Great Expectations: Chapter 56
The recap, key beats, and evidence for Chapter 56, without reopening the whole book.
Section recap · 2 min read
What happens in Chapter 56.
Magwitch's trial takes place, and he is convicted along with thirty-two other prisoners. The judge delivers a long, formal speech before sentencing Magwitch to death. Pip stays close to Magwitch throughout, and Magwitch grows weaker by the day. Pip visits him in the prison infirmary as he declines. Near the end, Pip tells Magwitch that his daughter is alive and that Pip loved her. Magwitch dies peacefully after hearing this. Pip is left with nothing: his fortune is forfeit to the Crown, and he is deeply in debt.
The beats worth remembering.
Magwitch Sentenced to Death
The court convicts Magwitch along with dozens of others. The judge's speech is long and ceremonial, but the outcome is never in doubt. Magwitch accepts the verdict calmly.
Pip Visits the Dying Magwitch
Pip goes to the prison infirmary every day as Magwitch fades. The visits show how completely Pip's feelings toward the man have changed since the early chapters.
Pip Tells Magwitch About Estella
Just before Magwitch dies, Pip tells him that his daughter survived, is a lady, and that Pip loved her. Magwitch dies with this comfort. It is the last gift Pip can give him.
The moments you can actually use later.
Deathbed Comfort
Pip chooses to tell a dying man the one piece of news that will bring him peace, even though Pip himself is grieving and broke. The scene shows Pip acting for someone else's sake rather than his own.
Fortune Forfeited
The law takes Magwitch's estate, leaving Pip with debts and no income. Students can use this moment to argue that Dickens deliberately strips Pip of everything material before allowing him any real happiness.
What to carry forward.
Pip's Transformation Is Complete
Pip, who once felt only shame and disgust toward Magwitch, now sits with him daily and offers him comfort at the end. This reversal is worth tracking in any essay about Pip's moral growth.
The Fortune Disappears
With Magwitch's death and conviction, the money is gone. Pip's great expectations collapse entirely here, which forces the final section of the novel to deal with who Pip is without wealth.
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How this guide is built
This guide is built from the original text to help you get oriented fast. It is designed for recall, paper planning, and getting unstuck, but it is still a paraphrased guide, not a substitute for the reading itself. Double-check anything important before you turn in formal work.