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The workhouse on which Dickens based his writing is a Georgian building on Cleveland Street, London. While “scholars have long debated the location of Oliver Twist’s workhouse and suggestions have been made that it was in Kent or even Northamptonshire,” evidence from the novel places the building about 70 miles Northeast of London (Bradbury). The building that Dickens based it off of is located at 38 Cleveland St, Paddington, London, United Kingdom, just nine doors down from Dickens' childhood home.
In the novel, Oliver was born in a workhouse. Workhouses are purposely portrayed by Dickens from the very beginning as utterly vile and inhumane places. Dickens used Oliver’s rough childhood in the workhouse to emphasize the terrible conditions and overall unpleasantness of real workhouses in the Victorian Era. Even the workhouse’s curator in the novel symbolizes the corruption rampant in Victorian society. When Oliver famously asks for “some more” food, he is not only denied, but ridiculed and subsequently flogged for his supposed insolence.
The basis for Oliver's workhouse in the novel was known in the Victorian Era as the Strand Union Workhouse. As a teenager Dickens lived only 100 yards, or nine doors down (at 22 Cleveland St, which was known at the time as 10 Norfolk St.) away from this building- it was the only one of three similar buildings still in use during Dickens’ tenure as an author. It was originally constructed in 1775 as the workhouse of St Paul's church parish in Covent Garden. After the passage of the New Poor Law, the building was used to serve multiple parishes in the central London area, all of which were considered “poor.” The workhouse’s slogan, which is inscribed above the entrance, is "Avoid idleness and intemperance,” which is ironic because those were two major components of workhouses. Workhouses were home to notoriously harsh conditions during their existence. Although the New Poor Law of 1834 mandated these workhouses to certain parishes, the English government really wanted to use workhouses to inspire their residents to seek better lives. This tactic was only partially successful because most workhouse residents lacked the motivation to do this and opted instead to continue living in destitution on the streets.
In the novel, Oliver was born in a workhouse. Workhouses are purposely portrayed by Dickens from the very beginning as utterly vile and inhumane places. Dickens used Oliver’s rough childhood in the workhouse to emphasize the terrible conditions and overall unpleasantness of real workhouses in the Victorian Era. Even the workhouse’s curator in the novel symbolizes the corruption rampant in Victorian society. When Oliver famously asks for “some more” food, he is not only denied, but ridiculed and subsequently flogged for his supposed insolence.
The basis for Oliver's workhouse in the novel was known in the Victorian Era as the Strand Union Workhouse. As a teenager Dickens lived only 100 yards, or nine doors down (at 22 Cleveland St, which was known at the time as 10 Norfolk St.) away from this building- it was the only one of three similar buildings still in use during Dickens’ tenure as an author. It was originally constructed in 1775 as the workhouse of St Paul's church parish in Covent Garden. After the passage of the New Poor Law, the building was used to serve multiple parishes in the central London area, all of which were considered “poor.” The workhouse’s slogan, which is inscribed above the entrance, is "Avoid idleness and intemperance,” which is ironic because those were two major components of workhouses. Workhouses were home to notoriously harsh conditions during their existence. Although the New Poor Law of 1834 mandated these workhouses to certain parishes, the English government really wanted to use workhouses to inspire their residents to seek better lives. This tactic was only partially successful because most workhouse residents lacked the motivation to do this and opted instead to continue living in destitution on the streets.
Dickens had reported on the Tooting baby farm run by a man called Drouet, and it is possible that this was the basis for Mrs. Mann’s house in Oliver Twist. Baby farms were located both in the city and sparse suburbs at the houses of primarily women. In Oliver Twist, this house was located 3 miles from the workhouse.
It is revealed in the novel that after Oliver’s birth, he is sent to what was colloquially known as a “baby farm.” Normally, as per the stipulations of the Poor Law Amendment of 1834, a bastard baby such as Oliver would be the responsibility of its mother until it turned 16. Since Oliver’s mother died just after his birth and there were no alternatives for adoption or similar services, he was relegated to a baby farm. These baby farms were poor and illegal excuses for a child-raising environment as the children experienced conditions similar to those of workhouses - filth, malnutrition, and blatant mistreatment were all too common for the unfortunate residents of these homes. Many baby farms were simply slaughterhouses that dealt with excess children in their possession by killing them. Many of these baby farms boasted mortality rates as staggeringly high as 90% - close to 40% higher than the average urban child mortality rates and 60% higher than the average rural child mortality rates (“Deaths at Different Ages Registered in the Year 1897”). It was difficult to find the traces of baby farmers because the infant mortality rate was so high in general during the Victorian Era and babies could not be traced to their mothers. There were, however, a few famous cases of baby-farming-gone-bad, shown below (Clark):
“Six baby farmers were hanged in England and one each in Scotland and Wales over the 40 year period from 1870 - 1909. These were :
Margaret Waters (34) who was hanged by William Calcraft at Horsemonger Lane Goal in Surrey on Wednesday, the 11th of October 1870 for the murder John Walter Cowen.
