Oliver Twist

Author: Charles Dickens (UK)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-01
Features: Oliver Twist was first published in 1838. The work describes the "Workhouse," which, as the author himself stated, was an institution that "almost all small and large towns in the world have not had since ancient times." Moreover, the new Poor Law passed by the British Parliament in 1834 made it the only way the government could provide relief to the poor. The establishment of the first Workhouse aimed to transform passive relief for the poor into active education that would enable them to become self-reliant. Orphan Oliver suffered constant bullying in the Workhouse from a young age and, after escaping to London, fell into the clutches of thieves. Just as he was at his wits' end, a group of "virtuous" capitalists extended a helping hand. Meanwhile, Oliver's extraordinary background gradually came to light. The novel profoundly reveals the hardships of life at the bottom of society at that time, criticizes the hypocrisy of British laws that ignored the poor, and features a twisting plot and prominent character development, earning widespread admiration from readers.