Compeyson Compeyson Compeyson is the main antagonist of Charles Dickens' novel, "Great Expectations", whose criminal activities harmed two people, who in turn shaped much of protagonist Pip's life. He abandoned Miss Havisham at the altar, and later got Abel Magwitch arrested. After Magwitch returned to England, Compeyson died after drowning in the River Thames while fighting with Magwitch. Compeyson had a good education when he was a child. His appearance was attractive and his manners gentlemanly and smooth. As an adult, he made his living through forgery and financial schemes. One of his fellows in crime was Miss Havisham's half brother,
Monks (Oliver Twist) to outwardly be associated with any form of crime (this is not because he is a moral being, but because he fears being caught). Dickens keeps his motives and his true identity a total secret until nearly the end of the novel, thus surprising the reader with an unexpected revelation that adds complications to the plot. Monks does not appear at all in "Oliver!", the musical adaptation of the novel, nor in several film versions of the novel which seek to simplify the story, including Roman Polanski's 2005 adaptation of "Oliver Twist". He does, however, appear in several mini-series versions