Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens is acclaimed as one of history's greatest novelists
Born	Charles John Huffam Dickens 7 February 1812 (1812-02-07) Portsmouth, England
Died	9 June 1870 (aged 58) Gad's Hill Place, Higham, Kent, England
Occupation	Novelist
Notable work(s)	Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities
Influences Honoré de Balzac, Miguel de Cervantes, Victor Hugo, Washington Irving, William Shakespeare
Influenced T. Coraghessan Boyle, Fyodor Dostoevsky, George Gissing, Thomas Hardy, John Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, Tom Wolfe, G. K. Chesterton, George Orwell, Ray Bradbury
Signature

Charles John Huffam Dickens, FRSA (IPA: /ˈtʃɑrlz ˈdɪkɪnz/; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870), pen-name "Boz", was the foremost English novelist of the Victorian era, as well as a vigorous social campaigner. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 1812 ( MDCCCXII) a leap year started on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Gad's Hill Place in Higham, Kent, sometimes spelt Gadshill Place was the dream house of Charles Dickens, the most successful British author of his generation Higham is a small village bordering the Hoo Peninsula, in Kent, between Gravesend and Rochester. Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial A Christmas Carol in Prose Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol) is a Novella by Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities (1859 is the second Historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra ( in modern Spanish; September 29, 1547 &ndash April 22, 1616) was a Spanish Novelist Victor-Marie Hugo ( ( February 26, 1802 – May 22, 1885) was a French Poet, Playwright, Novelist Washington Irving (April 3 1783 – November 28 1859 was an American Author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th William Shakespeare ( baptised T Coraghessan Boyle (also known as TC Boyle, born Thomas John Boyle on December 2, 1948) is a U Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (Фёдор Миха́йлович Достое́вский, sometimes transliterated Dostoyevsky, Dostoievsky, George Gissing (ˈɡɪsɪŋ November 22, 1857 &ndash December 28, 1903) was an English Novelist who wrote twenty-three Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 was an English novelist Short story writer and poet of the naturalist movement though he saw John Winslow Irving (born March 2, 1942 as John Wallace Blunt Jr Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic, Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr (born March 2, 1931 in Richmond, Virginia) known as Tom Wolfe, is a Best-selling Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936 was an influential English writer of the early 20th century Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950 who used the Pseudonym George Orwell, was an English writer Ray Douglas Bradbury (born August 22 1920 is an American mainstream, Fantasy, horror, Science fiction and mystery The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts Manufactures and Commerce ( RSA) is a British multi-disciplinary institution based in London. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 1812 ( MDCCCXII) a leap year started on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a Pseudonym adopted by an Author or their publishers to conceal their identity England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Considered one of the English language's greatest writers, he was acclaimed for his rich storytelling and memorable characters, and achieved massive worldwide popularity in his lifetime.

Later critics, beginning with George Gissing and G. K. Chesterton, championed his mastery of prose, his endless invention of unique, clever personalities and his powerful social sensibilities, but fellow writers such as George Henry Lewes, Henry James and Virginia Woolf fault his work for sentimentality, implausible occurrences, and grotesque characters. George Gissing (ˈɡɪsɪŋ November 22, 1857 &ndash December 28, 1903) was an English Novelist who wrote twenty-three Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936 was an influential English writer of the early 20th century George Henry Lewes (18 April 1817&ndash28 November 1878 was an English Philosopher, literary and theatre critic Henry James, OM ( –) son of theologian Henry James Sr, brother of the philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James (Adeline Virginia Woolf (née Stephen; 25 January 1882 – 28 March 1941 was an English Novelist and Essayist, regarded as one of the foremost When used in conversation grotesque commonly means strange fantastic ugly or bizarre and thus is often used to describe weird shapes and distorted forms such as Halloween ^[1]

The popularity of Dickens' novels and short stories has meant that not one has ever gone out of print. A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story The short story is a literary genre of Fictional Prose Narrative that tends to be more concise and to the point than longer works of fiction such An out-of-print book is a Book that is no longer being Published Out of print books are often Rare, and may be difficult to acquire Dickens wrote serialised novels, the usual format for fiction at the time, and the reading public eagerly anticipated the arrival of each new part of his stories. The term " serial " refers to the intrinsic property of a series &mdash namely its order. Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes.

Life

Early years

Charles Dickens was born in Landport, Portsmouth in Hampshire, the second of eight children to John Dickens (1786 – 1851), a clerk in the Navy Pay Office at Portsmouth, and his wife Elizabeth Dickens (née Barrow, 1789 – 1863) on 7 February 1812. Landport is a district located near the centre of Portsea Island and is part of the city of Portsmouth England. History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince Year 1812 ( MDCCCXII) a leap year started on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year When he was five, the family moved to Chatham, Kent. In 1822, when he was ten, the family relocated to 16 Bayham Street, Camden Town in London. Camden Town is the district of London, England around Camden High Street, in the London Borough of Camden.

Ordnance Terrace, Chatham - Dickens' home from 1817 to 1822

Although his early years seem to have been an idyllic time, he thought himself then as a "very small and not-over-particularly-taken-care-of boy". ^[2] He spent his time outdoors, but also read voraciously, with a particular fondness for the picaresque novels of Tobias Smollett and Henry Fielding. The picaresque novel ( Spanish: "picaresca", from "pícaro", for " Rogue " or " Rascal " is a Tobias George Smollett (bapt 19 March, 1721 &ndash 17 September, 1771) was a Scottish author best known for his Picaresque Henry Fielding ( April 22, 1707 &ndash October 8, 1754) was an English Novelist and Dramatist known for his He talked later in life of his extremely poignant memories of childhood and his continuing photographic memory of the people and events that helped to bring his fiction to life. Eidetic memory, photographic memory, or total recall is the ability to recall Images Sounds, or objects in Memory His family was moderately wealthy, and he received some education at the private William Giles' school in Chatham. This time of prosperity came to an abrupt end, however, when his father, after spending far too much money entertaining and retaining his social position, was imprisoned at Marshalsea debtors' prison. The Marshalsea was a notorious prison on the south bank of the River Thames in the London borough of Southwark. A debtors' prison is a Prison for those who are unable to pay a Debt.

