When I think of Victorian Monsters and how gender roles help shape them, my thoughts immediately fly to Great Expectations and Ms. Havisham. She is pictured here seemingly frozen in time, wearing her wedding dress and veil, with nothing of her home changed from the moment of her, supposed to be, wedding day.
I would say that she is a product of the betrayal she suffered. This, however, does not excuse what she has done in response to those around her. Because she was betrayed by a man, her fiancé, she in turn finds a way to make men suffer. She takes a child, a young girl, Estella, and manipulates her, molds her and teaches her that love is meaningless and that men are prey. Ms. Havisham takes the role that women are meant to play and ensures that neither Estella nor her future husband will be content in their position. Ms. Havisham’s teachings also take from Estella the one thing that most people want; love, the ability to give and receive love. Estella has been so corrupted that she is now toxic and unable to change.
Ms. Havisham is also unable to change and as we see in the book and movie, her only redemption comes from her death. Purification by fire, very biblical.
Humanities 101 