Rose Fleming Maylie is a character in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, who is eventually discovered to be Oliver's maternal aunt. Though she plays a significant role in the novel, she is often omitted from dramatisations of the story.

Biographie

Rose is portrayed as pure, innocent and beautiful. Seventeen years old at the time of the novel's events, she is set up as a dramatic foil to Nancy, who is around the same age and sees her own degradation in contrast to Rose.

Rose is an orphan whose original surname was Fleming. She is raised from childhood by Mrs. Maylie, who adopted her from a poor family who were looking after her. She refers to Rose as her niece. Rose is haunted by the thought that she may be illegitimate, and so she rejects the suit of Mrs. Maylie's son Harry for fear that marriage to her may harm his career in the church.

Bill Sikes and Toby Crackit, two thieves, break into the Maylies' house, accompanied by Oliver, who they use to get access, as he is small enough to climb through a window. Oliver is shot and wounded by a servant of the terrified Maylies.

Later, Rose learns about Oliver's plight from Nancy. She offers to help Nancy escape from Sikes, but Nancy refuses to leave him. Rose teams up with Mr. Brownlow to rescue Oliver. It is later revealed that she is Oliver's aunt. Her sister Agnes Fleming was Oliver's mother. Like Oliver, she was a victim of Monks' plotting.

Towards the end of the novel Rose becomes seriously ill and is apparently on the point of death. Harry hastens to her side and declares his love for her. She recovers and the couple are married.



^ Bromburg, M. & Morris,V., Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist, Barron's Educational Series, 1 Jan 1985, p.15.

^ Hayward, Arthur, "Maylie", The Dickens Encyclopaedia: Routledge Library Editions: Charles Dickens, Volume 8, Routledge, 17 Jun 2013.

^ Rodney Dale, The Dickens Dictionary, Wordsworth Editions, 2004, p.61.