Great Expectations · Chapter
Chapter XLVIII explained
Pip dines with Mr.
What happens
Pip dines with Mr. Jaggers and Wemmick, where he receives a note from Miss Havisham requesting a visit. During dinner, Jaggers discusses Bentley Drummle's marriage to Estella and suggests he may be abusive. Pip notices the housekeeper Molly's hands and eyes, realizing she is Estella's mother. Wemmick later tells Pip the story of Molly's trial for murder, where Jaggers defended her and secured her acquittal.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because Pip reaches the emotional and psychological peak of his delusio…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Crime and Injustice
Wemmick recounts Molly's trial for murder, highlighting Jaggers' skillful defense and the questionable justice of her acquittal.
- Identity and Self-Discovery
Pip discovers Molly is Estella's mother, linking past observations and deepening his understanding of Estella's origins.
Characters to notice
- Pip
Dines with Jaggers and Wemmick, receives Miss Havisham's note, and realizes Molly is Estella's mother.
- Jaggers
Invites Pip to dinner, discusses Drummle's marriage to Estella, and reveals his past defense of Molly in a murder trial.
- Wemmick
Dines with Pip and Jaggers, behaves formally, and later tells Pip the story of Molly's trial and acquittal.
- Molly
The housekeeper; Pip notices her hands and eyes, identifying her as Estella's mother.
- Estella
Mentioned as Mrs. Bentley Drummle; Pip connects her features to Molly's.
Key passages
“I felt absolutely certain that this woman was Estella's mother.”
Pip becomes convinced that the housekeeper Molly is Estella's biological mother.
This realization connects Estella's identity to Molly's past and Jaggers' involvement.
“A score or so of years ago, that woman was tried at the Old Bailey for murder, and was acquitted.”
About twenty years earlier, Molly was tried for murder at the Old Bailey but found not guilty.
Wemmick reveals Molly's criminal history, explaining her presence in Jaggers' household.