Annie Tooke (40) who was hanged by William Marwood at Exeter on Monday, the 11th of August, 1879. Annie was executed for the murder of six month old Reginald Hyde.
Jessie King, (27), was hanged by James Berry at Calton prison, Edinburgh on Monday, the 11th of March, 1889 for the murder, by strangling, of Alexander Gunn, one of two children in her care whom she murdered and buried in her cellar.
Amelia Dyer (57) was hanged by James Billington at Newgate prison on Wednesday, the 10th of June, 1896 for the murder of four month old Doris Marmon.
Ada Chard-Williams (24) was hanged at Newgate prison in London by James Billington on Tuesday, the 6th of March, 1900. She was the last woman to hang at Newgate.
Annie Walters (54) and Amelia Sach (29), the "Finchley Baby Farmers," became the first women to be hanged in London’s new women's prison at Holloway on the 3rd of February 1903 by William Billington and Henry Pierrepoint.
Rhoda Willis (44), also known as Leslie James, was hanged by Henry and Thomas Pierrepoint at Cardiff prison on Wednesday, the 14th of August, 1907 for the murder of a one day old girl child by the surname of Treasure.”
It is revealed in the novel that after Oliver’s birth, he is sent to what was colloquially known as a “baby farm.” Normally, as per the stipulations of the Poor Law Amendment of 1834, a bastard baby such as Oliver would be the responsibility of its mother until it turned 16. Since Oliver’s mother died just after his birth and there were no alternatives for adoption or similar services, he was relegated to a baby farm. These baby farms were poor and illegal excuses for a child-raising environment as the children experienced conditions similar to those of workhouses - filth, malnutrition, and blatant mistreatment were all too common for the unfortunate residents of these homes. Many baby farms were simply slaughterhouses that dealt with excess children in their possession by killing them. Many of these baby farms boasted mortality rates as staggeringly high as 90% - close to 40% higher than the average urban child mortality rates and 60% higher than the average rural child mortality rates (“Deaths at Different Ages Registered in the Year 1897”). It was difficult to find the traces of baby farmers because the infant mortality rate was so high in general during the Victorian Era and babies could not be traced to their mothers. There were, however, a few famous cases of baby-farming-gone-bad, shown below (Clark):
“Six baby farmers were hanged in England and one each in Scotland and Wales over the 40 year period from 1870 - 1909. These were :
Margaret Waters (34) who was hanged by William Calcraft at Horsemonger Lane Goal in Surrey on Wednesday, the 11th of October 1870 for the murder John Walter Cowen.
Annie Tooke (40) who was hanged by William Marwood at Exeter on Monday, the 11th of August, 1879. Annie was executed for the murder of six month old Reginald Hyde.
Jessie King, (27), was hanged by James Berry at Calton prison, Edinburgh on Monday, the 11th of March, 1889 for the murder, by strangling, of Alexander Gunn, one of two children in her care whom she murdered and buried in her cellar.
Amelia Dyer (57) was hanged by James Billington at Newgate prison on Wednesday, the 10th of June, 1896 for the murder of four month old Doris Marmon.
Ada Chard-Williams (24) was hanged at Newgate prison in London by James Billington on Tuesday, the 6th of March, 1900. She was the last woman to hang at Newgate.
Annie Walters (54) and Amelia Sach (29), the "Finchley Baby Farmers," became the first women to be hanged in London’s new women's prison at Holloway on the 3rd of February 1903 by William Billington and Henry Pierrepoint.
Rhoda Willis (44), also known as Leslie James, was hanged by Henry and Thomas Pierrepoint at Cardiff prison on Wednesday, the 14th of August, 1907 for the murder of a one day old girl child by the surname of Treasure.”
