In the end Em’ly fights her way back home to
England, where she is received with love, compassion and forgiveness, but still
not a lady. And again Dickens draws a contrast between the rich and poor,
because whereas Em’ly’s story ends in poverty, but happiness, Steerforth has to
face a completely different ending. He drowns on a ship, while Ham, the
heartbroken lover, ironically dies in an attempt to save him. And finally David
Copperfield says: “I saw him lying with his head upon his arm, as I had often
seen him lie at school.”[33]
So this is a symbolical ending and in this somewhat exaggerated, almost forced
plot, Dickens obviously wants to convey the following message:
It is hardly
possible to break from one’s social-standing in the society of the 19th century,
but finally emotions, compassion and love are more important than anything,
money, wealth and riches can give. Of course it might seem a bit too optimistic
to the modern reader, however, it might not have been Dickens’ intention to find
a solution to every problem going on in his times, but rather to show that there
are other, more important values than just the material things, that were often
worshiped at that time.
