Chapter 41

Magwitch has been with Pip for five days when Herbert returns from his business trip. Pip and Herbert have a long discussion and decide that they should try and get Magwitch out of England as he can still be arrested here. They also conclude that Pip should stop taking money from Magwitch and that he should even consider supporting Magwitch financially; this turns out to be difficult due to Pip’s increasing debt. They work on a plan to take Magwitch abroad, so he can be safe from the police.

Chapter 42

Magwitch discusses his childhood and early years with Pip and Herbert. He begins his story by sharing that other than being hanged, he was tortured and punished in many ways. Magwitch was born an orphan and had to steal to survive.

A few years later, Magwitch met a gentleman-criminal named Compeyson. Arthur, Compeyson’s collaborator, had become an alcoholic under Compeyson’s influence. Compeyson had seemed like a well-bred man, and Magwitch continued his life of crime with him. Compeyson and Arthur had conned a rich woman and swindled money from her. Arthur, however, seems to have found it difficult to deal with the guilt: feeling haunted by the aforementioned woman, he dies in a state of paranoia. Magwitch reveals that Compeyson was the other criminal Pip had run into on the marshes.

Later, Compeyson betrays Magwitch when the two of them are caught. Even though Compeyson had been the bigger scammer, he was let off because he was a “gentleman.” Magwitch, on the other hand, was accorded the life sentence and was later banished. Magwitch is unsure of what happened to Compeyson. At this point, Herbert passes a note to Pip. He tells Pip that Arthur was Miss. Havisham’s brother, and Compeyson was the man who left her at the altar.

Chapter 43

Pip plans to take Magwitch abroad on the pretext of buying gentlemanly goods. He decides to bid farewell to Estella and Miss. Havisham before leaving the country with Magwitch. Pip runs into Drummle at the Blue Boar and is angered by him when he boasts about having dinner with Estella.

Chapter 44

At Satis House, Pip tries to make Miss. Havisham confess that she led him to believe that she was his secret benefactor. Pip admonishes her for hurting him, and he makes a case for Herbert’s good disposition and his need for capital to flourish in his business. Miss. Havisham agrees to help Herbert since Pip will no longer be able to assist him. Estella breaks Pip’s heart when she confesses that she is incapable of love and warns him against falling in love with her. Pip requests Estella not to marry Drummle and to choose someone more worthy, even if it isn’t Pip. She is bewildered by this request, whereas Miss. Havisham witnesses this conversation from a distance with remorse in her eyes. Wemmick sends Pip a note asking him to stay away from his own house.

Chapter 45

Wemmick tells Pip that Compeyson is on the lookout for Magwitch. Herbert and Pip decide to hide Magwitch at Clara’s house to keep him safe. Clara, however, does not approve of Pip due to his negative influence on Herbert’s finances. Wemmick advises Pip to get hold of Magwitch’s property and keep it safe.

Chapter 46

Clara’s landlady seems to be the only person to know about Herbert and Clara’s engagement. Magwitch agrees with Herbert and Pip that he needs to be taken abroad. They think it might be best to send Magwitch down the river. To this end, Pip purchases a rowboat. They decide to row by Magwitch’s window regularly to avoid suspicion on the day of escape.

Chapter 47

Pip is heartbroken and tries to avoid thinking about Estella’s marriage to Drummle. He rows by Magwitch’s place to help him escape and waits for Wemmick’s signal before proceeding further. Although Pip is in debt, he does not feel comfortable using Magwitch’s money. To distract himself from his troubles, Pip decides to watch Mr. Wopsle’s theatrical production. He is shocked when Mr. Wopsle later tells Pip that the other convict from the marshes was sitting right behind him. Pip is paranoid that Compeyson might be stalking him.

Chapter 48

Mr. Jaggers invites Pip for dinner and informs him that Estella and Drummle are married. He hands over the note that Miss. Havisham has sent for Pip. Mr. Jaggers also opines that Drummle might resort to physical abuse to keep Estella. When Molly, Mr. Jaggers’ maid, serves them dinner, Pip realizes that Estella shares a striking resemblance with Molly. He wonders if Molly might be Estella’s biological mother. Wemmick later tells him that Molly was almost convicted for the murder of a woman who was allegedly having an affair with Molly’s husband. Molly is also believed to have killed the daughter she’d had with her husband. Pip is now fairly certain that Estella is Molly’s daughter.

Chapter 49

Pip visits a regretful Miss. Havisham, who feels guilty for having caused pain in Pip’s life. She promises to make up for it by financing Herbert’s business. Miss. Havisham then begs Pip for forgiveness, and Pip indeed does forgive her. She confesses that his proposal to Estella reminded her of her own true love and that she is ravaged by how she has brought up Estella. She shares that Estella is an orphan child who was brought to Satis House by Mr. Jaggers and that she knew nothing about Estella’s parents. The chapter ends with Pip saving Miss. Havisham’s life by putting out a fire with her wedding paraphernalia.

Chapter 50

Pip returns to London and discusses Magwitch’s situation with Herbert in a bid to find out more about Magwitch’s past. Pip and Herbert also conclude that Estella is Magwitch’s daughter, the daughter who many believe was killed by Molly, Magwitch’s wife.

Analysis of Chapters 41- 50

When Pip finds out that Magwitch, the runaway convict, is his benefactor, he has mixed feelings about his newly acquired wealth.

This section of the novel focuses on themes such as propriety and social class. After learning about Magwitch’s past, Pip realizes that it is incorrect to judge a person based on their appearance, manners, and social standing. He becomes aware that circumstances play a major role in shaping one’s life. Pip also realizes that Estella is not the “lady” he thought she was. Her mother is a maid and her father is a criminal, proving that one is not necessarily born into a social class. It is ironic that Estella’s background is more dire than Pip’s.

These chapters also highlight that our actions necessarily have consequences. Readers find out from Magwitch that Miss. Havisham’s deceased brother, Arthur, had been ravaged by guilt, paranoia, and alcoholism. Miss. Havisham, too, after witnessing Pip’s love for Estella, regrets the heartless and bitter manner in which she has raised Estella. A fire breaks out at Satis House just as Miss. Havisham decides to make amends for her actions. Though Pip saves her from the fire, the incident can be interpreted as an act of divine punishment meted out on Miss. Havisham for her misdeeds.

The reality of the criminal justice system is also exposed in these chapters. It is a prejudiced and corrupt system, as Magwitch’s story reveals. Magwitch tells Pip that he received a stricter punishment than Compeyson only because he belonged to a lower class than Compeyson. In contrast, Estella, his separated daughter, is able to ascend the class ladder by marrying Drummle. It must be noted that Estella marries Drummle out of spite, not out of love.