The Character of Mr. Jaggers in Great Expectations Essay

The Character of Mr. Jaggers in Great Expectations Mr. Jaggers plays a pivotal role in the novel, Great Expectations, written by Charles Dickens. nbsp;We are first introduced to him in Chapter 11, where Pip encounters the rather condescending lawyer on the stairs of Satis House. Pip describes Mr. Jaggers as a burly man of an exceedingly dark complexion. We cannot help but notice that he is extremely pontificating, by virtue of him holding Pips chin and being almost sure that Pip was of a bad set of fellows although he had scarcely known Pip for two minutes. Mr. Jaggers silent and terrifying ambiguity conjures mystery and enigma all around him. We find that very little is mentioned of his background and that he has no family.†¦show more content†¦He seems to be constantly trying to rid his body of the contamination contracted though his proximity with the morally reprehensible criminals that are his clients. In fact, the criminal element is permanent in Mr. Jaggers. His home is nearly as business-like and callous as his office. By employing Molly, a murderess who escaped the gallows not because of her innocence but because of Mr. Jaggers professional skill, he uncannily casts the prison aura of Newgate over his home. In short, he embodies the inhumanity of a legal system which puts the black letters of the law before the spirit of justice. The critic Edgar Johnson aptly remarked that Jaggers is too dangerous to despise. In the novel, Mr. Jaggers holds all the clues to the plot. He is the lawyer for both Miss Havisham and Magwitch, thus knowing the identities of Estellas mother and Pips benefactor. He is Pips guardian and custodian, thus playing a major role in Pips education. He is somewhat like a filler of all the gaps in the plot; the connector in an entangled web. In Chapter 51, it is through Mr. Jaggers that we finally learn the mystery surrounding Estellas background. Again, we observe the careful and crafty lawyer at work - repeatedly reiterating the words Put the case. and I make no admissions. to Pip as he narrates the account of Estellas past. The scene at Mr. Jaggers London office lucidly portrays how theShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens898 Words   |  4 PagesArguably one of the most feared characters in the book and easily the most influential to other characters in the book. In this magnificent work: Great Expectations, Charles Dickens would not even have a story without the compelling and sinister Mr. Jaggers. The reason Jaggers is who he is simply is because his drive for power, which is fueled by his status as London s greatest lawyer continuing to stay intact. 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