Mr. Brownlow and Grimwig

Mr. Brownlow and Mr. Grimwig are among the most enduring and warmly comic friendships in Oliver Twist. Their bond, established long before the events of the novel, is characterized by a dynamic of perpetual contradiction: Grimwig, a stout, lame old gentleman with a parrot-like manner of screwing his head on one side, habitually opposes every assertion Brownlow makes, backing his arguments with the extravagant offer to "eat his own head." Brownlow, in turn, bears his friend's peculiarities with great good humor, knowing that beneath the irascible exterior lies a worthy and loyal creature. This pattern of affectionate antagonism is established from Grimwig's first appearance at Brownlow's home, where he immediately seizes upon a piece of orange peel on the staircase as evidence of a conspiracy, and proceeds to declare that Oliver, whom Brownlow has just taken in, is a deceiver who will never return from his errand. The two friends sit in the dark parlour with a watch between them, waiting for Oliver's return, Grimwig earnestly hoping the boy will not come back so that he may be proved right, yet inwardly dreading the disappointment this would cause his friend. This scene perfectly captures the paradox of their relationship: Grimwig's love of contradiction is so strong that it momentarily overrides his genuine affection for Brownlow, yet his ultimate loyalty is never in doubt. After Oliver's identity and innocence are fully established, Grimwig becomes a devoted member of the little society that forms around the boy. He is a regular visitor at the country parsonage where Harry Maylie and Rose live, and he accompanies Mr. Brownlow on his visits. On Sundays, he never fails to criticize the young clergyman's sermon to his face, while privately confiding to Mr. Losberne that he considers it an excellent performance. Mr. Brownlow delights in rallying him about his old prophecy concerning Oliver, reminding him of the night they sat with the watch between them; Grimwig, however, contends that he was right in the main, since Oliver did not come back after all—a joke that always increases his good humor. Their friendship, built on years of shared history and a deep, unspoken trust, survives all tests and provides a stable, affectionate counterpoint to the treachery and violence of the criminal world.