Oliver Twist · Character

Bill Sikes

A housebreaker with a bull terrier and a short fuse, whose casual brutality makes even Fagin's den feel like a refuge by comparison.

major

Also known as Sikes, Mr. Sikes, Mr. Bill Sikes, the brutal Sikes

First appearance: XIII: Some New Acquaintances Are Introduced to the Intelligent Reader, Connected with Whom Various Pleasant Matters Are Related, Appertaining to This History

As a major figure in Oliver Twist, Bill Sikes is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Sikes enters the scene, berates Fagin, and later pressures Nancy into undertaking the mission to find Oliver; he shows his violent nature by kicking his dog.

In the storyXIII: Some New Acquaintances Are Introduced to the Intelligent Reader, Connected with Whom Various Pleasant Matters Are Related, Appertaining to This HistoryOpen this moment free

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Sikes seizes Oliver by the collar and drags him through a dark passage into a burglary, treating the boy as equipment and the dog as a companion. He is jealous of his share, quick with his fists, and utterly without Fagin's calculating charm — violence is his only argument. His presence raises the stakes of Oliver's captivity: where Fagin wants to use the boy, Sikes is simply willing to spend him.

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See Bill Sikes in XIII: Some New Acquaintances Are Introduced to the Intelligent Reader, Connected with Whom Various Pleasant Matters Are Related, Appertaining to This History

Character Web

19 connections

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

Relationship types

Professional
Psychological
Romantic
Other

Character groups

Fagin's criminal gang
Protagonist

+14 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

In this passage, the dramatic climax occurs when Rose Maylie, previously depicted as cheerful and in high spir…

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Relationships

Fagin
professional · negative
They are criminal associates, with Sikes being a violent enforcer and Fagin a fence and… How this plays out →
Oliver Twist
psychological · negative
Nancy
romantic · negative
Oliver Twist
psychological · negative
Fagin
professional · negative
They are criminal associates, with Sikes being a violent enforcer and Fagin a fence and… How this plays out →
Fagin
professional · negative
They are criminal associates, with Sikes being a violent enforcer and Fagin a fence and… How this plays out →
Nancy
romantic · negative
Nancy
romantic · negative
Oliver Twist
psychological · negative

Fagin
They are criminal associates, with Sikes being a violent enforcer and Fagin a fence and recruiter.
Oliver Twist
Sikes terrorizes and physically abuses Oliver, using him as a tool for burglary.
Nancy
They are in a violent, abusive relationship; Sikes dominates and ultimately murders Nancy.
Oliver Twist
Sikes terrorizes and physically abuses Oliver, using him as a tool for burglary.
Fagin
They are criminal associates, with Sikes being a violent enforcer and Fagin a fence and recruiter.
Fagin
They are criminal associates, with Sikes being a violent enforcer and Fagin a fence and recruiter.
Nancy
They are in a violent, abusive relationship; Sikes dominates and ultimately murders Nancy.
Nancy
They are in a violent, abusive relationship; Sikes dominates and ultimately murders Nancy.
Oliver Twist
Sikes terrorizes and physically abuses Oliver, using him as a tool for burglary.

Relationship notes

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

See Bill Sikes in XIII: Some New Acquaintances Are Introduced to the Intelligent Reader, Connected with Whom Various Pleasant Matters Are Related, Appertaining to This History

In the story

Bill Sikes appears across 15 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

XIII: Some New Acquaintances Are Introduced to the Intelligent Reader, Connected with Whom Various Pleasant Matters Are Related, Appertaining to This History
Sikes enters the scene, berates Fagin, and later pressures Nancy into undertaking the mission to find Oliver; he shows his violent nature by kicking his dog.
XV: Showing How Very Fond of Oliver Twist the Merry Old Jew and Miss Nancy Were
In a low public-house, Sikes violently quarrels with his dog Bull's-eye, then threatens Fagin, asserting dominance. Later, he seizes Oliver in the street, strikes him, and drags him away.
XVI: Relates What Became of Oliver Twist, After He Had Been Claimed by Nancy
Sikes drags Oliver through the streets, threatens him with his dog, and later argues with Fagin over the stolen goods, showing his brutal and greedy nature.
XIX: In Which a Notable Plan Is Discussed and Determined On
Agrees to take Oliver on the job, brandishing a crowbar and threatening to kill the boy if he causes trouble.
XX: Wherein Oliver Is Delivered Over to Mr. William Sikes
Receives Oliver; loads a pistol and intimidates him.
XXI: The Expedition
Leads Oliver through London and the countryside, intimidating him and ensuring his compliance.
The Burglary
Leads the burglary, threatens Oliver with a pistol, drags him through the window after he is shot.
Chapter XXVI: In Which a Mysterious Character Appears Upon the Scene; and Many Things, Inseparable from This History, Are Done and Performed
Sikes is absent but is the subject of Fagin's inquiries and threats regarding Oliver.
XXVIII: Looks After Oliver, and Proceeds with His Adventures
Flees from the scene of the burglary, leaving Oliver behind after carrying him partway.
Chapter XXXIX: Introduces Some Respectable Characters with Whom the Reader Is Already Acquainted, and Shows How Monks and the Jew Laid Their Worthy Heads Together
Recovering from illness in a mean apartment, weak and irritable, strikes Nancy and curses her.
A Strange Interview, Which Is a Sequel to the Last Chapter
Nancy fears Sikes would murder her if he knew of her meeting with Rose.
The Time Arrives for Nancy to Redeem Her Pledge to Rose Maylie. She Fails
Shows suspicion and obstinacy toward Nancy's late-night departure, and is the target of Fagin's murderous scheme.
Fatal Consequences
Arrives at Fagin's lair, learns of Nancy's betrayal, and rushes home to confront and murder her.
XLVIII: The Flight of Sikes
Overwhelmed by guilt and paranoia after murdering Nancy, Sikes flees London, wandering aimlessly and tormented by visions of his victim.
The Pursuit and Escape
The murderer, hiding in Jacob's Island, is confronted by Charley Bates and later accidentally hangs himself while trying to escape the mob.

Chapter companion notes

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See Bill Sikes in XIII: Some New Acquaintances Are Introduced to the Intelligent Reader, Connected with Whom Various Pleasant Matters Are Related, Appertaining to This History