Charles Dickens is known for creating characters and situations and combining them with his weird and dark humor that leads to grotesque, not only in this novel, but in others too (e.g. David Copperfield - Mr. Mrudstone). In Great Expectations he creates this eccentric character, Miss Havisham, who screams gothic and grotesque in every possible way; from her 'lifestyle' and house to her hair, makeup and clothing.
"Once, I had been taken to see ghastly waxwork at the Fair, representing I know not what impossible personage lying in state. Once, I had been taken to one of our old marsh churches to see a skeleton in the ashes of a rich dress, that had been dug out of vault under the church pavement. Now that waxwork and skeleton seemed to have dark eyes that moved and looked at me." (Dickens, C. (1986) Great Expectations (page 55- chapter 8), Marshall Cavendish Partworks Ltd, 58 Old Compton Street, London WIV 5PA)
She adopted Estella, not as a loving action, but to turn her into a heartless soul. Through the novel, there isn't one single thing that portrays Miss Havisham as a mother figure. She refers to Estella as a beautiful creature, and treats her as a tool to avenge her broken heart. Years after breaking Pip's heart as a child, a long but unhappy marrige, and Miss Havishams death Estella finally starts to show emotions, which leads her to true love and happiness.
Characters that in some ways I also find grotesque are Mrs Joe Gargery and Joe himself. After growing up in an abusive household, where his father abused him and his mother, Joe married Pip's sister who is not much different. This time around, Mrs. Joe is the one running the household and being abusive towards him and Pip. Also, she doesn't feel guilty for it either, and makes them think they brought it on themselves. She complained about everything from how she raised Pip all on her own and how she is married to a blacksmith. It is only after she expericenced violence on her own skin, and in my oppinion got what she deserved, that she starts to change her behaviour.
Finally, there's Magwich. A convict that Pip describes very animal-like. Magwich attacks him, when visiting his family grave, at the begging of the novel, and scares him to the point that he can control him.
"A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied around his head. A man who
had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed
by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by
briars; who limped and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized
me by the chin." (Dickens, C. (1986) Great Expectations (page 2- chapter 1), Marshall Cavendish Partworks Ltd, 58 Old Compton Street, London WIV 5PA)
No one would ever think that years later, he would Pip's secret benefactor. His role in Pip's life becomes as grotesque, twisted and gothic as Miss Havisham's in Estella's. Secretly, he invites Pip to move to London, and makes him 'his' gentleman. Even Pip himself realized that, and compares himself to Frankestien (gothic element).
Other gothic elements, I'd say are the locations. First location is the graveyard, where Pip encounters Magwich for the first time, and then there's, of course, the Satis House, and many more...
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