Oliver is sent to work as an apprentice for Mr. Sowerberry, the parish undertaker. Mr. Sowerberry’s coffin shop was located in the Bermondsey area of London. In the Victorian Era, this riverside district was a slum that housed some of London’s poorest (Wikipedia). The measles epidemic that occurs around this area in the novel was most likely caused by the horrendous conditions prevalent in such a poor area. The slum neighborhood was located on a marsh and there were open sewers and few roads. This combination lead to a disasterous death toll in Bermondsey (Grant). Undertakers provided a vital role to the community as mortality rates were so extremely high during the Victorian Era.
In the novel, the Dodger takes Oliver to Fagin’s den of thieves after Oliver arrives in London. Fagin’s den was located in the Saffron Hill district of London. In Oliver Twist, this location was depicted as “the emporium of petty larceny.” In the Hand-Book on London, Peter Cunningham describes Saffron Hill as a dirty neighborhood located between Holborn and Clerkenwell that was “densely inhabited by poor people and thieves” (Cunningham). Thomas Beames provides a firsthand look of the area in “The Rookeries of London”, published in 1852. To the east of Saffron Hill lies a large sewer called the Fleet Ditch (Beames). This stream of putrid refuse and waste flowed directly under the houses of this Saffron Hill and created a wretched stench. Historically, this area is proven to be a filthy area of London known for its crime and overall poverty.
Clerkenwell Green served as the location for Oliver to be introduced to the practice of thievery by Dodger and Charley Bates. Dodger, Bates, and Oliver walk from Fagin’s Den to the Clerkenwell Green in order to steal from the rich and middle class residents that lived in the area. Here Dodger and Bates steal Mr. Brownlow’s handkerchief, and the theft is blamed on Oliver, resulting in a chase and his capture by the police.
Clerkenwell Green was a central marketplace for the many small shops and stalls owned by residents in the Clerkenwell area. Clerkenwell had a reputation among Londoners as a resort-like area where they could enjoy spas, tea gardens, and theatres. It had become a fashionable place of residence for the upper middle-class, while otherwise populated by watchmakers, clockmakers, jewelers, goldsmiths, enamellers, and other such artisans ("Clerkenwell - History - Encyclopedia II.").
Dickens’ use of this area for the initial appearance of Mr. Brownlow helps establish the characterization that Dickens later continues through the novel. In this characterization, among that of the other characters, he embeds his social critique of the neglect of the poor’s morality and the glorification of the rich’s. Using such a well-known place in his novel also serves to make his message more realistic and more likely to be viewed as a true portrayal of London during this time.
Clerkenwell Green was a central marketplace for the many small shops and stalls owned by residents in the Clerkenwell area. Clerkenwell had a reputation among Londoners as a resort-like area where they could enjoy spas, tea gardens, and theatres. It had become a fashionable place of residence for the upper middle-class, while otherwise populated by watchmakers, clockmakers, jewelers, goldsmiths, enamellers, and other such artisans ("Clerkenwell - History - Encyclopedia II.").
Dickens’ use of this area for the initial appearance of Mr. Brownlow helps establish the characterization that Dickens later continues through the novel. In this characterization, among that of the other characters, he embeds his social critique of the neglect of the poor’s morality and the glorification of the rich’s. Using such a well-known place in his novel also serves to make his message more realistic and more likely to be viewed as a true portrayal of London during this time.
When Oliver becomes fatally ill at the courthouse in Chapter XI, Mr Brownlow takes it upon himself to get Oliver the treatment he needs. He brings Oliver to his house, located on a “quiet shady street near Pentonville”, to help heal his ailment. This description of Pentonville portrays a suburban community away from the hectic everyday life of downtown London. Once Oliver is inside of Mr. Brownlow’s house, he notices the wallpaper and a painting, decorations indicative of a middle-class home.
Prior to the Victorian Era, Henry Penton owned this land and intended to create the first suburban district of London (Hidden London). He built an estate that included the Palladian Church of St. James. When he passed in 1812, his estate was named Pentonville and became the focal point of the future district of London (Thornbury). When Dickens published Oliver Twist in 1838, Pentonville was a middle class suburb of London with a growing population.
This background information shows the historical accuracy Dickens uses in Oliver Twist. Pentonville is not a fictitious town, but a very real middle class suburb of London. Dickens uses Mr. Brownlow to show that the Pentonville depicted in his novel is just the same as the actual area. Although his characters are fictional, Dickens uses them to show the culture of Pentonville during the Victorian Era.
