In “Great Expectations,” by Charles Dickens, Estella is a complex character. Estella is characterised as being gorgeous, cold-hearted, and with a sense of superiority as a young woman who was reared by the affluent but eccentric Miss Havisham. She is Pip’s romantic interest and essential to his quest for self-awareness.

Estella’s aloofness and coldness towards other people are two of her defining characteristics. As evidenced by her dealings with Pip and others, she has been taught by Miss Havisham to be cold and callous. For example, Estella tells Pip, “I am what you have made me. Take all the praise, take all the blame; take all the success, take all the failure; in short, take me” (Chapter 38). Estella believes that she is a result of her background and the influences of others, particularly Pip, as evidenced by this comment. She does not accept accountability for her own acts and sees herself as a product of Miss Havisham’s manipulation.