Charles Dickens

CharlesDickens house Portsmouth

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Dickens-at-the-Blacking-Warehouse

Courtyard of the former Marshalsea prison, 1897 (2)

Catherine Dickens

Charles Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was a seminal and prolific English novelist and social critic who is regarded as one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the 20th century, critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories are still widely read today.

Early Life

Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, on the southern coast of England, to John Dickens, a naval pay clerk, and his wife Elizabeth Dickens. Due to his family's poor financial situation, Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Dickens's early experiences with poverty and the harsh conditions of the working class would later influence much of his writing.

Career

Dickens's literary career began with the publication of The Pickwick Papers in 1836, which was followed by a rapid succession of novels, including Oliver Twist (1837–39), Nicholas Nickleby (1838–39), David Copperfield (1849–50), Bleak House (1852–53), Hard Times (1854), Little Dorrit (1855–57), A Tale of Two Cities (1859), and Great Expectations (1860–61), among others. His novels were characterized by his concern for social reform, his rich storytelling, and his memorable characters.

Themes and Style

Dickens's writing is marked by his acute observation of character and society, often focusing on the injustices faced by the poor and disadvantaged. His novels typically feature elaborate plots, a large cast of characters, and his distinctive use of irony, satire, and humour. Dickens was also known for his vivid descriptions of people and places, particularly the city of London.

Legacy

Charles Dickens's influence on the English novel is immense. Many of his phrases, characters, and ideas have entered popular culture. For example, the term "Scrooge," from A Christmas Carol, has become synonymous with miserliness and the Christmas spirit. Dickens's concern for social justice and reform contributed to the Victorian social conscience, and his works brought widespread attention to various social issues of the time.

Selected Works

• The Pickwick Papers (1836)
• Oliver Twist (1837–39)
• Nicholas Nickleby (1838–39)
• A Christmas Carol (1843)
• David Copperfield (1849–50)
• Bleak House (1852–53)
• Hard Times (1854)
• Little Dorrit (1855–57)
• A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
• Great Expectations (1860–61)

Death

Charles Dickens died of a stroke on 9 June 1870, at the age of 58, at his home, Gad's Hill Place, in Kent, England. He left his final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, unfinished. Dickens was buried in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey, a testament to his towering status in English literature.

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