Prior to the Victorian Era, Henry Penton owned this land and intended to create the first suburban district of London (Hidden London). He built an estate that included the Palladian Church of St. James. When he passed in 1812, his estate was named Pentonville and became the focal point of the future district of London (Thornbury). When Dickens published Oliver Twist in 1838, Pentonville was a middle class suburb of London with a growing population.
This background information shows the historical accuracy Dickens uses in Oliver Twist. Pentonville is not a fictitious town, but a very real middle class suburb of London. Dickens uses Mr. Brownlow to show that the Pentonville depicted in his novel is just the same as the actual area. Although his characters are fictional, Dickens uses them to show the culture of Pentonville during the Victorian Era.
Before Oliver travels to Shepperton with Bill Sikes, he is forced to visit Sikes at his home in Bethnal Green. Nancy leads him in a carriage through the “mean and dirty streets” to get to Sikes’ house. Bill Sikes uses this time with Oliver to instill fear and hopelessness with a pistol and brute force. The grime and dirt of Sikes’ house also adds to the magnitude of Oliver’s fear.
Bill Sikes’ house is located in Bethnal Green, which is an eastern district of London. Bethnal Green once had an influential economy in the eighteenth century led by a large amount of silk workers in the area (Barryoneoff). Over time, the increase in poverty diminished their potential to grow as in industry. At the start of the nineteenth century, Bethnal Green was an overpopulated and run-down area of London with poor living conditions (Baker). This contributed to the proliferation of diseases and a decline in economic production. The living conditions during the Victorian Era surely created a society in which crime and evil, traits evident in the character of Sikes, were prevalent.
Dickens keeps to the historical context of the area when Oliver travels to Sikes’ house. His use of many details to show the horrible living conditions of this district were very accurate of what the true situation was like in Victorian Bethnal Green. Dickens chooses to use this district for Sikes’ home because there were many crimes and negative connotations associated with it at the time he wrote Oliver Twist . His historical accuracy regarding the lifestyle of residents of Bethnal Green gives Oliver Twist more relevance since it is based off of real places and people.
Bill Sikes’ house is located in Bethnal Green, which is an eastern district of London. Bethnal Green once had an influential economy in the eighteenth century led by a large amount of silk workers in the area (Barryoneoff). Over time, the increase in poverty diminished their potential to grow as in industry. At the start of the nineteenth century, Bethnal Green was an overpopulated and run-down area of London with poor living conditions (Baker). This contributed to the proliferation of diseases and a decline in economic production. The living conditions during the Victorian Era surely created a society in which crime and evil, traits evident in the character of Sikes, were prevalent.
Dickens keeps to the historical context of the area when Oliver travels to Sikes’ house. His use of many details to show the horrible living conditions of this district were very accurate of what the true situation was like in Victorian Bethnal Green. Dickens chooses to use this district for Sikes’ home because there were many crimes and negative connotations associated with it at the time he wrote Oliver Twist . His historical accuracy regarding the lifestyle of residents of Bethnal Green gives Oliver Twist more relevance since it is based off of real places and people.
When Sikes takes Oliver with him for the attempted burglary of the Maylie’s residence, Dickens describes their path with great detail, showing us how and where they traveled through London before finishing in the town of Chertsey. It is just outside of this town that the Maylie’s residence was set, and is based on the then-existing Gogmore House that was in the area. Dickens also models the bridge nearby, next to the dilapidated house that Sikes and Oliver stay a night in, after the Chertsey Bridge just east of the town of Chertsey.
During the 1800’s, Chertsey was a successful market and coaching town with a relatively small population ("A History of Chertsey - The Age of Empire"). The outskirts of the town supported large amounts of agriculture, while most of the economic structure in the center of town was focused on providing for travelers and included inns, stores, and public houses. Chertsey offered a convenient rest location for travelers, and became a “fashionable place to live for the London gentry” due to the location and a local politician ("Chertsey Town History").
By giving the reader very detailed explanations of where Oliver goes and where the Maylies live, it helps characterize both the Maylies and Sikes. The Maylies live in an upscale town and are thus better portrayed as a well-off family, and we better understand Sikes’ characteristic drive to steal from others who have more than he does. It also helps justify the long, almost 30 mile, trip that was taken just to get to Chertsey to begin with. By portraying his characters better, Dickens is able to push his argument and social critique stronger than he would be able to otherwise.
During the 1800’s, Chertsey was a successful market and coaching town with a relatively small population ("A History of Chertsey - The Age of Empire"). The outskirts of the town supported large amounts of agriculture, while most of the economic structure in the center of town was focused on providing for travelers and included inns, stores, and public houses. Chertsey offered a convenient rest location for travelers, and became a “fashionable place to live for the London gentry” due to the location and a local politician ("Chertsey Town History").
