Character Types and Tropes In Dickens’ Works
Dickens created vivid and memorable characters, often employing archetypes and caricatures to depict various social classes and personalities. These include the virtuous and innocent young women, the corrupt lawyers, the heartless businessmen, the benevolent benefactors, and the humorous and eccentric individuals.
The Innocent Waif
This character is usually a child or young adolescent who often faces daunting hardships but maintains innocence. Oliver Twist is a perfect example of this trope.
The Jolly Fellow
This character is the comedic relief in several of Dickens’ works. They are cheerful, hearty, and often oblivious to the harshness of reality. Mr. Micawber from “David Copperfield” and Joe Gargery from “Great Expectations” are examples of this personality type.
The Villainous Usurper
This character type is often selfish, scheming, corrupt, and cruel – typically from a position of power or wealth. Examples include Uriah Heep from “David Copperfield” and Fagin from “Oliver Twist.”
The Fallen Woman
This character trope often represents societal views regarding female mortality and frailty. In “Oliver Twist,” Nancy offers a perfect instance of Dickens’ exploration of this archetype.
The Benevolent Benefactor
This occurs in several works where a mysterious benefactor helps the protagonist, often changing the trajectory of their life. For instance, the character of Abel Magwitch in “Great Expectations” turns out to be Pip’s benefactor.
The Scrooge
Named after the famous protagonist in “A Christmas Carol,” this trope represents a character initially presented as selfish, miserly, and unkind but eventually realized their errors through supernatural or extreme means and reforms.
The Big-Hearted Prostitute
Although engaging in morally dubious work, she still has a heart ‘of gold.’ An example of this trope can be found in the character of Nancy from “Oliver Twist.”
The Vengeful Victim
A character who has been wronged and seeks revenge. In “Great Expectations,” Miss Havisham fits into this category, as she is jilted at the altar and seeks to punish all men through her scheme involving Estella and Pip. Remember, while Dickens applied these tropes, his writing often gives these characters depth beyond their ‘typical’ roles, creating multi-dimensional characters who still resonate with readers today.
Last, the Triangle Love Affair is one of my favorite character tropes, or relationship tropes that Dickens is known for, and is widely used in many Young Adult Fiction novels. Below is the perfect example of where Dickens uses it.
In Charles Dickens’ novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities,’ Lucie Manette is central to one of literature’s most famous love triangles. Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton flank her. Lucie and Darnay meet on a packet ship to England after the former has retrieved her father from Paris, and the kindness Darnay shows in ensuring the sickly Doctor Manette’s comfort on the journey ignites the love triangle. Sydney Carton is a lawyer who loves Lucie but knows she will never return his feelings.
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