Great Expectations'you are to understand, Mr. Pip, that the name of the person who is your liberal benefactor remains a profound secret...' Young Pip lives with his sister and her husband the blacksmith, with few prospects for advancement until a mysterious benefaction takes him from the Kent marshes to London. Pip is haunted by figures from his past - the escaped convict Magwitch, the time-withered Miss Havisham and her proud and beautiful ward, Estella - and in time uncovers not just the origins of his great expectations but the mystery of his own heart. A powerful and moving novel, Great Expectations is suffused with Dickens's memories of the past and its grip on the present, and it raises disturbing questions about the extent to which individuals affect each other's lives. This edition includes a lively introduction, Dickens's working notes, the novel's original ending, and an extract from an early theatrical adaptation. It reprints the definitive Clarendon text. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
Contents
vii | |
Note on the Text | xxxviii |
Select Bibliography | xl |
A Chronology of Charles Dickens | xliv |
GREAT EXPECTATIONS | 1 |
The Original Ending | 443 |
Dickenss Working Notes | 445 |
All the Year Round Instalments and Chapternumbering in Different Editions | 449 |
The 1861 Theatrical Adaptation | 452 |
Explanatory Notes | 458 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Aged answered appeared asked began believe better Biddy brought called chair child close coming considered convict course dark dear Dickens don’t door doubt dress Drummle Estella Expectations eyes face feeling felt fire followed gave give gone hair hand head hear heard heart held Herbert hold hope hour Jaggers keep knew leave light live London looked manner mean mind Miss Havisham morning natural never night once passed person Pocket poor present Pumblechook question reason replied returned round seemed seen side sister soon speak standing stood stopped street suppose sure taken tell thing thought told took turned voice walk Wemmick window wish Wopsle young