The 12-year-old Dickens began working ten hour days in a Warren's boot-blacking factory, located near the present Charing Cross railway station. Child labor is the employment of Children at regular and sustained labour A factory (previously manufactory) or manufacturing plant is an industrial Building where workers manufacture goods Charing Cross railway station is a central London railway terminus He earned six shillings a week pasting labels on the jars of thick polish. The shilling is a unit of Currency used in current and former Commonwealth countries and was continued to be used in countries that left the commonwealth This money paid for his lodgings in Camden Town and helped him to support his family. Camden Town is the district of London, England around Camden High Street, in the London Borough of Camden. The shocking conditions of the factory made an ingrained impression on Dickens.

After a few months, his family was able to leave Marshalsea, but their financial situation did not improve until later, partly due to money inherited from his father's family. Dickens's mother did not immediately remove him from the boot-blacking factory, owned by a relation of hers, and he never forgave her for this. Resentment of his situation and the conditions under which working-class people lived became major themes of his works, championing the causes of the poor and oppressed. Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types As Dickens wrote in David Copperfield, his personal favourite as well as his most patently autobiographical novel,^[3] "I had no advice, no counsel, no encouragement, no consolation, no assistance, no support, of any kind, from anyone, that I can call to mind, as I hope to go to heaven!" He eventually attended the Wellington House Academy in North London. David Copperfield or The Personal History Adventures Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish North London is the northern part of London, England. The area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes

In May 1827, Dickens began work in the office of Ellis and Blackmore as a law clerk. A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a Judge in researching issues before the Court and in writing opinions This was a junior office position, but it came with the potential of helping him up to the Bar. It was here that he gained his detailed knowledge of the law and the poor's suffering at the hands of its many injustices, together with a loathing of inefficient bureaucracy which stayed with him for the rest his life. He showed his contempt for the lawyer's profession in his many literary works.

At the age of seventeen, he became a court stenographer and, in 1830, met his first love, Maria Beadnell. It is believed that she was the model for the character Dora in David Copperfield. David Copperfield or The Personal History Adventures Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish Maria's parents disapproved of the courtship and effectively ended the relationship when they sent her to school in Paris. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city

Journalism and early novels

A young Charles Dickens

In 1834, Dickens became a political journalist, reporting on parliamentary debate and travelling across Britain by stagecoach to cover election campaigns for the Morning Chronicle. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands For other meanings see Stagecoach (disambiguation. A stagecoach (also called diligence) is a type of four-wheeled enclosed The Morning Chronicle was an English newspaper founded in 1769 in London, England, and published under various owners until 1862 His journalism, in the form of sketches which appeared in periodicals from 1833, formed his first collection of pieces Sketches by Boz which were published in 1836 and led to the serialization of his first novel, The Pickwick Papers, in March 1836. Sketches by Boz is a collection of short pieces published by Charles Dickens in 1836. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, better known as The Pickwick Papers, is the first novel by Charles Dickens. He continued to contribute to and edit journals throughout much of his subsequent literary career. Dickens's keen perceptiveness, intimate knowledge and understanding of the people, and tale-spinning genius were quickly to gain him world renown and wealth.

On 2 April 1836, he married Catherine Thompson Hogarth (1816 – 1879), the daughter of George Hogarth, editor of the Evening Chronicle. The Evening Chronicle is a daily evening Newspaper produced in Newcastle upon Tyne, covering Tyne and Wear, southern Northumberland After a brief honeymoon in Chalk, Kent, they set up home in Bloomsbury, where they had ten children:

• Charles Culliford Boz Dickens (6 January 1837 – 1896). Chalk is a village lying to east of Gravesend, Kent, England, part of the town area The Charles Dickens Museum is at 48 Doughty Street in the district of Holborn, London, England. Charles Dickens Jr, born Charles Culliford Boz Dickens ( 6 January 1837 – 1896 was the first child of the Novelist Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1837 ( MDCCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common C. C. B. Dickens, later known as Charles Dickens, Jr, editor for All the Year Round, author of the Dickens's Dictionary of London (1879). Charles Dickens Jr, born Charles Culliford Boz Dickens ( 6 January 1837 – 1896 was the first child of the Novelist All the Year Round was a Victorian periodical being a British weekly Literary magazine founded and owned by Charles Dickens, published Charles Dickens Jr, born Charles Culliford Boz Dickens ( 6 January 1837 – 1896 was the first child of the Novelist
• Mary Angela Dickens (6 March 1838 – 1896). Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common
• Kate Macready Dickens (29 October 1839 – 1929). Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common
• Walter Landor Dickens (8 February 1841 – 1863). Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. For the game see 1841 (board game. Year 1841 ( MDCCCXLI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link Died in India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country
• Francis Jeffrey Dickens (15 January 1844 – 1886). Francis Jeffrey Dickens, ( 15 January 1844 &ndash 11 June 1886) was the third son of Victorian novelist Charles Dickens and his wife Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year
• Alfred D'Orsay Tennyson Dickens (28 October 1845 – 1912). Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
• Sydney Smith Haldimand Dickens (18 April 1847 – 1872). Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common
• (Sir) Henry Fielding Dickens (15 January 1849 – 1933). Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
  • Henry Charles Dickens (1882 – 1966), barrister. (Grandson)
    • Monica Dickens (1915 – 1992). Monica Enid Dickens ( May 10, 1915 London - December 25, 1992 Reading Berkshire) was a British Writer (Great-granddaughter)
• Dora Annie Dickens (16 August 1850 – April 1851). Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link
• Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens (13 March 1852 – 23 January 1902). Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens ( 13 March 1852 – 23 January 1902) was English novelist Charles Dickens ' youngest son and Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II. Year 1852 ( MDCCCLII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting He migrated to Australia, and became a member of the New South Wales state parliament. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. He died in Moree, New South Wales. Moree is a large town in Moree Plains Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia.

