Nancy 'Sikes'
Encyclopedia
Nancy is the sympathetic lover of Bill Sikes
in the novel Oliver Twist
, in its film versions, and in the stage and film version of the musical Oliver!
. She is affectionately known by Fagin's boys and some others as "Nance". In Film and Stage versions, she wears a red dress.
, the receiver of stolen goods who persuades downtrodden youths to do his bidding. Her exact age is not mentioned in the book, although she has evidently been a thief for 12 years (and began when she was half of Oliver's age), and is visibly in her teens or mid 20s in film versions of the novel. Nancy is one of the members of Fagin's gang that few, if any, know about in London—something referred to by Sikes when he and Fagin, concerned that Oliver might inform on them, are trying to convince her to attend his impending trial after he is mistakenly arrested for pickpocketing ("No one around here knows anything about you"). Her excuse for not attending is that she does not wish anyone to know about her; nevertheless, she winds up attending it, presumably after having been physically threatened by Sikes. In the novel it is alluded to that she is a prostitute and she drinks heavily. She is described thus when she first appears "a couple of young ladies called to see the young gentlemen; one of whom was named Bet, and the other Nancy. They wore a good deal of hair, not very neatly turned up behind, and were rather untidy about the shoes and stockings. They were not exactly pretty, perhaps; but they had a great deal of colour in their faces, and looked quite stout and hearty."
She is beaten to death by Sikes because he mistakenly believes that she has informed on him, when the truth is that she has been trying not to involve Sikes in her efforts in order to ensure his safety. Nancy, who is fiercely protective of Oliver and harbours a great deal of motherly affection and pity for him, has been trying to prevent him from being kidnapped a second time, after Oliver has finally managed to find safety in the household of the Maylie family, whom Sikes tried unsuccessfully to rob. She gives Rose Maylie and Mr. Brownlow
, Oliver's benefactor, information about Oliver's evil half-brother Monks
, who is in league with Fagin. However, she has managed to keep Bill's name out of it. But Fagin has sent a spy out after her, and when the spy reports on what he has heard and seen, Fagin, furious at what she has done, tells Sikes about her actions. However, he twists the story just enough to make it sound as if she informed on him, knowing that this will probably result in her being murdered and thus silenced. It is her murder and the subsequent search for Sikes, her killer, that helps bring down Fagin's gang.
In the musical Oliver!
, Monks does not appear at all, and Oliver is still in the clutches of the gang when Nancy tries to help him. She makes arrangements to return him to Mr. Brownlow on London Bridge
at midnight, if Brownlow goes with no police. Sikes discovers that she is up to something, secretly follows her and Oliver to the bridge, and beats her to death on the spot after assuming that she has betrayed him. As in the novel, this is what brings down Fagin's gang, although Fagin is never caught in the musical, nor is he an accomplice to Nancy's murder (in a new scene written for the film version of the musical
, the horrified Fagin tells Sikes "You shouldn't have done that!").
Nancy is murdered in her house in the novel, and in all film versions except the stage musical, 1968 musical and the 1997 made-for-television film of the novel.
Nancy commits one of the most noble acts of kindness in the story when she ultimately risks her life to help Oliver. Her character represented Dickens' view that man, however tainted by society, could still retain a sense of good. One of the main reasons Dickens puts Nancy in Oliver Twist is so that she can be contrasted with the pure, gentle, yet also conniving if needed Rose Maylie
.
Dickens was criticized for using a character that was a thieving, whoring, slut of the streets. Dickens, however, defended his decision in the Preface to the story when it appeared in novel
-form, explaining that it was his intention to show criminals, however petty, in "all their deformity", and that he had thought that dressing Nancy in anything other than "a cheap shawl" would make her seem more fanciful than real as a character.
Nancy is one of literature's earliest examples of the stock character
of the “tart with a heart”—the stereotypical character of a tragic or fallen woman who makes her way through life through crime and often earning a wage as a prostitute, but is still a good and compassionate person.
The steps leading up to London Bridge
, at the foot of which, in the musical Oliver!
