8. Great Expectations

"The coroner...became Timon of Athens; the beadle, Coriolanus" (134).

Charles Dickens includes Timon of Athens into his novel, Great Expectations to foreshadow Pip's experience with money. Timon walks through life knowing that no matter what one gives to another, he or she will never be there when needed the most. In a nutshell, Timon views people as being selfish and never changing. Pip appears to be a person who fits Timon's expectations. He comes into money, not knowing who it came from and continues along through his life and actually abandons his family. He views them as a lower ranking of humans who do not fit into his society and he is embarrassed to have them around his family. Coriolanus depicts some more foreshadowing of Pip's life within the novel for Coriolanus also looks down on the those who are not rich, much like Pip ends up doing when he is handed money and the opportunity to become a gentleman.

"Coriolanus." Spark Notes. 2 January 2010. 2009.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/coriolanus/summary.html

"Timon of Athens." Spark Notes. 2 January 2010. 2009.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/timonofathens/summary.html