By Geneva Napolitano

In Great Expectations, Dickens depicts an eccentric character in Miss Havisham. The unmarried Miss Havisham seems to both conform to and deny the societal standards of unmarried women in the Victorian Age. Spinsters and old maids display particular attitudes and hold certain functions in the society. Miss Havisham's character shows how one woman can both defy and strengthen these characteristics. She, along with several other female characters in the novel, supports the fact that unmarried women were growing in number. In addition, her extravagant appearance aligns her with the common misconceptions of a spinster's appearance as common and unattractive, as well as makes her outcast from society like many unmarried women were. On the other hand, Miss Havisham's wealth is an uncommon characteristic of unmarried women. Furthermore, society does not show disrespect for Miss Havisham as it did for many spinsters; in fact, Miss Havisham portrays an authority rarely associated with spinsters over the lives of a few characters in the novel. Yet, while Miss Havisham's wealth and sense of respect and authority defy these characteristics of spinsters, the reasons she has these traits, her inheritance and social status, realign her with the traditional idea of a spinster.

The novel presents several figures of single women like Miss Havisham, each with her own peculiarities, which is in keeping with the social reality that the number of single women was growing. Molly, Jaggers's maid, is revealed as a murderess with a "diseased affection of the heart" (204; ch. 26). Biddy, the servant at the forge, provides an excellent example of a young woman on the verge of spinsterhood. She is described by Pip as "not beautiful - she was common" and therefore aligns herself with the common, unattractive standard of appearance for spinsters in Victorian time (130; ch. 17). Miss Skiffins, Wemmick's friend, presents herself not only as a single woman but one who takes care of her own finances, which was uncommon in this day. And then there is Miss Havisham, who has risen to the status of old maid through the mere passage of time. All of these women provide examples from the text of single women, which supports the contention of the time that single women were growing in number. Although Biddy and Miss Skiffins do marry, it is important to note not only the length of their spinsterhood, but the circumstances under which it comes to an end. Biddy can only become Joe's wife after Mrs. Joe dies. Wemmick waits until precisely the right time in his affairs to propose to Miss Skiffins so as not to disturb the natural order of his very structured life. While these single women offer a distinct presence in the novel, none plays a large role in society.

Spinsters were often viewed as outcasts from society; there was no respect for a woman who could not marry. Miss Havisham definitely fits the mold of an outcast. After being abandoned at the altar, she decides to stop time in her home in an effort to block out the memory. She removes all natural light from her surroundings and becomes a recluse. She stops the clocks at twenty minutes to nine, the time of her abandonment. She monitors her visitors; only people she has requested or desires to see are admitted to Satis House. For example, Miss Havisham requests Pip's presence but denies admittance to Pumblechook. She even scorns doctors, refusing to allow them to assess her state of mind or her self-imposed healing process. In essence, she allows her seclusion to direct her every thought and action. Her actions condemn her, and at the same time, return her to "an intense desolation, a bitter carelessness of anything but the fact of the betrayal" (Small 193). Miss Havisham has chosen to make herself an outcast. By creating this world for herself, Miss Havisham creates her own prison, one she cannot escape until she comes to terms with her life. In this way, she strengthens the image of spinster as an outcast to society. Her entire life is a tribute to one singular bad experience. Through her exile, Miss Havisham aligns herself with the spinster's identity. In addition, her extravagant appearance also aligns her with the spinster's identity.