, Nancy is murdered, are named "Nancy's Steps". The plaque at the steps incorrectly states that Nancy was murdered there in the novel, in which she was actually murdered in her house.
Bill Sikes
William "Bill" Sikes is a fictional character in the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.He is one of Dickens's most vicious characters and a very strong force in the novel when it comes to having control over somebody or harming others. He is portrayed as a rough and barbaric man. He is a career...
in the novel Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens, published by Richard Bentley in 1838. The story is about an orphan Oliver Twist, who endures a miserable existence in a workhouse and then is placed with an undertaker. He escapes and travels to...
, in its film versions, and in the stage and film version of the musical Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
. She is affectionately known by Fagin's boys and some others as "Nance". In Film and Stage versions, she wears a red dress.
Background
Nancy was corrupted at a young age by FaginFagin
Fagin is a fictional character who appears as an antagonist of the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, referred to in the preface of the novel as a "receiver of stolen goods", but referred to more frequently within the actual story as the "merry old gentleman" or simply the "Jew".-Character:Born...
, the receiver of stolen goods who persuades downtrodden youths to do his bidding. Her exact age is not mentioned in the book, although she has evidently been a thief for 12 years (and began when she was half of Oliver's age), and is visibly in her teens or mid 20s in film versions of the novel. Nancy is one of the members of Fagin's gang that few, if any, know about in London—something referred to by Sikes when he and Fagin, concerned that Oliver might inform on them, are trying to convince her to attend his impending trial after he is mistakenly arrested for pickpocketing ("No one around here knows anything about you"). Her excuse for not attending is that she does not wish anyone to know about her; nevertheless, she winds up attending it, presumably after having been physically threatened by Sikes. In the novel it is alluded to that she is a prostitute and she drinks heavily. She is described thus when she first appears "a couple of young ladies called to see the young gentlemen; one of whom was named Bet, and the other Nancy. They wore a good deal of hair, not very neatly turned up behind, and were rather untidy about the shoes and stockings. They were not exactly pretty, perhaps; but they had a great deal of colour in their faces, and looked quite stout and hearty."
She is beaten to death by Sikes because he mistakenly believes that she has informed on him, when the truth is that she has been trying not to involve Sikes in her efforts in order to ensure his safety. Nancy, who is fiercely protective of Oliver and harbours a great deal of motherly affection and pity for him, has been trying to prevent him from being kidnapped a second time, after Oliver has finally managed to find safety in the household of the Maylie family, whom Sikes tried unsuccessfully to rob. She gives Rose Maylie and Mr. Brownlow
Mr. Brownlow
Mr. Brownlow is a character from the novel, Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens. He is later revealed to be none other than a very close friend of Oliver's father.-Description:Dickens describes Brownlow's first appearance:-The novel:...
, Oliver's benefactor, information about Oliver's evil half-brother Monks
Monks (Oliver Twist)
Edward "Monks" Leeford is a character in the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. He is actually the criminally-inclined half-brother of Oliver Twist, but he hides his identity. Monks's parents separated when he was a child, and his father had a sexual and romantic relationship with a young...
, who is in league with Fagin. However, she has managed to keep Bill's name out of it. But Fagin has sent a spy out after her, and when the spy reports on what he has heard and seen, Fagin, furious at what she has done, tells Sikes about her actions. However, he twists the story just enough to make it sound as if she informed on him, knowing that this will probably result in her being murdered and thus silenced. It is her murder and the subsequent search for Sikes, her killer, that helps bring down Fagin's gang.
In the musical Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
, Monks does not appear at all, and Oliver is still in the clutches of the gang when Nancy tries to help him. She makes arrangements to return him to Mr. Brownlow on London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
at midnight, if Brownlow goes with no police. Sikes discovers that she is up to something, secretly follows her and Oliver to the bridge, and beats her to death on the spot after assuming that she has betrayed him. As in the novel, this is what brings down Fagin's gang, although Fagin is never caught in the musical, nor is he an accomplice to Nancy's murder (in a new scene written for the film version of the musical
Oliver! (film)
Oliver! is a 1968 British musical film directed by Carol Reed. The film is based on the stage musical Oliver!, with book, music and lyrics written by Lionel Bart. The screenplay was written by Vernon Harris....