Catherine's sister Mary entered Dickens's Doughty Street household to offer support to her newly married sister and brother-in-law. Doughty Street is a small street in the Holborn district of the London Borough of Camden. It was not unusual for the unwed sister of a new wife to live with and help a newly married couple. Dickens became very attached to Mary, and she died after a brief illness in his arms in 1837. She became a character in many of his books, and her death is fictionalized as the death of Little Nell. ^[4]

Also in 1836, Dickens accepted the job of editor of Bentley's Miscellany, a position that he would hold until 1839, when he fell out with the owner. Bentley's Miscellany was a literary magazine started by Richard Bentley. His success as a novelist continued, however, producing Oliver Twist (1837-39), Nicholas Nickleby (1838-39), The Old Curiosity Shop and, finally, Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty as part of the Master Humphrey's Clock series (1840-41)—all published in monthly instalments before being made into books. Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial The Old Curiosity Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens. The plot follows the life of Nell Trent and her grandfather both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in Barnaby Rudge A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty is an Historical novel by the author Charles Dickens. Master Humphrey's Clock was a weekly periodical edited and written entirely by Charles Dickens from April 4, 1840 &mdash December 4 Dickens had a pet raven named Grip; it died in 1841 and Dickens had it stuffed (it is now at The Free Library of Philadelphia). Raven is the common name given to the largest species of Passerine Birds in the Genus Corvus. The Free Library of Philadelphia is the Public library system serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [1]

Dickens made two trips to North America.

In 1842, Dickens travelled with his wife to the United States and Canada, a journey which was successful in spite of his support for the abolition of slavery. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

During this visit, Dickens spent time in New York City, where he gave lectures, raised support for copyright laws, and recorded many of his impressions of America. The City of New York He toured the City for a month, and met such luminaries as Washington Irving and William Cullen Bryant. Washington Irving (April 3 1783 – November 28 1859 was an American Author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th William Cullen Bryant (November 3 1794 - June 12 1878 was an American romantic poet, journalist and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post. On 14 Feb 1842, a Boz Ball (named after his pseudonym) was held in his honour at the Park Theater, with 3,000 of New York’s elite present. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common For the other New York City theatre of this name see Park Theatre (Brooklyn. Among the neighbourhoods he visited were Five Points, Wall Street, The Bowery, and the prison known as The Tombs^[5]. Five Points (or The Five Points) was a notorious Slum centered on the intersection of Anthony (now Worth Orange (now Baxter Mulberry (still the same name Cross Wall Street is a street in lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. Bowery (ˈbaʊɚi or /ˈbaʊri/ is the name of a street and a small neighborhood in the southern portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan. " The Tombs " is the colloquial name for the Manhattan Detention Complex a Jail in Lower Manhattan at 125 White Street as well as the popular name

The trip is described in the short travelogue American Notes for General Circulation and is also the basis of some of the episodes in Martin Chuzzlewit. Travel literature is Travel writing considered to have value as Literature. American Notes for General Circulation is a travelogue by Charles Dickens detailing his trip to North America in January to June 1842 The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit (serialized 1843-1844 is a novel by Charles Dickens, considered the last of his Picaresque novels Shortly thereafter, he began to show interest in Unitarian Christianity, although he remained an Anglican, at least nominally, for the rest of his life. Unitarianism as a theology is the belief in the single personality of God in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity (three persons in one God Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs [2] Dickens's work continued to be popular, especially A Christmas Carol written in 1843, the first of his Christmas books, which was reputedly a potboiler written in a matter of weeks. A Christmas Carol in Prose Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol) is a Novella by Charles Dickens Potboiler or pot-boiler is a term used to describe a poor quality novel play opera or film or other creative work that was created quickly to make Money to pay

After living briefly abroad in Italy (1844) and Switzerland (1846), Dickens continued his success with Dombey and Son (1848); David Copperfield (1849-50); Bleak House (1852-53); Hard Times (1854); Little Dorrit (1857); A Tale of Two Cities (1859); and Great Expectations (1861). Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Dombey and Son is a Novel by the Victorian author Charles Dickens. David Copperfield or The Personal History Adventures Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish Bleak House is the ninth Novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853 Hard Times- For These Times is a Novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854 Little Dorrit is a serial novel by Charles Dickens published originally between 1855 and 1857. A Tale of Two Cities (1859 is the second Historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the Great Expectations is a Novel by Charles Dickens first serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December Dickens was also the publisher and editor of, and a major contributor to, the journals Household Words (1850 – 1859) and All the Year Round (1858-1870). Household Words was an English weekly Magazine edited by Charles Dickens which took its name from the line from Shakespeare "Familiar in All the Year Round was a Victorian periodical being a British weekly Literary magazine founded and owned by Charles Dickens, published