Spinsters were often referred to as humorous or grotesque in appearance. Miss Havisham's extravagant appearance defines her grotesque, stereotypical image. Miss Havisham leaves all the remnants of her bridal day about her chamber. She still wears her white dress, veil, and bridal flowers. She has on the same jewelry. Miss Havisham is first seen by Pip in this attire and he realizes "she had not quite finished dressing, for she had but one shoe on" (71; ch. 8). She allows this one moment of her betrayal to direct every aspect of her world down to her hair, makeup, and clothing. Miss Havisham becomes "the bride within the bridal dress that had withered like the dress, and like the flowers, and had no brightness left but the brightness of her sunken eyes" (71; ch. 8). She directs the path of her life toward bitterness and loneliness by concentrating on this particular experience. She becomes withdrawn from society, which is characteristic of spinsters, yet she does so with an audacity Victorians attribute to old maids. Miss Havisham's entire existence is about the moment of her humiliation. Yet, she lives with such a lavishness of character that she aligns herself to the characteristic audacity of an old maid who laughs in the face of the ideas of spinsterhood. An old maid does not care how society feels about any aspect of her life, much less her appearance. Miss Havisham's extravagant appearance supports this notion. She makes no effort to remove the reminders from her life or change any part of her appearance. In a sense, through her extravagance and actions, Miss Havisham is throwing her audacity back in the face of a society which continues to refer to unmarried women as grotesque and comical. Furthermore, this is not the only characteristic of spinsters Miss Havisham defies; she also has no trouble supporting herself financially.

While some spinsters had to secure their own place in the work force for money, some were fortunate enough to have family support. Miss Havisham escapes this predicament due to her vast wealth. Miss Havisham's father, a brewer, amassed a grand fortune in his lifetime. Miss Havisham, being "a spoilt child," is the heir of his estate when he dies (175; ch. 22). Miss Havisham is very aware of her wealth. She knows the power behind the money she possesses. Susan Walsh, in "Bodies of Capital: Great Expectations and the Climacteric Economy," states that once Miss Havisham has been jilted, she withdraws from the brewery and declares "war against traditional economic structures" (93). Walsh notes Miss Havisham does not allow her money to circulate through her male relations, thereby rendering her wealth "economically barren" (90). Despite warnings from Mr. Pocket that she "was doing too much for this man," Miss Havisham continued to place herself "unreservedly in his power" (171; ch. 14). Miss Havisham began her life willing to fulfill her economic position with her wealth as a married woman. Once this is taken away from her, she allows her wealth to become stagnant, much like the deserted, dead surroundings of the brewery and Satis House. In addition, she begins to see Mr. Pocket as "fawning upon her for his own advancement" although his intentions were good (177; ch. 14). Furthermore, Walsh observes that in order for Miss Havisham to reconcile these economic downfalls, she must become interested in her "proper economic role" (93). Walsh states that by aiding Herbert and Matthew Pocket, Miss Havisham reestablishes her "role as the female investor who supports various family enterprises" and "becomes one of the moving forces behind the novel's reconstituted economics" (93). While Miss Havisham's wealth defies the standard for spinster, her unnatural hoarding of her wealth has a staggering effect on her family's economic position. The idea that Miss Havisham had wealth she did not reinvest in her family defies the basic economic ideal of the time. While Miss Havisham's wealth is an uncommon characteristic of spinsters, her reinvestment in her family puts control directly back into a male's hands. When Miss Havisham helps Herbert and Matthew, she turns her wealth over to men in much the same way a wife would do to her husband. In this way, Miss Havisham's wealth realigns her with the characteristic view of women, who were supposed to relinquish control of their money to the men, married or not. In addition to her wealth, Miss Havisham also receives respect, an emotion not normally bestowed upon spinsters.

Contrary to the standard treatment of spinsters, Miss Havisham still receives respect from those she makes contact with. Despite her strange nature and circumstances, "everybody for miles round, had heard of Miss Havisham" (66; ch. 8). Yet no one openly disrespects her. For example, Jaggers does exactly as Miss Havisham instructs in bringing her Estella, "a little girl to rear and love, and save from my fate" (366; ch. 49). Pip never hesitates to do as Miss Havisham commands him, especially when it comes to Estella. She bids him to "Love her, love her, love her! If she tears your heart to pieces - and as it gets older and stronger it will tear deeper - love her, love her, love her!" and Pip does not hesitate to give his entire being to Estella (228; ch. 29). When she summons Joe to speak to him about Pip's apprenticeship, he does not hesitate to go. As a matter of fact, the whole ordeal has him so nerve-wracked, he does not know how to speak to her. Most spinsters do not receive the same respect from others because they lack Miss Havisham's self confidence as a result of their so-called shameful position. Yet while Miss Havisham is respected unlike many spinsters, it is because of her wealth and social position more than her air of self-importance. Miss Havisham's position in society is fixed in the upper class because of her wealth. This, in turn, provides her with a respect unknown to spinsters, who belonged mostly to the middle class. As a result, Miss Havisham never feels unjustified in her thoughts and actions. She uses this respect to her advantage when dealing with outsiders. Miss Havisham's unique economic and social position allows for this respect and authority with others; without it, she would be classified as any other spinster and treated accordingly.

