The nascent years of post-industrial Britain were tumultuous, as are the beginnings of all eras that dismantle age-old beliefs and traditions. It was the advent of capitalism, which meant endless opportunities for wealth through industry and commerce. However, this new system also made immorality a common stepping stone to success; crime, exploitation, and dishonesty became the tools of the nation's trade. The absence of government regulation and therefore the absence of limits has brought prosperity to new levels and suffering to new levels. While capitalism, glorified by philosophers such as Adam Smith, was in theory an almost utopian structure, the reality, particularly in London, was far from perfect. In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens criticizes the ideals of capitalism by describing its plagues, real and symbolic, in the lives of his characters. Through their fate and their motivations, the sufferings of the new socio-economic order become evident: the segregation of classes, the erosion of morality and the alienation of feelings. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One of the fundamental and most often acclaimed principles of capitalism is that it offers everyone the same opportunity to gain wealth. This principle is fully embodied in Great Expectations; not the wealth of a single character derives from aristocratic origins. Indeed, many of the wealthier characters come from the dregs of society: Magwitch is an escaped convict, Estella is the daughter of a gypsy murderer, and Pip is a simple blacksmith's apprentice. However, inequality is still as present as it was in the days when kinship determined rank: it is simply more random. Class segregation has not been abolished at all. There is still a majority of poor people, and they are treated as such. The reason for this is simply because capitalism relies on there always being a class of poor that the rich can exploit. In Great Expectations, the poor are subject to the contempt and manipulation of their financial favorites, even though such elitists may have emerged from the same plane. For example, Estella, despite being a common orphan herself (or presumed to be one at that point in the novel), despises Pip: "'He calls the Jacks, Jack, this boy!' said Estella contemptuously... 'And what coarse hands he has! And what thick boots!'" (Dickens, 64) Indeed, most of Dickens' characters are guilty of forgetting their roots, ignoring the shame of having been poor inflicting it. Shame on the less fortunate. Even Pip, the self-conscious narrator, believes Joe is beneath him after a taste of wealth: "I wanted to make Joe less ignorant and less common, that he might be more worthy of my society, and less open to Estella's reproaches." (Dickens, 108) Magwitch is also treated unfairly based on his class when he and Compeyson are convicted; due to his rudeness, he is given a fourteen year sentence, while the gentleman Compeyson is given only seven. Through such discriminatory behavior, Dickens illustrates not only the inequality, but also the hypocrisy of capitalist wealth. In Great Expectations, morality is often overlooked in the pursuit of capital. In the previous patriarchal model, religion reigned supreme; morality has earned its reward in Heaven. In post-industrial Britain, with a population of competing profiteers, morality is believed to stand in the way of achieving earthly rewards. Dickens shows Pip's moral struggle as he finds thematurity in a city of hustlers and scammers. "'You may be cheated, robbed, and killed, in London. But there are plenty of people everywhere, who will do it for you... They will, if there is anything to be gained by it.'" (Dickens, 164- 165) The theme of crime for profit is prevalent in Great Expectations and embodied by two characters; Mr Jaggers, eCompeyson. Mr. Jaggers, the shrewd businessman lawyer, represents the distortion of justice caused by capitalism. For the right price, he can convince a murderer not to receive a death sentence, conveying the idea that justice can be bought. While Jaggers embodies the loss of conscience in a profiteering society, Compeyson represents its true corruption. Despite being the man who sets the entire story in motion, shaping the lives of multiple characters, he is essentially faceless. Pip does not directly meet him once in the course of his narrative, giving him more symbolic value than character status. His greed and immorality ruin some, like Mrs. Havisham, and bestow fortune on others (albeit indirectly), like Estella. In a way, it's like a twist on the “invisible hand” theorized by Adam Smith, an invisible force that drives the economy. Another character who represents the link between morality and money is Herbert. He is portrayed as a true gentleman, with no ill will towards anyone and with high moral standards. His marriage to Clara, despite his class, shows that he is fair and honorable. However, his qualities are also his hindrance, financially speaking, as noted by Pip: "I had great ideas of the wealth and importance of the ship insurers in the city, and I began to think with awe, of having put a young insurance man on his back, blackened his enterprising eye and opened his responsible head. But, once again, it occurred to me... that strange impression that Herbert Pocket would never have much success or wealth. " (Dickens, 175) Thus, it is shown. that a moral (self-dependent) capitalist is rarely successful. However, it should be noted that at the end of the novel, each character receives what they deserve for their morality, or lack thereof. It seems that the immoral characters die, while the moral ones find happiness, showing that justice is ultimately delivered at the hands of providence. While immorality stems from a lack of conscience, lack of conscience stems from an alienation from emotions. In Great Expectations there are conflicts between feelings and business, because while humans are inherently driven by emotion, money certainly isn't. The two characters who best embody this conflict are Wemmick and Estella. Both hold the belief that emotions make one susceptible to predators, but demonstrate this in different ways. Wemmick personifies the duality between success and feelings; lives a double life. On the one hand, it is Mr Jaggers' cold drone in the office, empty but oriented towards profit, logic and business. On the other, he is Pip's affable friend, a man who enjoys the free time of life at home with his father. Pip notices this split personality when he and Mr. Wemmick dine with Jaggers: "He turned his eyes to Mr. Jaggers every time he lifted them from the table, and to me he was dry and distant as if there were twin Wemmicks and this one was the wrong one. " (Dickens, 363) Wemmick lives in Walworth, which he built to resemble a castle, with his father. His father is also an important symbol. The "Aged" represent the former patriarchal model of government of the population. While still somewhat extant, its influence has been significantly weakened. The Old Man lives in his castle, deaf to what is happening around him, and is content just to receive a nod.