In the first volume of Great Expectations, we meet many characters. One of these characters is named Estella. Estella is the ward at the Havisham Estate. As we learn later on in the novel, she has also been adopted by Miss Havisham. She is a young, beautiful, and ambitious girl. She also has Pip's heart. Along with being pretty, she is also proud and very criticizing. At one point in the novel (chapter 8 pg 63), she makes Pip cry. "The moment they sprang there, the girl looked at me with a quick delight in having been the cause of them. This gave me power to keep them back and to look at her." Pip might think that sh is pretty, but he also thinks that she is proud and not that kind of a person.
Estella is a very pretty name. It is elegant and sophisticated. It has a ring to it as well. Plus, it's intriguing. Estella the character is all of these things as well. She is a beautiful young girl who has been raised to be an elegant young woman. She has also been raised to break hearts. Her name is very much like the person she is. Her name is proud and high class, just like her. Her name and her personality are examples on how people can act just like their names. In the first volume of Great Expectations, we meet many characters like Estella, whos name and personality match up.
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I think that you have the reasoning behind Dickens naming the beautiful young girl Estella correct, but I think that you are also missing some key points. I do agree that "Estella" sounds very elegant and sophisticated, which is something that Pip would find very attractive, seeing that he is neither of those things when they meet. On page 60, Pip comments on how his first reaction was that she was "the prettiest girl" he had ever seen, but also talks about how abrasive she is in this first meeting that they have at Ms. Havism's house. I agree with your idea of her name sounding high class and almost conceited, which perfectly fits the character that Dickens created. One part that you left out that I feel strongly contributed to Charles Dickens's reasoning for choosing the name "Estella" is the etymology behind the name. "Stella" has to do with the stars, and "e" comes from the Latin root meaning from. So, Estella could mean "from the stars" which I think adequately portrays Pip's view of Estella. I think he sees her as somebody so perfect, she must be from somewhere above. Overall, I think that you're opinions on why Estella was named Estella were pretty good.
ReplyDeleteCatherine makes many insightful observations about Estella, including the idea that she manipulates Pip, and that Pip loves her anyway. In her last sentence. however, Catherine states that Estella's "name and personality match up," because the name Estella sounds elegant and sophisticated and her behavior somehow matches these traits.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Catherine hints at the difference between "inner" and "outer" Estella, she does not fully explore the false promise of the name and the expectations it raises for Pip/ The name "Estella" works well for the character Estella because it captures both the condescension beneath the physical beauty and the nature of Pip's attraction to her. Stars are known to guide people in the right dirrection. they lead people to their destinations and provide safety. We expect Estella to be role model, the good star to a felloe orphan who needs direction too, Pip. Instead, we get a false guide who seeks to manipulate everyone in her path. "... Sometimes, she would coldly tolerate me; sometimes she would condescend me; sometimes, she woulf be quite familiar with me; sometimes, she would tell me energetically that she hated me." (Page 95). The yound Pip is blinded by the star's superficial beauty. The young Pip believes the promise that the older Pip recognizes. Very often, Estella takes advantage of PIp. Sometimes she will be nice to him and sometimes she will be mean to him too. She gets Pip to like her and then sets the trap, being mean to her.
I agree with Catherine on many things, but I also think that there is another reason for the significance of her name. I agree with you that Estella sounds high class and and I agree with you that she also has Pip's heart. Although, the word Estella means star, showing the role she plays in Pip's life and Miss Havisham's life. Estella lights up Pips's life, considering that he wnats to be a gentleman on her account. For example, Pip says, "The beautiful young lady at Miss Havisham's, and she's more beautiful than everybody ever was, and I admire her dreadfully, and I want to be a gentleman on her account." (p.129). As you can see, Estella is extremely beautiful and shines brighter than anybody else because of her great beauty. However, Estella is extremely rude and condescending to Pip, yet for some odd reason, Pip falls for her. He is in madly in love with her. Pip knows he can't have her and she is out of reach just like a star is for us, but he continues to want to be a gentleman. Pip wants to be everything he can for Estella, so he can be he star in her life.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, Estella shines like a star at Miss Havisham's house. She shines bright amdist the dark hallways with her beauty. She is also Miss Havisham's prized possession and Miss Havisham puts everything into Estella. She takes great pride in teaching Estella her heartless ways, showing how much she means to Miss Havisham. As a result of her teaching, Estella is very rude, arrogant, and mean to Pip. Therefore, the name of Estella fits her personality because she is a star glowing strong in Pip's and Miss Havisham's lives.