, the horrified Fagin tells Sikes "You shouldn't have done that!").
Nancy is murdered in her house in the novel, and in all film versions except the stage musical, 1968 musical and the 1997 made-for-television film of the novel.
Nancy commits one of the most noble acts of kindness in the story when she ultimately risks her life to help Oliver. Her character represented Dickens' view that man, however tainted by society, could still retain a sense of good. One of the main reasons Dickens puts Nancy in Oliver Twist is so that she can be contrasted with the pure, gentle, yet also conniving if needed Rose Maylie
Rose Maylie
Rose Fleming Maylie is a character in Charles Dickens's novel Oliver Twist. She is Oliver's maternal aunt.-Biography:Rose is an orphan raised from young childhood by Mrs. Maylie. Bill Sikes and Toby Crackit, two thieves, break into the Maylies' house, accompanied by Oliver. Oliver is shot by the...
.
Dickens was criticized for using a character that was a thieving, whoring, slut of the streets. Dickens, however, defended his decision in the Preface to the story when it appeared in novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
-form, explaining that it was his intention to show criminals, however petty, in "all their deformity", and that he had thought that dressing Nancy in anything other than "a cheap shawl" would make her seem more fanciful than real as a character.
Nancy is one of literature's earliest examples of the stock character
Stock character
A Stock character is a fictional character based on a common literary or social stereotype. Stock characters rely heavily on cultural types or names for their personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. In their most general form, stock characters are related to literary archetypes,...
of the “tart with a heart”—the stereotypical character of a tragic or fallen woman who makes her way through life through crime and often earning a wage as a prostitute, but is still a good and compassionate person.
The steps leading up to London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
, at the foot of which, in the musical Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
, Nancy is murdered, are named "Nancy's Steps". The plaque at the steps incorrectly states that Nancy was murdered there in the novel, in which she was actually murdered in her house.
Adaptations
| Actress | Version |
|---|---|
| Gladys Brockwell Gladys Brockwell Gladys Brockwell was an American actress whose career began during the silent film era.-Early life:Born Gladys Lindeman in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of a chorus girl who put her on stage at a very early age. By the time she reached her middle teens, she was already a veteran and... |
1922 Film Oliver Twist (1922 film) Oliver Twist is a 1922 silent film adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist featuring Lon Chaney as Fagin, and Jackie Coogan as Oliver. Directed by Frank Lloyd.- Synopsis :Oliver's mother, a penniless outcast, died giving birth to him... |
| Doris Lloyd Doris Lloyd Hessy Doris Lloyd was an English actress.She appeared in over 150 films between 1920 and 1967, including the 1933 low-budget Monogram Pictures version of Oliver Twist, in which she played Nancy... |
1933 Film Oliver Twist (1933 film) Oliver Twist is a 1933 American film directed by William J. Cowen. It is an adaptation of Charles Dickens's popular novel with the same name and was the first sound version of the classic. It stars Irving Pichel as Fagin, Dickie Moore as Oliver, Doris Lloyd as Nancy, and William "Stage" Boyd as... |
| Kay Walsh Kay Walsh Kay Walsh was an English actress and dancer. She grew up in Pimlico, raised by her grandmother.... |
1948 Film Oliver Twist (1948 film) Oliver Twist is the second of David Lean's two film adaptations of Charles Dickens novels. Following the success of his 1946 version of Great Expectations, Lean re-assembled much of the same team for his adaptation of Dicken's 1838 novel, including producers Ronald Neame and Anthony... |
| Georgia Brown Georgia Brown Georgia Brown, pseudonym of Rossana Monti is an Italian Brazilian singer noted for her extensive vocal range. She was listed in the 2005 Guinness World Records for hitting the highest vocal note and for possessing the greatest range, claimed to be exactly 8 octaves from G2-G10 using scientific... |
Oliver! (1960 Musical) Oliver! Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.... |
