CHARLES DICKENS

Charles Dickens was one of the greatest writers of the Victorian Age in England. I have split my report into two parts. The first section will cover Dickens' life, the second will cover his works and the motivations behind them. Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsea, England. His family was not well off, but survived. In 1814 he moved with his family to London, the setting of many of his future novels. After 3 years here he moved to Chatam, a small, shipbuilding town. He began his schooling here, but was interrupted when his family again moved, this time back to London(1822). While in London, Charles Dickens' got a job pasting labels on bottles of shoe polish. During this time period, his father was thrown in jail for failure to pay his debt. He had to live alone in a lodging house when the rest of his family moved in with his father(he had been released). In the next three years(1821-1824) Dickens attended school at Wellington House academy. Finally in 1824, Dickens' left school permanently and went to work as office boy for a law firm. In 1828 Dickens left this and became a free lance reporter - by 1832 he was working for The True Sun and The Morning Advertiser. In 1834, under the pseudonym "Boz", he contributed several pieces to the Monthly Magazine and in 1835 The Evening Chronicles. 1836 was a big year in Dickens' life. He published his first book, Sketches by Boz, and was married to Catherine Holgart. They would eventually have ten children. When Dickens was 24 he published The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. This piece received much attention and Dickens became famous. During the years 1837 to 1839, Charles Dickens' wrote one of his best known books, Oliver Twist. Over the next several years, he wrote many books and articles, although none as famous as Oliver Twist. In 1842 Dickens began a tour of the United States, giving lectures on the abolition of slavery and issues related to international copyrights. When he returned to London, he wrote American Notes and Martin Chuzzlewit, pieces that criticized American life. During 1844, he also wrote The Christmas Carol. Two years later, during 1846, he began editing of the Daily News. He began his personal favorite, David Copperfield, near this time also. Dickens also began writing critical social commentaries. In 1851 Dickens father and daughter both died. In the next seven years Dickens' wrote more pieces, most notably Hard Times., and began an affair with Ellie Ternan. By 1858, Dickens had left his wife. He also began giving professional readings. In 1865, he was in a train accident while returning from Paris. The injuries he received would plague Dickens for the remainder of his life. In 1867 he began a another lecture tour of America and his health improved somewhat. Two years later he broke down after giving 74 of 100 readings in England, Scotland, and Ireland. The next year he gave his final readings, including one to Queen Victoria. He June 9, 1870, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

WORKS

Charles Dickens love of literature started when he was a boy. His father got him a copy of Arabian Nights, along with many other books. Dickens' read continuously throughout his life. He could quote nearly any line in the Arabian Nights, even as an adult. His time spent working in a shoe factory also affected him. His family basically abandoned him and he was forced to experience the hard parts of life. These experiences eventually led him to write David Copperfield. Dickens's works were generally more than simply stories. Many of his books were social commentaries(i.e. Oliver Twist). His books portrayed life in Victorian England as it really was. Some were autobiographical,like David Copperfield. Many of his books dealt with moral themes, like kindness or charity. I tried to include a little bit about each of Dickens' most famous works. Oliver Twist -Oliver Twist was published in twenty four installments from February 1837 to April 1839. It portrays the life of Oliver Twist, a young thief. The book portrays the life of a thief as hard, not romantic or easy. In the book Dickens expresses his view on the workhouses. People were underfed and overworked. I'm halfway throughout the book right now and it shows clearly how bad life was on the streets. A Christmas Carol - This is one of the most famous Christmas stories of all time. This book introduced Scrooge and Tiny Tim. It was published in December of 1843. The story is about a rich man, Scrooge, who is visited by ghosts and becomes a charitable person. David Copperfield - This book was written 1849-1850. This book was Charles Dickens' most autobiographical work. It was about a young boy and his struggles in industrial London. This was also what Dickens' claimed to be his favorite work. Now I've told you about Dickens's life and his works. Hopefully you've learned more about one of the greatest writers of the 19th century.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Page, Norman. A Dickens Companion. Macmillian Press Limited, London, 1984 Dickens, Charles. Oliver Twist. New York. Holt, Reinhart, and Winston, 1962 (Introduction by J. Hillis Miller)

Carey, John.Here Comes Dickens. New York. Schocken Books. 1973

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