Middle years

In 1856, his popularity had allowed him to buy Gad's Hill Place. Gad's Hill Place in Higham, Kent, sometimes spelt Gadshill Place was the dream house of Charles Dickens, the most successful British author of his generation This large house in Higham, Kent, had a particular meaning to Dickens as he had walked past it as a child and had dreamed of living in it. Higham is a small village bordering the Hoo Peninsula, in Kent, between Gravesend and Rochester. The area was also the scene of some of the events of Shakespeare's Henry IV, part 1 and this literary connection pleased him. William Shakespeare ( baptised Henry IV Part 1 is a History play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597

In 1857, in preparation for public performances of The Frozen Deep, a play on which he and his protégé Wilkie Collins had collaborated, Dickens hired professional actresses to play the female parts. The Frozen Deep was a play originally staged as an amateur theatrical written by Wilkie Collins along with the substantial guidance of Charles Dickens William Wilkie Collins ( 8 January 1824 &ndash 23 September 1889) was an English Novelist, Playwright, and With one of these, Ellen Ternan, Dickens formed a bond which was to last the rest of his life. Ellen Ternan is sometimes confused with her near contemporary the Shakespearean actress Ellen Terry, whose career was more distinguished but who did not have The exact nature of their relationship is unclear, as both Dickens and Ternan burned each other's letters, but it was clearly central to Dickens's personal and professional life. On his death, he settled an annuity on her which made her a financially independent woman. Claire Tomalin's book, The Invisible Woman, set out to prove that Ellen Ternan lived with Dickens secretly for the last 13 years of his life, and has subsequently been turned into a play by Simon Gray called Little Nell.

When Dickens separated from his wife in 1858, divorce was almost unthinkable, particularly for someone as famous as he was, and so he continued to maintain her in a house for the next 20 years until she died. Although they appeared to be initially happy together, Catherine did not seem to share quite the same boundless energy for life which Dickens had. Nevertheless, her job of looking after their ten children, the pressure of living with a world-famous novelist, and keeping house for him, certainly did not help.

An indication of his marital dissatisfaction may be seen when, in 1855, he went to meet his first love, Maria Beadnell. Maria was by this time married as well, but seemed to have fallen short of Dickens's romantic memory of her.

Rail accident and last years

Photograph of Dickens taken by Jeremiah Gurney in New York, 1867 or 1868

On 9 June 1865, while returning from France with Ternan, Dickens was involved in the Staplehurst rail crash in which the first seven carriages of the train plunged off a cast iron bridge that was being repaired. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Staplehurst rail crash was a Railway accident at Staplehurst, Kent, England, which took place on 9 June 1865 and in Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. The only first-class carriage to remain on the track was the one in which Dickens was travelling. First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a Train, Passenger ship, Airplane, or other conveyance Dickens spent some time tending the wounded and the dying before rescuers arrived. Before leaving, he remembered the unfinished manuscript for Our Mutual Friend, and he returned to his carriage to retrieve it. Our Mutual Friend (written in the years 1864–65 is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is in many ways one of his most sophisticated works combining Typically, Dickens later used this experience as material for his short ghost story The Signal-Man in which the central character has a premonition of his own death in a rail crash. A ghost story may be any piece of Fiction, or Drama, that includes a Ghost, or simply takes as a Premise the possibility of ghosts or the belief "The Signal-Man" is a short story by Charles Dickens, first published as part of the " Mugby Junction " collection in the 1866 Christmas He based the story around several previous rail accidents, such as the Clayton Tunnel rail crash of 1861. The Clayton Tunnel rail crash, which took place in 1861 five miles from Brighton on the south coast of England, was the worst accident to occur up to that

Dickens managed to avoid an appearance at the inquest into the crash, as it would have become known that he was travelling that day with Ellen Ternan and her mother, which could have caused a scandal. An inquest is a judicial investigation usually by a group of court-appointed people ( Jury) in Common law Jurisdictions The most common kind of inquest Ellen had been Dickens's companion since the breakdown of his marriage, and, as he had met her in 1857, she was most likely the ultimate reason for that breakdown. She continued to be his companion, and likely mistress, until his death. The dimensions of the affair were unknown until the publication of Dickens and Daughter, a book about Dickens's relationship with his daughter Kate, in 1939. Kate Dickens worked with author Gladys Storey on the book prior to her death in 1929, and alleged that Dickens and Ternan had a son who died in infancy, though no contemporary evidence exists.

Dickens, though unharmed, never really recovered from the Staplehurst crash, and his normally prolific writing shrank to completing Our Mutual Friend and starting the unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood after a long interval. Our Mutual Friend (written in the years 1864–65 is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is in many ways one of his most sophisticated works combining The Mystery of Edwin Drood is the final Novel by Charles Dickens. Much of his time was taken up with public readings from his best-loved novels. Dickens was fascinated by the theatre as an escape from the world, and theatres and theatrical people appear in Nicholas Nickleby. The travelling shows were extremely popular. In 1866 a series of public readings were undertaken in England and Scotland. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The following year saw Dickens give a series of readings in England and Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Dickens was now really unwell but carried on, compulsively, against his doctor's advice.

