Oliver Twist · Chapter
XXIX: Has an Introductory Account of the Inmates of the House, to Which Oliver Resorted explained
The chapter introduces the Maylie household, where Mrs.
What happens
The chapter introduces the Maylie household, where Mrs. Maylie and her adopted niece Rose Maylie are at breakfast. Mr. Giles, the butler, attends them. The local doctor, Mr. Losberne, arrives in a fluster over the recent burglary attempt. He examines the wounded intruder (Oliver) upstairs and insists that the ladies see him, hinting at something extraordinary about the boy.
Themes in this chapter
Class and Hypocrisy
Mr. Giles's pride in shooting a thief in the back kitchen is contrasted with the doctor's joking about dueling, highlighting class-based notions of honor and bravery.
Compassion and Redemption
The ladies' concern for the wounded intruder and the doctor's insistence on showing him to them foreshadow themes of mercy and the possibility of redemption.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Maylie
The elder lady, stately and precise, seated at breakfast with her young companion.
- Rose Maylie
The young lady, not past seventeen, described as gentle, pure, and beautiful; she is busily engaged at the table.
- Mr. Giles
The butler, dressed in full black, attending the ladies; he shot the intruder and is proud of his bravery.
- Mr. Losberne
The fat, good-humoured local surgeon who arrives to examine the wounded boy and insists the ladies see him.
Key passages
“In a handsome room: though its furniture had rather the air of old-fashioned comfort, than of modern elegance: there sat two ladies at a well-spread breakfast-table.”
The room was attractive but furnished in a cozy, traditional style rather than a trendy one, and two ladies were seated at a generously laid breakfast table.
Sets the scene of the Maylie home, emphasizing comfort over fashion.
“She was not past seventeen. Cast in so slight and exquisite a mould; so mild and gentle; so pure and beautiful; that earth seemed not her element, nor its rough creatures her fit companions.”
Rose was no older than seventeen, with a delicate and lovely appearance, so gentle and innocent that she seemed almost too good for this world.
Describes Rose Maylie's ethereal beauty and purity.
“I never heard of such a thing! exclaimed the fat gentleman. My dear Mrs. Maylie—bless my soul—in the silence of the night, too—I never heard of such a thing!”
The stout doctor burst in, exclaiming that he had never heard of anything like the nighttime robbery happening so unexpectedly.
Shows the doctor's dramatic and good-natured reaction to the burglary.