Victorian Literature: Women's Nature In Oliver Twist Martyrs and whores: Women's true nature in Oliver Twist

The women of Oliver Twist play an important function in the novel, both symbolically as well as in terms of the plot. The novel begins with the title boy being given birth to by a women in poverty and is subsequently consigned to a workhouse. Later, as a result of a series of strange circumstances, he is found to be of noble birth. Nancy, a 'whore with a heart of gold' sacrifices herself so Oliver can move on to a new life. Women in the novel are primarily seen as nurturers, and that nurturing function enables Oliver to survive. When that nurturing function is perverted, as in the case of prostitution or the scheming Mrs. Mann, Dickens uses this as evidence of the corruption of larger society. Similarly, when male figures like Fagin attempt to taken on nurturing roles, this similarly underlines the degree to which what is natural in society has become perverted, gross, and corrupt.

Early on in the novel, young Oliver is seen as condemned by the unmarried status of his mother Agnes who dies in childbirth: "The surgeon leaned over the body, and raised the left hand. 'The old story,' he said, shaking his head: 'no wedding ring, I see. Ah! Good night!'" (Chapter 1). Although it is later discovered that Oliver's mother loved his father, the idea of legitimate paternity results in the child being consigned to the workhouse for the duration of his existence. His mother's disgraced, unwed state and her poverty -- as well Oliver's lack of a father -- defines Oliver for much of the novel. The lack of a mother results in Oliver being placed in the hands of Mrs. Mann, a woman who, rather than placing children first, as the novel implies she should, given her duty and also because of her gender, rather places her own needs first: "The elderly female was a woman of wisdom and experience; she knew what was good for children; and she had a very accurate perception of what was good for herself. So, she appropriated the greater part of the weekly stipend to her own use, and consigned the rising parochial generation to even a shorter allowance than was originally provided for them" (Chapter 2). Adults in general focus upon their own need for food, money, and luxury and deny the basic necessities to children but the fact that a woman denies Oliver these things is seen as particularly noxious.

Oliver, however, retains an angelic vision of his mother in his mind's eye and his willingness to defend the woman against the taunts of another boy is seen as evidence of his moral superiority. "Of a broken heart, some of our old nurses told me…I think I know what it must be to die of that!" says Oliver, in response to allegations that his mother was 'bad' and virtually the one time in the novel in which Oliver shows any initiative is defending his mother (Chapter 6). When Oliver runs away to the city, he finds himself under the 'care' of the criminal Fagin, who is a fence and runs a pickpocket operation. Fagin styles himself as an almost maternal-like figure, looking over his boys: "The merry old gentleman, placing a snuff-box in one pocket of his trousers, a note-case in the other, and a watch in his waistcoat pocket, with a guard-chain round his neck, and sticking a mock diamond pin in his shirt: buttoned his coat tight round him, and putting his spectacle-case and handkerchief in his pockets, trotted up and down the room with a stick, in imitation of the manner in which old gentlemen walk about the streets any hour in the day" (Chapter 9). There is a sexual suggestion in the way that Fagin 'trains' the young pickpockets and his cloying manner. Oliver's innocence makes him vulnerable to Fagin's advances: he has no real idea that he has been sucked into an illegal operation.

Oliver is unable to understand the wickedness of the prostitutes and the pickpockets in his circle: a "couple of young ladies called to see the young gentlemen; one of whom was named Bet, and the other Nancy. They wore a good deal of hair, not very neatly turned up behind, and were rather untidy about the shoes and stockings. They were not exactly pretty, perhaps; but they had a great deal of colour in their faces, and looked quite stout and hearty. Being remarkably...

As there is no doubt they were" (Chapter 9). The girls are thought 'pretty' because they are wearing rouge and other feminine accoutrements as part of their trade which Oliver humorously cannot realize show they are not respectable. But ironically, even respectable adults do not realize when Nancy pretends to be Oliver's mother to take him away from the wealthy benefactor who becomes his patron when Oliver is unjustly accused of being a pickpocket. "You see he knows me! ..He can't help himself. Make him come home, there's good people, or he'll kill his dear mother and father, and break my heart!" she cries in a convincing, false performance (Chapter 15). Once again, Oliver's lack of a clear, true mother makes him vulnerable to evil.
Unlike the male criminals in the novel, Nancy does have a conscience and begins to repent what she did to Oliver. She martyrs herself trying to protect him in the end. This is prefigured after Nancy's first kidnapping when she shows Oliver the physical scars she has endured on his behalf:

"I have saved you from being ill-used once, and I will again, and I do now," continued the girl aloud; "for those who would have fetched you, if I had not, would have been far more rough than me. I have promised for your being quiet and silent; if you are not, you will only do harm to yourself and me too, and perhaps be my death. See here! I have borne all this for you already, as true as God sees me show it."

She pointed, hastily, to some livid bruises on her neck and arms. (Chapter 20).

It should be noted that Nancy, although she is said to look older than her years and drinks heavily, is barely an adult herself: she says she became a thief when she was half Oliver's age twelve years ago. Despite this, she becomes a kind of substitute mother for Oliver until Oliver's true parents are identified. Even though Nancy is not nobly born, she comes to act nobly although she pays dearly for this price (similarly, Oliver's mother sacrifices her life for her child). Nancy, because of her status as a woman, seems to have an innate sense of motherly affection towards Oliver that others do not: "The sight of him turns me against myself, and all of you" she says to Fagin, referring to Oliver (Chapter 26). Dickens subtly blames Nancy's fall on Fagin on numerous occasions, including her vice of drunkenness, which he says Fagin encouraged as a way of establishing greater control over her. Nancy's true, female nature is a womanly and good one, but her poverty and occupation subvert it and make it impossible for her to rise above her circumstances. Her pretense of being a mother to Oliver is real to some extent in the sense that she eventually does show motherly care towards him but ultimately she 'pays' for her occupation with a high price, namely her own life and also the love of Bill Sikes, the one man she loves. Still, Nancy stands in sharp contrast to figures such as the Artful Dodger, who seem to enjoy their criminal enterprises with Fagin. Nancy does not seem to enjoy being a criminal but has known no other life.

Nancy also stands in stark contrast to the genteel women of the novel who are accorded respectability and also the ability to live on for another day. Of Miss Rose, similar to Nancy's age it is written:

She was not past seventeen. Cast in so slight and exquisite a mould; so mild and gentle; so pure and beautiful; that earth seemed not her element, nor its rough creatures her fit companions. The very intelligence that shone in her deep blue eye, and was stamped upon her noble head, seemed scarcely of her age, or of the world; and yet the changing expression of sweetness and good humour, the thousand lights that played about the face, and left no shadow there; above all, the smile, the cheerful, happy smile, were made for Home, and fireside peace and happiness (Chapter 29).

Her domesticity is in stark contrast to Nancy's slatternly appearance and room. Dickens seems to suggest that women are made for 'home' and to deny a woman her right to a home is a dangerous thing. However, because of woman's higher nature, they are sometimes able to overcome their debasing circumstances like Nancy .Still, the…