Statue of Dickens in Philadelphia

Later in the year he embarked on his second American reading tour, which continued into 1868. During this trip, most of which he spent in New York, he gave 22 readings at Steinway Hall between 9 December 1867 and 20 April 1868, and four at Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims between 16 January and 21 January 1868. Steinway Hall is the name of concert halls housing Steinway & Sons piano showrooms and sales departments in one building Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1303 - The University of Rome La Sapienza is instituted by Pope Boniface VIII. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims is a church in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York City. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap In his travels, he saw a significant change in the people and the circumstances of America. His final appearance was at a banquet at Delmonico’s on 18 April 1868, when he promised to never denounce America again. Delmonico steak (alternately steak Delmonico) refers to both a cut of beef and a presentation of Steak Dinner prepared from it made world-famous by Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Dickens boarded his ship to return to Britain on 23 April 1868, barely escaping a Federal Tax Lien against the proceeds of his lecture tour^[5]. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap A tax lien is a Lien imposed on property by law to secure payment of taxes

During 1869, his readings continued, in England, Scotland, and Ireland, until at last he collapsed, showing symptoms of mild stroke. A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain Further provincial readings were cancelled, but he began upon The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Dickens's final public readings took place in London in 1870. He suffered another stroke on June 8 at Gad's Hill, after a full day's work on Edwin Drood, and five years to the day after the Staplehurst crash, on 9 June 1870, he died at his home in Gad's Hill Place. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common He was mourned by all his readers.

Contrary to his wish to be buried in Rochester Cathedral, he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester Kent. Poets’ Corner is the name traditionally given to a section of the South Transept of Westminster Abbey due to the number of Poets Playwrights and The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church The inscription on his tomb reads: "He was a sympathiser to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world. " Dickens's will stipulated that no memorial be erected to honour him. The only life-size bronze statue of Dickens, cast in 1891 by Francis Edwin Elwell, is located in Clark Park in the Spruce Hill neighbourhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. Francis Edwin Elwell (also cited as Frank Edwin Elwell (1858-1922 was an American Sculptor. Clark Park is a city-owned park in the Spruce Hill section of West Philadelphia. Spruce Hill is a neighborhood located in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern

Literary style

Dickens's writing style is florid and poetic, with a strong comic touch. His satires of British aristocratic snobbery — he calls one character the "Noble Refrigerator" — are often popular. Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human Comparing orphans to stocks and shares, people to tug boats, or dinner-party guests to furniture are just some of Dickens's acclaimed flights of fancy. Many of his character's names provide the reader with a hint as to the roles played in advancing the storyline, such as Miss Murdstone in the novel David Copperfield, which is clearly a combination of "murder" and stony coldness. His literary style is also a mixture of fantasy and realism. Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting Realism in the Visual arts and Literature is the depiction of subjects as they appear in Everyday life, without embellishment or interpretation

Characters

Charles Dickens used his rich imagination, sense of humour and detailed memories, particularly of his childhood, to enliven his fiction.

The characters are among the most memorable in English literature; certainly their names are. The likes of Ebenezer Scrooge, Fagin, Mrs Gamp, Charles Darnay, Oliver Twist, Micawber, Abel Magwitch, Samuel Pickwick, Miss Havisham, Wackford Squeers and many others are so well known and can be believed to be living a life outside the novels that their stories have been continued by other authors. Ebenezer Scrooge is the Main character in Charles Dickens ' 1843 Novel, A Christmas Carol. Fagin (ˈfeɪɡɪn is a Fictional character who appears in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, referred to in the preface of the novel Charles Darnay or St Evremonde is a fictional character in the novel A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist is the Protagonist of the Novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. For other uses of Micawber please see Micawber. Wilkins Micawber is a Fictional character from Charles Dickens ' novel Abel Magwitch is a fictional character from Charles Dickens ’ novel Great Expectations. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, better known as The Pickwick Papers, is the first novel by Charles Dickens. Miss Havisham is a significant character in the Charles Dickens Novel, Great Expectations ( 1861)

Dickens loved the style of 18th century gothic romance, though it had already become a target for parody — Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey being a well known example — and while some of his characters are grotesques, their eccentricities do not usually overshadow the stories. Gothic fiction (sometimes referred to as Gothic horror) is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. A parody (ˈpɛɹədiː US, [ˈpaɹədiː] UK) in contemporary usage is a work created to mock comment on or poke fun at an original work its subject Jane Austen (16 For films named Northanger Abbey see Northanger Abbey (1986 film or Northanger Abbey (2007 TV drama. One 'character' most vividly drawn throughout his novels is London itself. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. From the coaching inns on the outskirts of the city to the lower reaches of the Thames, all aspects of the capital are described over the course of his corpus. This article is about coaching inns in general for individual inns see Stagecoach Inn (Disambiguation In Europe, from approximately the mid 17th The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England.

Episodic writing

As noted above, most of Dickens's major novels were first written in monthly or weekly instalments in journals such as Master Humphrey's Clock and Household Words, later reprinted in book form. Master Humphrey's Clock was a weekly periodical edited and written entirely by Charles Dickens from April 4, 1840 &mdash December 4 Household Words was an English weekly Magazine edited by Charles Dickens which took its name from the line from Shakespeare "Familiar in These instalments made the stories cheap, accessible and the series of regular cliff-hangers made each new episode widely anticipated. A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a Plot device in which a movie, Novel, or other work of fiction contains an abrupt ending often leaving American fans even waited at the docks in New York, shouting out to the crew of an incoming ship, "Is Little Nell dead?"^[6][7][8] Part of Dickens's great talent was to incorporate this episodic writing style but still end up with a coherent novel at the end. The monthly numbers were illustrated by, amongst others, "Phiz" (a pseudonym for Hablot Browne). Hablot Knight Browne ( July 12, 1815 - July 8, 1882) was an English artist famous as Phiz, the illustrator of the best-known Hablot Knight Browne ( July 12, 1815 - July 8, 1882) was an English artist famous as Phiz, the illustrator of the best-known Among his best-known works are Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Bleak House, Nicholas Nickleby, The Pickwick Papers, and A Christmas Carol. Great Expectations is a Novel by Charles Dickens first serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December David Copperfield or The Personal History Adventures Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial A Tale of Two Cities (1859 is the second Historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the Bleak House is the ninth Novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853 The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, better known as The Pickwick Papers, is the first novel by Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol in Prose Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol) is a Novella by Charles Dickens

