Yes this is true. Dickens created her character to never
have any capacity for tenderness or human emotion. As the conversation continues after
the line you recorded in the question, Estella goes on to tell Pip that she has never
had feelings for anyone and if the two of them were ever to be in a relationship, she
would continue to have no affection for him. Readers are led to believe that this line
of thinking comes from the bitter Miss Havisham who has trained Estella from a young age
to hate men. Part of this comes from Havisham's skewed idea of
love:
"I'll
tell you ... what real love is. It is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation,
utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and the whole world, giving up your
whole heart and soul to the smiter - as I
did!"
Everyone defines love
differently, but I am confident that many people would agree that true love would not
require all of these sacrifices. Surely there is some sacrifice in love, but a companion
in such a relationship would likewise make sacrifices. Readers believe that Havisham's
experiences have affected how she trained Estella to live. It seems Havisham has worked
the soul and capacity for human care right out of Estella. Estella's character remains
true to these characteristics until the end of the
story.
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