Great Expectations Essay

In the novel Great Expectations, it’s never quite understood how Miss Havisham became the thoughtless, selfish woman she is portrayed as. Many believe that the man who left her at the altar on their wedding day was the cause of her change. While it’s obvious that Miss Havisham was in pain, Dickens shows that there are many possible reasons that caused her overall cruel and harsh behavior.

Some would say that Miss Havisham had been foolish falling in love with a man lower in society than her. She put her trust in him only to have him con her out of her money and stand her up at the altar, leaving her only with heartbreak. Miss Havisham soon found out the horrible truth, that Compeyson had never really loved her, he had only loved her money. Even worse, she learned that he and her brother were in league with each other and had come up with the scheme of stealing her money. Miss Havisham’s love of her pain, that she had become so accustomed to, could possibly be the root of her nasty behavior. The thought of moving on and pushing past her pain may have been impossible for Miss Havisham to do. If she moved on, what would she do? Her life had been dedicated to making others hurt, just the way she had. “’I’ll tell you,’ said she, in the same hurried passionate whisper, ‘what real love is. It is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the whole world, giving up your whole heart and soul to the smitter—as I did!’” (p.240)

Miss Havisham was a woman who loved her self image, and a woman with plenty of pride. She hid her hurt from most of the world, making them believe that she was a confident woman, when underneath she was broken and only wanted to be loved. Her confidence was merely a mask, a mask that if taken off would have horrible consequences. It is also possible that Miss Havisham was so deeply in love with her ex-fiancé, Compeyson, that she became extremely bitter when he did not love her back. So bitter, in fact, that she would take out her anger and her misery on everyone around her. Her personality and behavior changed the people she interacted with, because of her own selfish ways.

Dickens shows that love, good or bad, is not to be underestimated. Miss Havisham’s loss effected many people, even the people who had brought the loss upon her. Love can change even the best of people into the worst, just as it did to Miss Havisham. It does not change everyone for the worst, but only the people that chose to not move on and to hold onto their pain forever.