Marsh Area Group
Pip (Philip Pirrip, Handel) The narrator of the story who tells of his rise to wealth, his desertion of his true friends for that wealth and a chance with Estella, and his humbling by his own arrogance. At the end of the story he has learned wealth does not bring happiness.
Joe Gargery The kind blacksmith married to Pip's sister who is the moral reference point for most characters in the story. In spite of Pip's snobbery, Joe remains faithful and loving to him and is always there in Pip's hour of need.
Mrs. Joe Gargery (Georgiana M'Ria) Pip's abusive older sister who constantly reminds Pip of all she has done for him, especially "raising him up by hand." She is attacked by Orlick and later dies.
Biddy The young girl from Pip's night classes who helps with Pip's sister after the attack and later marries Joe. She is Pip's early confidant and understands him well enough to see through him.
Uncle Pumblechook Joe's pompous, self-important uncle who arranges for Pip to visit Miss Havisham's house and who arrogantly assumes himself to be the reason for Pip's good fortune.
Dolge Orlick Joe's assistant in the forge, who is responsible for the attack on Mrs. Joe and who later tries to kill Pip.
Mr. Wopsle (Mr. Waldengarver) A clerk in Pip's church who wants to be a clergyman but gives up and goes to London to be an actor.
Mr. Trabb The local tailor and undertaker.
Mr. Trabb's Boy Mr. Trabb's assistant, who ridicules Pip about his new station in life, but later helps rescue him from Orlick.
Mr. and Mrs. Hubble Friends of Mr. and Mrs. Gargery. He is the town wheelwright, a person who builds and repairs wagon wheels.
Mr. Wopsle's Great-Aunt The old woman who holds night classes for the village children and sleeps through the classes. Biddy is her granddaughter.
Squires The proprietor of the Blue Boar, an inn in Pip's village.
Philip Pirrip, late of this parish The inscription on the tombstone of Pip's father. It is how Pip refers to his father.
Georgiana, wife of the above The inscription on the tombstone of Pip's mother. It is how he refers to his mother.
Alexander, Bartholomew, Abraham, Tobias, Roger The names on the five little "lozenges" or tombstones next to those of Pip's parents. They are Pip's deceased brothers.
Satis House Group
Miss Havisham The strange, reclusive woman who was abandoned and swindled by her fiancé on her wedding day. She has raised Estella to exact revenge on all men. Pip assumes that Miss Havisham is his benefactress.
Estella The beautiful and haughty adopted daughter of Miss Havisham who taunts and attracts Pip. She does not know she is the daughter of criminals — Molly and Magwitch. She is trained to mistreat all men but after an abusive marriage grows to be a kinder person.
Mrs. Camilla, Mr. Raymond (Cousin Raymond, Mr. Camilla), Sarah Pocket, Georgiana Pocket Miss Havisham's toady relatives who pretend to care but are waiting to inherit her money. They resent Pip and see him as a threat.
London Group
Mr. Jaggers An immensely successful London trial lawyer; feared by all but loved by none. He first tells Pip of his expectations and serves as his guardian. He was Magwitch's trial lawyer and is Miss Havisham's personal attorney.
John Wemmick The chief clerk for Jaggers. In the office, he is unemotional but at home is a caring, gentle man who becomes friends with Pip.
Molly The seemingly docile and obedient servant of Mr. Jaggers, who has powerful hands, a supposedly wild nature, and an infamous past. She is Estella's mother and only Jaggers and Wemmick know this until Pip figures it out.
Aged Parent (Aged P.) Wemmick's delightful and deaf father.
Miss Skiffins John Wemmick's lady friend and later, his wife.
Mr. Skiffins Miss Skiffins brother, who helps Pip set Herbert up in business.
Herbert Pocket (Pale Young Gentleman) Pip first meets him at Miss Havisham's when the two have a fistfight. They later live together in London and become best friends. Herbert is kind, unassuming, and loyal to Pip.
Clara Barley The gentle girl engaged to Herbert. She does not care about noble lineages and marries Herbert after her father dies.
Bill Barley (Gruffandgrim) Clara's alcoholic, abusive, bedridden father who was a former ship's purser.
Mrs. Whimple The elderly and kind landlady of the home where the Barleys live. Magwitch hides there under an assumed name.
Startop One of the young gentlemen being tutored by Mr. Pocket. He later helps rescue Pip and helps in Magwitch's unsuccessful escape attempt.
Bentley Drummle A belligerent gentleman at Mr. Pocket's who later marries Estella, beats her, and dies when thrown from a horse.
Matthew Pocket Herbert's father and Pip's tutor. He is intellectual, but ineffectual in controlling his wife or household. He is Miss Havisham's relative but is not interested in her money.
Mrs. Pocket (Belinda) Herbert's mother. She ignores her many children and spends her time tracing her noble lineage and dreaming of society life.
Sophia, Flopson, and Millers Servants and nurses at the Pockets' home.
Mrs. Brandley She hosts Estella in London and introduces her to society there.
Mrs. Coiler A busybody neighbor of the Pockets.
The Avenger (Pepper) Pip's unambitious servant boy.
Clarriker A merchant with whom Herbert goes into business.
the Jack The grimy man who does odd jobs at the inn where Pip, Herbert, and Magwitch stay during their escape trip.
Mary Anne Young maid who works for Wemmick at his home.
Convicts or Related Associates
Magwitch (Abel Magwitch, Provis, First Convict, Mr. Campbell) The convict on the marshes who later becomes wealthy in Australia and is the source of Pip's expectations. He is caught trying to escape England and dies in prison with Pip by his side. He is the father of Estella and a former partner in crime with Compeyson, who betrayed him.
Compeyson (Second Convict) A smooth-talking upper-class criminal arrested for forgery with Magwitch. Before that, he jilted Miss Havisham and swindled money from her. He is the second convict on the marshes that Pip sees — Magwitch's sworn enemy. He later betrays Magwitch to the authorities and drowns in a struggle with him.
Arthur Miss Havisham's half-brother from her father's second marriage to his cook. He is disinherited by his father and hates Miss Havisham. After his father's death, Arthur runs up gambling debts and conspires with Compeyson to swindle money from Miss Havisham and split the profits. He dies haunted by her image in his dreams.
Colonel One of Jaggers' clients in jail that Pip and Wemmick visit. He is sentenced to death and Jaggers cannot help him because the evidence against Colonel is too strong.
Sally Compeyson's wife.
Stranger at the Three Jolly Bargemen A released convict who knows Magwitch from prison and delivers the two one-pound notes to Pip in the Jolly Bargemen on behalf of Magwitch. He has the file that Pip stole for Magwitch years before, and he uses it to identify himself as Magwitch's messenger.