Old maids were also thought to have a sense of authority unlike spinsters. Miss Havisham exhibits this sense of authority in her relationships with Pip and Estella. She uses her authority over both of them to manipulate her relationships with them. With Pip, Miss Havisham allows him to believe she plays a part in his "great expectations" (141; ch. 18). Pip, because he is male, becomes an easy target for Miss Havisham's pent-up pain. She uses him and his reliance on her by taking "delight in seeing Pip's hopes frustrated; his suffering feeds her revenge" (Hartog 256). Miss Havisham continuously implores Pip to love Estella, leading him to believe Estella will soon "be destined for me, once the blacksmith's boy" and return his declarations of love (232; ch. 29). She feeds on his continuing blind devotion to Estella. She takes advantage of every opportunity when they are together to point out Estella's beauty and refinement to Pip in an attempt to frustrate his desires. Furthermore, Miss Havisham also manipulates her authority over Estella. Estella is brought up to attract, entice, and seduce men for the sole purpose of turning them away, without any feeling. Miss Havisham dwells on Estella's outward appearance, often directing Pip's attention to Estella's beauty and making him "notice it more by trying her jewels on Estella's breast and hair" (99; ch. 11). Miss Havisham "objectifies her into a beautiful doll that she can mold" (Rao 1). Miss Havisham, by shaping Estella the way she wants, can then use Estella "to wreak Miss Havisham's revenge on men" (283; ch. 38). Consequently, marriage is not necessary for an old maid like Miss Havisham, because she has Pip and Estella to use in her revenge. They are her vehicles for revenge; she can use her authority as an old maid to manipulate their emotions and thoughts. Once Miss Havisham accomplishes this, her revenge completes itself. She is able to create misery like her own in their lives. Estella ends up a cold, unfeeling woman who has become "what you [Miss Havisham] have made me" (284; ch. 38). Pip devastates himself with the realization that Estella has "put me aside forever" (334; ch. 44). Spinsters normally did not hold such positions of authority in their families. Miss Havisham does, again, because of her wealth and social status. The small sect of women, classified as old maids, who possessed this authority were like Miss Havisham in that their social and economic position granted them such liberties. In addition to respect, Miss Havisham's wealth and social status give her this authority that otherwise would not be possible and was not characteristic of middle-class single women.

What is obvious is that Dickens chose a character like Miss Havisham for a specific purpose. In some aspects of her life, like her wealth and authority, Miss Havisham defies the standards set for a spinster by society. Yet, because of her wealth, Miss Havisham's economic and social status is raised up beyond that of a typical middle-class spinster. It is this raised status that provides her with the additional respect and authority she has as a spinster or old maid, not a mere attitude of self confidence or of complete disregard for society's standard. Taking this into consideration, Miss Havisham supports the characteristics of spinsters and old maids more than she defies them. Her additional attributes, such as being outcast from society and her extravagant appearance, then only further strengthen these norms. Dickens makes her character believable by allowing her to do both, within these prescribed conditions, but, in effect, his portrait of her provides a realistic picture of spinsterhood and old maid living in accordance with the characteristics of these women in his time.

Works Cited

Hartog, Curt. "The Rape of Miss Havisham." Studies in the Novel 14 (1982): 248-265.

Rao, Maya. "Miss Havisham's Objectification of Estella." The Victorian Web. 4 March 1999.

Small, Helen. Love's Madness: Medicine, the Novel, and Female Insanity. Oxford: Clarendon, 1996.

Walsh, Susan. "Bodies of Capital: Great Expectations and the Climacteric Economy." Victorian Studies 37 (1993): 73-97.