Charles Dickens and His Works

Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

• Born in Portsmouth in 1812
• Had limited formal education
• Forced to work in a factory as a child due to his father's imprisonment for debt
• Became a journalist, using the pen name "Boz"
• Became a parliamentary reporter for The Morning Chronicle in 1833
• Became a professional writer and published many books often based on his own experiences
• Travelled to America and Italy
• Married and had ten children
• Died in 1870

Dickens' Works

• Sketches by Boz (1833-36): A collection of short articles and descriptions of London
• Pickwick Papers (1836-7): Series of tales focused on Mr. Pickwick's adventures, humorously exploring England through the eyes of eccentric characters
• Oliver Twist (1837-9): Explores social criticisms such as the exploitation of children, cruelty of workhouses and the bad living conditions
  • Focuses on Oliver Twist's early life in a workhouse and his journey to London, where he becomes involved in a criminal gang, ending with his adoption by a wealthy family
  • Key themes include poverty, Victorian morality, and the hardships of the poor
• A Christmas Carol (1843): A ghostly story demonstrating the conversion of a miser to the spirit of Christmas; explores the importance of redemption and kindness
• Dombey and Son (1846): Criticizes the greed for money and power
• David Copperfield (1849-50): A coming-of-age novel exploring the complexities of childhood and the protagonist's growth from childhood to adulthood
• Bleak House (1852-3): Satire of English justice
• Hard Times (1854): Explores the effects of the Industrial Revolution. It is characterized by its sharp criticism of Utilitarianism and its emphasis on the harsh realities of Victorian England
  • The protagonist, Thomas Gradgrind, is a strong advocate for Utilitarianism and creates a school which emphasizes facts over imagination and joy.
  • Gradgrind's daughter and son's lives become unhappy and detrimental due to this materialistic philosophy.
• Great Expectations (1860): Examines the influence of wealth on a person's moral status; considered a coming-of-age story

Dickens' Style and Characteristics

• Created a style called "Dickensian"
• His plots have become popular with filmmakers because they often use an episodic narrative structure
• His characters are often recognized as character types (ex: Scrooge, Gradgrind)
• His novels often have inventive plots and parallel stories, along with improbable coincidences and melodramatic tones.
• Characters often embody particular vices or virtues and belong to all social classes

Dickens' Social Criticism

• Criticised the bad living conditions of the poor under the Poor Law of 1934
• Condemned the working conditions of the poor
• Criticised the moral consequences of uncontrolled economic growth

Explore the life and contributions of Charles Dickens, a prominent English novelist of the 19th century. This quiz covers his early struggles, major works like 'Oliver Twist' and 'Pickwick Papers', and the social issues he highlighted through his writing.