What is the significance of "Great Expectations?"

Charles Dickens's "Great Expectations" (1861) is significant for the following reasons:

1.The autobiographical element: Dickens had explored his own childhood and youth in "David Copperfield" (1850) which is an explicitly autobiographical novel. "Great Expectations" is also autobiographical but with this important difference: while "David Copperfield" is a success story with its dominant mood being pathetic, "Great Expectations" reveals the illusion that success is with its dominant mood being ironic. David climbs to success and marries Agnes the ideal woman, whereas Pip finally parts from Estella as a friend: "and will continue friends apart" said Estella. Ch.59. Was Dickens already weary of 'success' when he came to write "Great Expectations"? and more important his domestic life was in a shambles because of his infatuation with the actress Ellen Ternan (the Estella of the novel) which eventually resulted in his separation from his wife.

2. The theme: The central theme of the novel is found in Ch.22 namely, 'who is a true gentleman?'

It is a principle of his that no man who was not a true gentleman at heart, ever was, since the world began, a true gentleman in manner. He says no varnish can hide the grain of the wood."

Charles Dickens became an international celebrity by sheer hard work and he had contempt for the Compeysons and Arthur Havishams of his time. More significantly, Dickens was famous for his philanthropic acts and had a large and generous heart like Joe the true gentleman in the novel.

3. The social background of the novel: Charles Dickens graphically documents the seamy side of Victorian England in "Great Expectations." The chapters dealing with the description of the Thames river and Magwitch's escape reveal Dickens at his descriptive best.