Great Expectations · Character

Drummle

A sulky, blotchy gentleman whom Jaggers dubs the Spider, he circles Estella with the dull persistence of a predator who knows he will be fed.

supporting

Also known as Mr. Drummle, Bentley Drummle, Bentley, the Spider, Spider, this blundering Drummle

First appearance: Chapter XXV

As a supporting figure in Great Expectations, Drummle is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

A sulky young man, next heir but one to a baronetcy, engaged in conversation with Mrs.

In the storyChapter XXIIIOpen this moment free

See Drummle in Chapter XXIII Book page

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Bentley Drummle sits at Jaggers's dinner table glowering at the other young men, grudging and suspicious, yet the lawyer singles him out with peculiar interest — the Spider, he calls him, and likes the look. Where Pip burns to be worthy of Estella, Drummle simply assumes he is owed whatever he wants, and his heavy reticence reads as strength to those who mistake silence for substance. His presence sharpens the novel's question of what gentility actually means, and his slow approach toward Estella gives Pip's hopes a rival who is everything Pip fears he himself might become.

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The fuller portrait of Drummle sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Drummle in Chapter XXV

Character Web

26 connections

A slice of how Drummle sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Rivalry
Professional
Other

Character groups

Pip's moral and social circle
Protagonist

+21 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

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.

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Relationships

Estella
romantic · negative
Drummle is Estella's abusive, brutish husband, chosen by her to spite Pip, resulting in a… How this plays out →
Wemmick
rivalry · negative
Jaggers
professional · negative
Jaggers
professional · negative
Wemmick
rivalry · negative
Estella
romantic · negative
Drummle is Estella's abusive, brutish husband, chosen by her to spite Pip, resulting in a… How this plays out →
Wemmick
rivalry · negative
Estella
romantic · negative
Drummle is Estella's abusive, brutish husband, chosen by her to spite Pip, resulting in a… How this plays out →

Estella
Drummle is Estella's abusive, brutish husband, chosen by her to spite Pip, resulting in a toxic marriage.
Wemmick
Drummle and Wemmick are antagonists, with Drummle's arrogance clashing against Wemmick's shrewdness.
Jaggers
Drummle is a client of Jaggers, but their relationship is marked by mutual disdain and Jaggers' contempt for Drummle's cruelty.
Jaggers
Drummle is a client of Jaggers, but their relationship is marked by mutual disdain and Jaggers' contempt for Drummle's cruelty.
Wemmick
Drummle and Wemmick are antagonists, with Drummle's arrogance clashing against Wemmick's shrewdness.
Estella
Drummle is Estella's abusive, brutish husband, chosen by her to spite Pip, resulting in a toxic marriage.
Wemmick
Drummle and Wemmick are antagonists, with Drummle's arrogance clashing against Wemmick's shrewdness.
Estella
Drummle is Estella's abusive, brutish husband, chosen by her to spite Pip, resulting in a toxic marriage.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Drummle in Chapter XXV

In the story

Drummle appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter XXIII
A sulky young man, next heir but one to a baronetcy, engaged in conversation with Mrs. Pocket about titles.
Chapter XXV
Described as sulky, heavy, idle, proud, and suspicious; a disagreeable fellow among Mr. Pocket's students.
XXVI
Referred to as 'the Spider' by Jaggers; behaves boorishly, boasts of his strength, and quarrels with Pip.
Chapter XXXIV
Drummle is a fellow member of the Finches of the Grove, noted for his reckless behavior in a cab.
Chapter XXXVIII
Drummle is the object of Pip's jealousy, as he persistently pursues Estella with her toleration, despite being generally despised.
Chapter XLIII
Drummle encounters Pip at the Blue Boar and engages in a hostile standoff, hinting at his relationship with Estella.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Drummle unlock in the free preview.

See Drummle in Chapter XXV

See Drummle in Chapter XXIII