Miss Havisham Revenge Quotes

Miss Havisham’s Revenge Revenge is defined as seeking harmful actions upon a person or group in response to a grievance. Miss Havisham, in Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations, is seeking revenge on the entire male population for her abandonment at the altar many years ago. This theme persists in Miss Havisham’s character throughout the entirety of the book as she uses Estella as her tool for revenge. In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Miss Havisham’s need for revenge impacts her relationships with her loved ones and results in her delusional thoughts, manipulative tactics, and anxious habits. Miss Havisham adopts a daughter, Estella, in hopes of keeping her heart safe and breaking the hearts of other young gentlemen. She influences

When Pip returns for his second visit to Satis House, he finds himself looking for Estella who is nowhere to be found. Miss Havisham teases the innocent young boy, “‘Abroad,’ said Miss Havisham; ‘educating for a lady; far out of reach; prettier than ever; admired by all who see her. Do you feel that you have lost her?’” (112). She constantly attempts to reform his thoughts and persuade his love for Estella. In turn, Pip becomes self-conscious about his own class status, wanting to be enough for his beloved Estella. The need to be enough for Estella soon dictates some of Pip’s decisions later in life. Miss Havisham wants Pip to feel the suffering, betrayal, and loss of love that she had felt when she was abandoned on her wedding

She had been left at the altar by Compeyson so many years ago and because her love for him was so strong, his betrayal of their love tore her life apart. She copes by disconnecting herself from all others. Miss Havisham tries to disconcert Pip by telling him, “‘You are not afraid of a woman who has never seen the sun since you were born?’”(56). She has locked herself away from society for the past 50 years, still reminiscing about the past. As her old wedding cake and gown collect dust, she picks and itches at her skin with anxiousness. Her isolation limits her growth as an individual due to a loss of experience throughout all those years. This stimulates the neglect of her relationships with those around her and causes those bonds to deteriorate over