Nancy (Oliver Twist)
| Nancy | |
|---|---|
Lotten Olsson in the role of Nancy | |
| Created by | Charles Dickens |
| Portrayed by | Elita Proctor Otis Constance Collier Doris Lloyd Gladys Brockwell Georgia Brown Carmel McSharry Shani Wallis Kay Walsh Cherie Lunghi Patti LuPone Amanda Harris Sally Dexter Claire Moore Ruthie Henshall Emily Woof Jodie Prenger Tamsin Carroll Sarah Lark Kerry Ellis Leanne Rowe Samantha Barks Kim Engelbrecht Saira Choudhry Leanne Rowe Evelin Samuel Sophie Okonedo Cat Simmons Sophie Simnett |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Thief, prostitute |
Nancy is a fictional character in the 1838 novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and its several adaptations for theatre, television and films. She is a member of Fagin's gang and the lover, and eventual victim, of Bill Sikes.
As well as Nancy being a thief, a common suggestion is that she is a prostitute, in the modern sense of the word. At no point is this stated directly in the novel; rather it stems from Dickens describing her as such in his preface to the 1841 edition ("the boys are pickpockets, and the girl is a prostitute"). However, it has been speculated that he is invoking the term's then-synonymous usage referring to a woman living out of wedlock or otherwise on the margins of "respectable" society.
In spite of her criminality, Nancy is portrayed as a sympathetic figure, whose concern for Oliver overcomes her loyalty to Sikes and Fagin. By the climax of the novel, she is emaciated with sickness and worry, and filled with guilt about the life she is leading.