"Charles Dickens as he appears when reading. " Wood engraving from Harper's Weekly, 7 December 1867

Dickens's technique of writing in monthly or weekly instalments (depending on the work) can be understood by analysing his relationship with his illustrators. Harper's Weekly ( A Journal of Civilization) was an American political Magazine based in New York City. For the vector -based drawing program by Adobe Systems, see Adobe Illustrator. The several artists who filled this role were privy to the contents and intentions of Dickens's instalments before the general public. Thus, by reading these correspondences between author and illustrator, the intentions behind Dickens's work can be better understood. What was hidden in his art is made plain in these letters. These also reveal how the interests of the reader and author do not coincide. A great example of that appears in the monthly novel Oliver Twist. At one point in this work, Dickens had Oliver become embroiled in a robbery. That particular monthly instalment concludes with young Oliver being shot. Readers expected that they would be forced to wait only a month to find out the outcome of that gunshot. In fact, Dickens did not reveal what became of young Oliver in the succeeding number. Rather, the reading public was forced to wait two months to discover if the boy lived.

Another important impact of Dickens's episodic writing style resulted from his exposure to the opinions of his readers. Since Dickens did not write the chapters very far ahead of their publication, he was allowed to witness the public reaction and alter the story depending on those public reactions. A fine example of this process can be seen in his weekly serial The Old Curiosity Shop, which is a chase story. The Old Curiosity Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens. The plot follows the life of Nell Trent and her grandfather both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in In this novel, Little Nell and her Grandfather are fleeing the villain Quilp. The progress of the novel follows the gradual success of that pursuit. As Dickens wrote and published the weekly instalments, his friend John Forster pointed out: "You know you're going to have to kill her, don't you. John Forster ( April 2, 1812 &ndash February 2, 1876) was an English Biographer and Critic, born at " Why this end was necessary can be explained by a brief analysis of the difference between the structure of a comedy versus a tragedy. In a comedy, the action covers a sequence "You think they're going to lose, you think they're going to lose, they win". In tragedy, it is: "You think they're going to win, you think they're going to win, they lose". The dramatic conclusion of the story is implicit throughout the novel. So, as Dickens wrote the novel in the form of a tragedy, the sad outcome of the novel was a foregone conclusion. If he had not caused his heroine to lose, he would not have completed his dramatic structure. Dickens admitted that his friend Forster was right and, in the end, Little Nell died. ^[9]

Social commentary

Dickens's novels were, among other things, works of social commentary. Social commentary is the act of rebelling against a government by means of rhetorical propaganda He was a fierce critic of the poverty and social stratification of Victorian society. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and In Sociology, social stratification is the hierarchical arrangement of Social classes Castes and strata within a Society. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Dickens's second novel, Oliver Twist (1839), shocked readers with its images of poverty and crime and was responsible for the clearing of the actual London slum that was the basis of the story's Jacob's Island. Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial In the sociological field, crime is the breach of a rule or Law for which some governing authority or force may ultimately prescribe a Punishment A rookery (also sometimes described as a stew) was the colloquial British English name historically given to a city Slum or Ghetto frequented by poor people Jacob's Island was a notorious rookery in Bermondsey, on the south bank of the River Thames in London. In addition, with the character of the tragic prostitute, Nancy, Dickens "humanised" such women for the reading public; women who were regarded as "unfortunates," inherently immoral casualties of the Victorian class/economic system. Nancy is the sympathetic lover of Bill Sikes in the novel Oliver Twist, in its film versions and in the stage and film version of the musical Bleak House and Little Dorrit elaborated expansive critiques of the Victorian institutional apparatus: the interminable lawsuits of the Court of Chancery that destroyed people's lives in Bleak House and a dual attack in Little Dorrit on inefficient, corrupt patent offices and unregulated market speculation. Bleak House is the ninth Novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853 Little Dorrit is a serial novel by Charles Dickens published originally between 1855 and 1857. The Court of Chancery was one of the courts of equity in England and Wales. A patent office is a Governmental or Intergovernmental organization which controls the issue of Patents List of patent offices For a Speculation, in a financial context is making an investment that increases the overall risk in a portfolio

Literary techniques

Dickens is often described as using 'idealised' characters and highly sentimental scenes to contrast with his caricatures and the ugly social truths he reveals. A caricature is either a Portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness or in literature a description The extended death scene of Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop (1841) was received as incredibly moving by contemporary readers but viewed as ludicrously sentimental by Oscar Wilde:"You would need to have a heart of stone," he declared in one of his famous witticisms, "not to laugh at the death of Little Nell. The Old Curiosity Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens. The plot follows the life of Nell Trent and her grandfather both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of "^[10] In 1903 Chesterton said, "It is not the death of Little Nell, but the life of Little Nell, that I object to. " ^[11]