By giving the reader very detailed explanations of where Oliver goes and where the Maylies live, it helps characterize both the Maylies and Sikes. The Maylies live in an upscale town and are thus better portrayed as a well-off family, and we better understand Sikes’ characteristic drive to steal from others who have more than he does. It also helps justify the long, almost 30 mile, trip that was taken just to get to Chertsey to begin with. By portraying his characters better, Dickens is able to push his argument and social critique stronger than he would be able to otherwise.
The court on Bow Street was the court in which The Artful Dodger is put on trial for his many crimes of theft and sentenced to transportation to the colonies. After Fagin hears about Dodger being arrested, he sends Noah Claypole to the court to watch the proceedings and see if the Dodger lives up to the reputation that the rest of Fagin’s den holds him to for his craftiness and general mocking character.
The court on Bow Street was originally built in the early 18th century as the house of John Browne, a surgeon. It was converted into the magistrate’s court in the mid-18th century, and remained the court of the district until the 1870’s when it was torn down and replaced ( "Bow Street and Russell Street Area - Bow Street | Survey of London: Volume 36 (pp. 185-192) "). The court building was well known in the area and was well attended during the trials it held.
Through the humor that Dickens incorporates into Dodger’s protests he is able to further critique the integrity of the society while keeping the reader’s attention. This social commentary is strengthened because of the setting in the courthouse, as many Londoners of the time would have attended several of these as forms of entertainment, much as they would a hanging.
The court on Bow Street was originally built in the early 18th century as the house of John Browne, a surgeon. It was converted into the magistrate’s court in the mid-18th century, and remained the court of the district until the 1870’s when it was torn down and replaced ( "Bow Street and Russell Street Area - Bow Street | Survey of London: Volume 36 (pp. 185-192) "). The court building was well known in the area and was well attended during the trials it held.
Through the humor that Dickens incorporates into Dodger’s protests he is able to further critique the integrity of the society while keeping the reader’s attention. This social commentary is strengthened because of the setting in the courthouse, as many Londoners of the time would have attended several of these as forms of entertainment, much as they would a hanging.
In Chapter XLVI of Oliver Twist, Mr. Brownlow and Rose Maylie meet Nancy on the edge of London Bridge. They meet very briefly on the bridge itself and then quickly scurry down the steps to the water’s edge so that Nancy can speak to them in a safer environment. Although Oliver himself doesn’t visit the bridge, it serves as the site for this critical scene in the novel.
The first substantial version of the London Bridge was constructed in 1176 under the direction of Peter de Colechurch, the appointed “Warden of the Brethren of the Bridge.” King John then decided to allow shops and houses to be built on the bridge, which attracted large crowds of people. This traffic made the bridge so time-consuming to cross that it was often faster to take a taxi boat across the Thames. Because of the people living in houses on London Bridge, the gates to on either side of the bridge were closed at curfew to maintain its security. All of these buildings on the bridge took up a lot of room and became a fire hazard. Major fires destroyed sections of the bridge in 1212 and 1633. In 1756, Parliament granted the keepers of London Bridge permission to tear down all of these buildings (Wikipedia).
In 1825, work began on a new version of London Bridge designed by John Rennie since the old one was becoming decrepit (History of Southwark). This new bridge was much more structurally sound; it allowed the river to flow much more freely than the old bridge did, and because houses and shops were no longer permitted, traffic flowed much more efficiently as well. This bridge was opened to the public in 1831, and by 1896, London Bridge was considered to be the busiest place in London (Wikipedia).
Since Oliver Twist was published in 1838, the London Bridge referred to in the novel was most likely the 1825 version. Because the 1176 version of the bridge had gates on either end, Mr. Brownlow, Rose, and Nancy would not have actually been able to get onto the bridge at midnight. Dickens also never mentions any shops or residences of any sort actually on London Bridge itself, which prompts the reader to assume that he modeled his London Bridge after the newer version.
The first substantial version of the London Bridge was constructed in 1176 under the direction of Peter de Colechurch, the appointed “Warden of the Brethren of the Bridge.” King John then decided to allow shops and houses to be built on the bridge, which attracted large crowds of people. This traffic made the bridge so time-consuming to cross that it was often faster to take a taxi boat across the Thames. Because of the people living in houses on London Bridge, the gates to on either side of the bridge were closed at curfew to maintain its security. All of these buildings on the bridge took up a lot of room and became a fire hazard. Major fires destroyed sections of the bridge in 1212 and 1633. In 1756, Parliament granted the keepers of London Bridge permission to tear down all of these buildings (Wikipedia).