| Shani Wallis Shani Wallis Shani Wallis is an English actress and singer.Wallis was born in Tottenham, London. Making her first stage appearance at the age of four, she later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art on a scholarship... |
Oliver! (1968 Film) Oliver! (film) Oliver! is a 1968 British musical film directed by Carol Reed. The film is based on the stage musical Oliver!, with book, music and lyrics written by Lionel Bart. The screenplay was written by Vernon Harris.... |
| Cherie Lunghi Cherie Lunghi Cherie M. Lunghi is an English film, television and theatre actress. She is probably best known for her role as Guinevere in the 1981 film Excalibur, as football manageress Gabriella Benson in the 1990s television series The Manageress and for starring in a series of adverts for Kenco coffee. She... |
1982 TV Film Oliver Twist (1982 TV film) Oliver Twist is a 1982 made-for-TV adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic of the same name, premiering on the CBS television network as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Stars include George C... |
| Amanda Harris | 1985 TV Miniseries Oliver Twist (1985 TV miniseries) Oliver Twist is a 1985 BBC TV serial. It was directed by Gareth Davies, and adapted by Alexander Baron from the novel by Charles Dickens. It follows the book very closely.- Cast :*Eric Porter - Fagin*Michael Attwell - Bill Sikes... |
| Sally Dexter Sally Dexter Sally Julia Dexter , is an English actress of stage and screen.She was educated at Chiltern Edge School, King James's College at Henley-on-Thames, now The Henley College... |
Oliver! 1994 London Revival Oliver! Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.... |
| Ruthie Henshall Ruthie Henshall Valentine Ruth Henshall , better known as Ruthie Henshall, is an English singer, dancer, and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Henshall attended the Laine Theatre Arts school in Epsom, Surrey before making her first professional appearance on stage in 1986... |
Oliver! 1996 London Oliver! Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.... |
| Sonia Swaby | Oliver! 1997 London Oliver! Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.... |
| Antoine Byrne | 1997 Film Oliver Twist (1997 film) Oliver Twist is a 1997 television movie produced by Walt Disney Television, based on the popular novel of the same name by Charles Dickens. It aired during The Wonderful World of Disney... |
| Emily Woof Emily Woof Emily Woof , is an English actress and author, known for her roles in such films as The Full Monty, The Woodlanders, Velvet Goldmine, Wondrous Oblivion, Silent Cry and The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse.... |
1999 TV Miniseries Oliver Twist (TV miniseries) Oliver Twist is a 1999 television mini-series produced by ITV based on the book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.-Plot:The first episode revolved around Oliver's parents as they struggled to fight their love for each other... |
| Leanne Rowe Leanne Rowe Leanne Rowe is an English actress and singer, known for portraying Nancy in Oliver Twist, May Moss in Lilies and Baby in Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage.-Background:... |
2005 Film Oliver Twist (2005 film) Oliver Twist is a 2005 British drama film directed by Roman Polanski. The screenplay by Ronald Harwood is based on the 1838 novel of the same title by Charles Dickens.... |
| Sophie Okonedo Sophie Okonedo Sophie Okonedo, OBE is a British actress, who has starred both in successful British and American productions. In 1991, she made her acting debut in the British critically acclaimed coming-of-age drama, Young Soul Rebels... |
2007 TV Serial Oliver Twist (TV serial) Oliver Twist is a 2007 British television adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, written by Sarah Phelps and directed by Coky Giedroyc. It consists of five episodes, broadcast on BBC One from 18 to 22 December 2007. It aired on PBS' Masterpiece Classic in the United States on 15 and 22... |
| Jodie Prenger Jodie Prenger Jodie Prenger is an English actress and singer. She was the winner of BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything on 31 May 2008. She was also the winner of the second series of The Biggest Loser on Living in 2006... |
Oliver! 2009 London Revival Oliver! Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.... |
| Kerry Ellis Kerry Ellis Kerry Jane Ellis is an English stage actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music... |
Oliver! 2010 London Oliver! Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.... |