In Oliver Twist Dickens provides readers with an idealised portrait of a young boy so inherently and unrealistically 'good' that his values are never subverted by either brutal orphanages or coerced involvement in a gang of young pickpockets (similar to Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol). Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial This article is about the crime For the Robert Bresson film see Pickpocket (film. A Christmas Carol in Prose Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol) is a Novella by Charles Dickens While later novels also centre on idealised characters (Esther Summerson in Bleak House and Amy Dorrit in Little Dorrit), this idealism serves only to highlight Dickens's goal of poignant social commentary. Bleak House is the ninth Novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853 Little Dorrit is a serial novel by Charles Dickens published originally between 1855 and 1857. Social commentary is the act of rebelling against a government by means of rhetorical propaganda Many of his novels are concerned with social realism, focusing on mechanisms of social control that direct people's lives (for instance, factory networks in Hard Times and hypocritical exclusionary class codes in Our Mutual Friend). Hard Times- For These Times is a Novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854 Our Mutual Friend (written in the years 1864–65 is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is in many ways one of his most sophisticated works combining

Dickens also employs incredible coincidences (e. g. , Oliver Twist turns out to be the lost nephew of the upper class family that randomly rescues him from the dangers of the pickpocket group). Such coincidences are a staple of eighteenth century picaresque novels such as Henry Fielding's Tom Jones that Dickens enjoyed so much. The picaresque novel ( Spanish: "picaresca", from "pícaro", for " Rogue " or " Rascal " is a The History of Tom Jones a Foundling, often known simply as Tom Jones, is a Comic novel by the English playwright and novelist But, to Dickens, these were not just plot devices but an index of the humanism that led him to believe that good wins out in the end and often in unexpected ways. A plot device is an element introduced into a story solely to advance or resolve the plot of the story

Autobiographical elements

All authors might be said to incorporate autobiographical elements in their fiction, but with Dickens this is very noticeable, even though he took pains to mask what he considered his shameful, lowly past. David Copperfield is one of the most clearly autobiographical but the scenes from Bleak House of interminable court cases and legal arguments are drawn from the author's brief career as a court reporter. David Copperfield or The Personal History Adventures Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish Bleak House is the ninth Novel by Charles Dickens, published in twenty monthly installments between March 1852 and September 1853 Dickens's own family was sent to prison for poverty, a common theme in many of his books, and the detailed depiction of life in the Marshalsea prison in Little Dorrit resulted from Dickens's own experiences of the institution. Little Dorrit is a serial novel by Charles Dickens published originally between 1855 and 1857. Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop is thought to represent Dickens's sister-in-law, Nicholas Nickleby's father and Wilkins Micawber are certainly Dickens's own father, just as Mrs. The Old Curiosity Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens. The plot follows the life of Nell Trent and her grandfather both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in For other uses of Micawber please see Micawber. Wilkins Micawber is a Fictional character from Charles Dickens ' novel Nickleby and Mrs. Micawber are similar to his mother. The snobbish nature of Pip from Great Expectations also has some affinity to the author himself. Great Expectations is a Novel by Charles Dickens first serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December Great Expectations is a Novel by Charles Dickens first serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December The character of Fagin is believed to be based upon Ikey Solomon, a 19th century Jewish criminal of London and later Australia. Fagin (ˈfeɪɡɪn is a Fictional character who appears in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, referred to in the preface of the novel Isaac (Ikey Solomon (1785-1850 was an English criminal who became an extremely successful receiver of stolen property It is reported that Dickens, during his time as a journalist, interviewed Solomon after a court appearance and that he was the inspiration for the gang leader in Oliver Twist. Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial Dickens may have drawn on his childhood experiences, but he was also ashamed of them and would not reveal that this was where he gathered his realistic accounts of squalor. Very few knew the details of his early life until six years after his death when John Forster published a biography on which Dickens had collaborated. A shameful past in Victorian times could taint reputations, just as it did for some of his characters, and this may have been Dickens's own fear.

Racial defamation

Dickens wrote articles that strongly attacked other cultures, e. g. , the Inuit, falsely calling them murderers of the Franklin expedition. Inuit (plural the singular Inuk, means "man" or "person" is a general term for a group of culturally similar Indigenous peoples inhabiting Sir John Franklin, FRGS ( April 16, 1786 &ndash June 11, 1847) was a British Royal Navy officer and Dickens writings on Inuit people have had long-lasting effects in the defamation on an entire race and culture. In the documentary Passage (2008 film), a member of Dickens' family apologizes on behalf of his ancestor to an Inuk statesman, who accepts the apology on behalf of Inuit people. Passage is a documentary partly based on the book Fatal Passage about the Franklin expedition and Rae and Lady Franklin Dickens has also been accused of anti-Semitism in his depictions of several characters, most notably the character of Fagin in Oliver Twist. Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial

Legacy

A scene from Oliver Twist, from an early 20th century edition.

A well-known personality, his novels proved immensely popular during his lifetime. His first full novel, The Pickwick Papers (1837), brought him immediate fame, and this success continued throughout his career. Although rarely departing greatly from his typical "Dickensian" method of always attempting to write a great "story" in a somewhat conventional manner (the dual narrators of Bleak House constitute a notable exception), he experimented with varied themes, characterisations, and genres. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set Some of these experiments achieved more popularity than others, and the public's taste and appreciation of his many works have varied over time. Usually keen to give his readers what they wanted, the monthly or weekly publication of his works in episodes meant that the books could change as the story proceeded at the whim of the public. Good examples of this are the American episodes in Martin Chuzzlewit which Dickens included in response to lower-than-normal sales of the earlier chapters. The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit (serialized 1843-1844 is a novel by Charles Dickens, considered the last of his Picaresque novels In Our Mutual Friend, the inclusion of the character of Riah was a positive portrayal of a Jewish character after he was criticised for the depiction of Fagin in Oliver Twist. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Fagin (ˈfeɪɡɪn is a Fictional character who appears in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, referred to in the preface of the novel Oliver Twist (1838 is Charles Dickens' second Novel. The book was originally published in Bentley's Miscellany as a serial