In 1825, work began on a new version of London Bridge designed by John Rennie since the old one was becoming decrepit (History of Southwark). This new bridge was much more structurally sound; it allowed the river to flow much more freely than the old bridge did, and because houses and shops were no longer permitted, traffic flowed much more efficiently as well. This bridge was opened to the public in 1831, and by 1896, London Bridge was considered to be the busiest place in London (Wikipedia).
Since Oliver Twist was published in 1838, the London Bridge referred to in the novel was most likely the 1825 version. Because the 1176 version of the bridge had gates on either end, Mr. Brownlow, Rose, and Nancy would not have actually been able to get onto the bridge at midnight. Dickens also never mentions any shops or residences of any sort actually on London Bridge itself, which prompts the reader to assume that he modeled his London Bridge after the newer version.
Newgate Prison in Oliver Twist is the final dwelling place of Fagin at the end of the novel. After the death of Sikes and the capture of Fagin and his den of criminals, Fagin is held at Newgate prior to his trial for his crimes. Oliver and Brownlow visit Fagin in order to find out from him where the papers were that gave Oliver the rights to his inheritance. They find Fagin degenerating into lunacy and incoherency due to the isolating and oppressive conditions of the cell he was kept in.
During the early 19th century, Newgate Prison served as a holding cell for prisoners waiting to be transported to the colonies around the world, and for executions of any one of over 200 felonies legally punishable by death. This prison held an annual rate of over 500 hangings each year, all of which received great public attention and spectacle. Newgate was built to resemble a fortress and be imposing towards those around it. Punishments were severe and prisoners had to pay money for privileges such as the convenience of being unshackled for a period of time. Combined with the complete isolation enacted on those awaiting execution, many prisoners went insane and were said to be heard howling through the walls ("Newgate Prison").
By incorporating the prison and its conditions into Oliver Twist, Dickens brings another intersection of reality into the novel. This helps make Fagin’s situation much more real and felt rather than inconsequential. This gives more evidence to Dickens’ social critique of the time and further asserts that the novel is only a fictional story set in a real London.
During the early 19th century, Newgate Prison served as a holding cell for prisoners waiting to be transported to the colonies around the world, and for executions of any one of over 200 felonies legally punishable by death. This prison held an annual rate of over 500 hangings each year, all of which received great public attention and spectacle. Newgate was built to resemble a fortress and be imposing towards those around it. Punishments were severe and prisoners had to pay money for privileges such as the convenience of being unshackled for a period of time. Combined with the complete isolation enacted on those awaiting execution, many prisoners went insane and were said to be heard howling through the walls ("Newgate Prison").
By incorporating the prison and its conditions into Oliver Twist, Dickens brings another intersection of reality into the novel. This helps make Fagin’s situation much more real and felt rather than inconsequential. This gives more evidence to Dickens’ social critique of the time and further asserts that the novel is only a fictional story set in a real London.
At the end of Oliver Twist, Oliver and Mr. Brownlow move to a small parish on the outskirts of London where Harry Maylie has recently established his church and now lives with his wife Rose. This ending provides a happy, quiet, and contented life for the inherently good characters of the novel. In providing this happy ending, Dickens rewards these characters, both rich and poor, for their high moral standards and faithfulness to what is right.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, parishes were established as local governments for the citizens of England who lived outside the major cities. Each parish had a parish priest who was the leader of the parish church and an influential member of the overall parish administration ("Local Government in England"). Now, civil parishes still exist in London as the “most” local government. England is divided into regions, then counties, then districts, and then parishes (Local Government Structure").
In Oliver Twist, the parish or country life is portrayed as good, safe, easy, and quiet in comparison to the dark, filthy, evil streets of the city of London.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, parishes were established as local governments for the citizens of England who lived outside the major cities. Each parish had a parish priest who was the leader of the parish church and an influential member of the overall parish administration ("Local Government in England"). Now, civil parishes still exist in London as the “most” local government. England is divided into regions, then counties, then districts, and then parishes (Local Government Structure").
In Oliver Twist, the parish or country life is portrayed as good, safe, easy, and quiet in comparison to the dark, filthy, evil streets of the city of London.