Bill Sikes

Bill Sikes

Infobox character
colour = yellow
name = Bill Sikes


caption =
first = "Oliver Twist"
last =
cause =
nickname =
alias =
species =
gender = Male
age = About 35
born =
death = 1840's
details = accidental hanging
occupation = robber
title =
callsign =
family =
spouse = Nancy (mistress)
children =
relatives =
residence = Bethnal Green, London, England
episode =
portrayer = Robert Newton (1948), Oliver Reed (1968), Robert Loggia (voice, 1988), Andy Serkis (1999), Jamie Foreman (2005), Tom Hardy (2007)
creator = Charles Dickens

William "Bill" Sikes is a fictional character in the novel "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens

He is one of Dickens's most vicious characters and a very strong force in the novel when it comes to having control over somebody or harming others. He is portrayed as a rough and barbaric man. He is a career criminal associated with Fagin, and an eventual murderer. He is very violent and aggressive, prone to sudden bursts of extreme behaviour. He owns a bull terrier named Bull's Eye, whom he beats until the dog needs stitches.

Dickens describes his first appearance:cquote
The man who growled out these words, was a stoutly-built fellow of about five-and-thirty, in a black velveteen coat, very soiled drab breeches, lace-up half boots, and grey cotton stockings which inclosed a bulky pair of legs, with large swelling calves;--the kind of legs, which in such costume, always look in an unfinished and incomplete state without a set of fetters to garnish them. He had a brown hat on his head, and a dirty belcher handkerchief round his neck: with the long frayed ends of which he smeared the beer from his face as he spoke. He disclosed, when he had done so, a broad heavy countenance with a beard of three days' growth, and two scowling eyes; one of which displayed various parti-coloured symptoms of having been recently damaged by a blow.

His prostitute girlfriend Nancy tolerates his violent and lawless behaviour, perhaps because she, being a thief since the age of six, needs stability in her life, and because she believes that she loves him. When Sikes murders Nancy, thinking she has betrayed him, a mob hounds him through the streets of London until he accidentally hangs himself while trying to escape. The murder is especially gruesome, and is one of the most graphic, frightening, scenes Dickens ever wrote.

Sikes could be said to have some positive features: at the robbery in the countryside, Sikes, rather than leave Oliver at the scene of his botched burglary of Rose Maylie's house, picks him up and runs with him as far as he can. This, however, could be as much for his own self-preservation as much as Oliver's, and he eventually does abandon the seriously wounded boy and shows absolutely no remorse about doing so. In addition, after he kills Nancy, he apparently does feel guilty, although it could be argued that this is merely fear of the possibility of being caught. Sikes lives in Bethnal Green and later moves to the squalid rookery area of London then called Jacob's Island, east of present-day Shad Thames.

Bill Sikes sometimes has his name spelled Bill Sykes; it is unclear which spelling is correct according to Mr. Dickens.fact|date=December 2007 In the musical "Oliver!" his name is spelled Sikes.

Other depictions

Bill Sikes was played by Robert Newton in David Lean's 1948 film of "Oliver Twist", and by Oliver Reed in the 1968 film version of "Oliver!".

In Disney's 1988 film "Oliver and Company", the character Sykes (who is loosely based on Bill Sikes) is voiced by Robert Loggia.

In the 1999 British television mini-series, he is played by Andy Serkis.

In the 2005 film by Roman Polanski, he is played by Jamie Foreman.

In the 2007 BBC series of "Oliver Twist" he is played by Tom Hardy.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sikes — can refer to:People* Cynthia Sikes, actress * Dan Sikes, golfer * Stuart Sikes, recording engineer * Robert Lee Fulton Sikes (1906 1994), U.S. Representative from FloridaFictional people* Bill Sikes, from the novel Oliver Twist by Charles… …   Wikipedia

  • Sikes — ist der Name folgender Orte: Sikes (Louisiana) im Bundesstaat Louisiana, USA Sikes Township in North Dakota, USA Sikes ist der Nachname folgender Personen: Bill Sikes, eine Figur in dem Roman Oliver Twist von Charles Dickens Cynthia Sikes (*… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Bill Sykes — People named Bill Sykes include: *Bill Sykes (politician), Member for Benalla in the Victorian Parliament. * Barker Bill Sykes, ventriloquist, host of Kiddie Circus .You may also be thinking of: *Bill Sikes, a fictional character in Oliver Twist… …   Wikipedia

  • Bill Nelson — Land (Organisation): USA (NASA) Datum der Auswahl: 9. November 1984 (1. Politiker Gruppe) Anzahl der Raumflüge: 1 Start erste …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Bill McCollum — Ira William „Bill“ McCollum (* 12. Juli 1944 in Brooksville, Hernando County, Florida ist ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1981 und 2001 vertrat er den Bundesstaat Florida im US Repräsentantenhaus. Wer …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Bill Young (Politiker) — Bill Young Charles William „Bill“ Young (* 16. Dezember 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) ist ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Seit 1971 vertritt er den Bundesstaat Florida im US Repräsentantenhaus. Werdegang Im Alter von 15 Jahren zog Bill Young …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Bill Posey — William „Bill“ Posey (* 18. Dezember 1947 in Washington D.C.) ist ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Seit 2009 vertritt er den Bundesstaat Florida im US Repräsentantenhaus. Werdegang Im Jahr 1956 kam Bill Posey mit …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sikes — Sikes, Bill a character in the book ↑Oliver Twist by Charles ↑Dickens. He is a violent thief who murders his girlfriend, Nancy …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Bill Pearce — Liste des personnages de Desperate Housewives La liste suivante est une liste exhaustive de tous les personnages récurrents ou ayant apparu dans au moins un épisode du feuilleton Desperate Housewives. Est d abord mentionné le nom du personnage,… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Bill Gunter — William Dawson „Bill“ Gunter (* 16. Juli 1934 in Jacksonville, Florida) ist ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1973 und 1975 vertrat er den Bundesstaat Florida im US Repräsentantenhaus. Werdegang Bill Gunter besuchte die öffentlichen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”