Character guide for Oliver Twist.
The novel's hero — an essentially innocent child whose goodness survives every attempt to corrupt or destroy it. Dickens uses Oliver as a vehicle for social criticism: a naturally good child is produced by a society that is entirely hostile to him.
The head of a criminal gang who trains orphaned boys as pickpockets. Dickens's portrayal of Fagin has been criticised as an antisemitic caricature. Teachers should acknowledge this context explicitly.
A brutal burglar — one of Victorian fiction's most frightening villains. His murder of Nancy and his death fleeing across the rooftops are among the novel's most dramatic scenes.
One of the novel's most complex characters — a young woman with a criminal background who nevertheless risks everything to try to help Oliver. Her loyalty to Sikes even while trying to save Oliver is deeply tragic.
A cheerful, skilled young pickpocket who first brings Oliver to Fagin. He is charming and clever, entirely at home in the criminal world.
The kind gentleman who first rescues Oliver. His belief in Oliver's innocence against all apparent evidence is a counterweight to the novel's harsher world.
Free quiz on Oliver Twist — instant answers, no login.