional hypocrisy and the lack of compassion in Victorian society.
4. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the impact of the novel in helping to influence social awareness and subsequent reforms in the treatment of the impoverished.
Keywords
Victorian England, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, Poor Law of 1834, Workhouses, Child Labour, Social Commentary, Industrial Revolution, Middle Class, Victorian Morals, Poverty, Social Injustice, Institutional Hypocrisy, Education, Childhood Hardships
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
The work focuses on the intersection of nineteenth-century social history and the literary criticism of Charles Dickens’ "Oliver Twist," specifically regarding the treatment of the poor in Victorian England.
Which central topics are discussed in the text?
Central topics include the Poor Law of 1834, the daily realities of workhouse life, child labor practices, the rise of the Victorian middle class, and the influence of Dickens' personal biography on his writing.
What is the main research objective?
The research aims to analyze how Dickens used his novel as a social tool to protest against the inhumane treatment of the poor and to expose the systemic corruption within Victorian charitable and governmental institutions.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study utilizes a literary analysis approach combined with historical research, cross-referencing fictional depictions of poverty in "Oliver Twist" with real-world historical data and secondary sociological sources.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body examines historical industrial shifts, the specific nature of the Poor Laws, the harsh conditions for child laborers, and how these elements are reflected in the characters and plot of "Oliver Twist."
Which keywords characterize this analysis?
Key terms include Victorian Era, Oliver Twist, workhouse, child labor, social reform, poverty, middle-class values, and literary social commentary.
How did Dickens' own life influence the portrayal of Oliver Twist?
Dickens' experience working at a blacking factory after his father's incarceration provided him with firsthand insights into the trauma and degradation faced by the poor, which he later projected onto the character of Oliver Twist.
What was the intent of the Poor Law of 1834 according to the text?
The law was intended as a deterrent to idleness; it sought to make workhouse conditions so miserable that only the truly desperate would seek public assistance, effectively framing poverty as a moral failing.
- Quote paper
- Sirinya Pakditawan (Author), 2002, Childhood in Victorian England and Charles Dickens' novel "Oliver Twist", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/59347
