Charles Dickens's Historical Hauntings: Miss Havisham as the Ghost of History

Abstract: This article unveils the ghost of history displayed through the grotesque body of Miss Havisham. By depicting her as a living wax effigy, Dickens invites a connection with Madame Tussaud's wax museum. The popularity of the museum's Chamber of Horrors, which brought the French Revolution to life for viewers, demonstrates a Victorian interest in the darker aspects of history. I read Great Expectations as a novel fueled by this popular interest in revolution. Mirroring themes and plots central to A Tale of Two Cities , the later novel creates an echo of history displaced onto a contemporary setting. Miss Havisham becomes a conduit through which to access the horrors of history and her female rebellion is infused with revolutionary power. By situating both Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities within a framework of Dickens's beliefs about wholesome entertainment, I explore his perspectives on historical violence and cultural progress.