Oliver Twist, written in 1837～1838, tells the story of an orphan boy, whose adventures provide a description of the lower depths of London.

　　Oliver Twist is born in a workhouse in 1830s, England. His mother, whose name no one knows, is found on the street and dies just after Oliver's birth. He is brought up in the workhouse where he and other orphans are maltreated (虐待) and constantly starved. One day, because Oliver asks for more soup, he is sent to an undertaker (送葬人) to work as an apprentice (学徒). The undertaker makes disparaging (轻蔑的) comments about Oliver's mother. Unable to bear it, Oliver attacks him and runs away to London. There he falls into the hands of a gang of thieves headed by old Jew Fagin. In the thieve's den (贼窝) Oliver is taught the skill of pocking and stealing and is forced to steal. He is rescued for a time by the kind­hearted Mr Brownlow. But Nancy and other gang members find him and bring him back. It finally turns out that a mysterious man Monks wants to make the boy a criminal.

Once Oliver is forced to help a burglar in a burglary. In the course of it, Oliver is shot and badly wounded. The kind care from Mrs Maylie and her beautiful adopted niece Rose brings him back to health. Nancy, who now repents (后悔) for what she has done, tries to help. She tells Rose and Mr Brownlow of the mystery about Oliver's origin and that is found out by the gang and she is brutally murdered by Bill Sikes. Pursued by his guilty conscience and an angry mob (匪帮), he hangs himself while trying to escape. Fagin is arrested and executed (处死). It is now known that Monks is the half­brother of Oliver and he does all this for the purpose of seizing the whole of their father's property. Rose is