Oliver Twist's Birth

Oliver Twist is born in a workhouse in a provincial English town. His mother, a young woman found lying in the street, dies immediately after giving birth, leaving the infant an orphan. The parish surgeon and a drunken nurse attend the birth, and the surgeon notes the absence of a wedding ring on the mother's finger, confirming the child's illegitimacy. This event establishes Oliver's foundational identity as a parish orphan, setting the stage for his lifelong struggle against poverty, neglect, and the cruel institutions of the Poor Law.