Although his popularity has waned little since his death, he continues to be one of the best known and most read of English authors. At least 180 motion pictures and TV adaptations based on Dickens's works help confirm his success. Many of his works were adapted for the stage during his own lifetime and as early as 1913 a silent film of The Pickwick Papers was made. His characters were often so memorable that they took on a life of their own outside his books. Gamp became a slang expression for an umbrella from the character Mrs Gamp and Pickwickian, Pecksniffian, and Gradgrind all entered dictionaries due to Dickens's original portraits of such characters who were quixotic, hypocritical, or emotionlessly logical. The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit (serialized 1843-1844 is a novel by Charles Dickens, considered the last of his Picaresque novels Quixotism is the description of a person or an act that is caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals Sam Weller, the carefree and irreverent valet of The Pickwick Papers, was an early superstar, perhaps better known than his author at first. Sam Weller is a Fictional character in The Pickwick Papers, the first novel by Charles Dickens, and is allegedly the character that made Dickens Valet and Varlet are terms for Male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer It is likely that A Christmas Carol stands as his best-known story, with new adaptations almost every year. It is also the most-filmed of Dickens's stories, with many versions dating from the early years of cinema. This simple morality tale with both pathos and its theme of redemption, sums up (for many) the true meaning of Christmas. Morality Play is a detective story by Barry Unsworth, a Man Booker Prize -winning author for his book Sacred Hunger Published in 1996 by Pathos (ˈpeɪːθɒs ( πάθος) is one of the three Modes of persuasion in Rhetoric (along with Ethos and Logos) Indeed, it eclipses all other Yuletide stories in not only popularity, but in adding archetypal figures (Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Christmas ghosts) to the Western cultural consciousness. Yule is a winter festival historically celebrated primarily in northern Europe but now celebrated in many other countries in various forms Some historians consider this book to have played a major factor in redefining the holiday and its major sentiments. A Christmas Carol was written by Dickens in an attempt to forestall financial disaster as a result of flagging sales of his novel Martin Chuzzlewit. Years later, Dickens shared that he was "deeply affected" in writing A Christmas Carol and the novel rejuvenated his career as a renowned author.

At a time when Britain was the major economic and political power of the world, Dickens highlighted the life of the forgotten poor and disadvantaged at the heart of empire. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Through his journalism he campaigned on specific issues — such as sanitation and the workhouse — but his fiction probably demonstrated its greatest prowess in changing public opinion in regard to class inequalities. Sanitation is the hygienic means of preventing human contact from the hazards of wastes to promote health A workhouse, colloquially known as a spike was a place where people who were unable to support themselves could go to live and work He often depicted the exploitation and repression of the poor and condemned the public officials and institutions that not only allowed such abuses to exist, but flourished as a result. His most strident indictment of this condition is in Hard Times (1854), Dickens's only novel-length treatment of the industrial working class. In this work, he uses both vitriol and satire to illustrate how this marginalised social stratum was termed "Hands" by the factory owners; that is, not really "people" but rather only appendages of the machines that they operated. His writings inspired others, in particular journalists and political figures, to address such problems of class oppression. For example, the prison scenes in Little Dorrit and The Pickwick Papers were prime movers in having the Marshalsea and Fleet Prisons shut down. The Marshalsea was a notorious prison on the south bank of the River Thames in the London borough of Southwark. Fleet Prison was a notorious London Prison. It was built in 1197 and situated off what is now Farringdon Street, on the eastern bank of the Fleet River As Karl Marx said, Dickens, and the other novelists of Victorian England, "…issued to the world more political and social truths than have been uttered by all the professional politicians, publicists and moralists put together…". ^[12] The exceptional popularity of his novels, even those with socially oppositional themes (Bleak House, 1853; Little Dorrit, 1857; Our Mutual Friend, 1865) underscored not only his almost preternatural ability to create compelling storylines and unforgettable characters, but also insured that the Victorian public confronted issues of social justice that had commonly been ignored.

His fiction, with often vivid descriptions of life in nineteenth century England, has inaccurately and anachronistically come to symbolise on a global level Victorian society (1837 – 1901) as uniformly "Dickensian," when in fact, his novels' time span spanned from the 1770s to the 1860s. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar In the decade following his death in 1870, a more intense degree of socially and philosophically pessimistic perspectives invested British fiction; such themes stood in marked contrast to the religious faith that ultimately held together even the bleakest of Dickens's novels. Faith is a Belief in the trustworthiness of an Idea. Formal usage of the word "faith" is usually reserved for concepts of Religion, as in Dickens clearly influenced later Victorian novelists such as Thomas Hardy and George Gissing, however their works display a greater willingness to confront and challenge the Victorian institution of religion. Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 was an English novelist Short story writer and poet of the naturalist movement though he saw George Gissing (ˈɡɪsɪŋ November 22, 1857 &ndash December 28, 1903) was an English Novelist who wrote twenty-three They also portray characters caught up by social forces (primarily via lower-class conditions), but they usually steered them to tragic ends beyond their control. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures.

Novelists continue to be influenced by his books; for example, such disparate current writers as Anne Rice, Tom Wolfe, and John Irving evidence direct Dickensian connections. Anne Rice (born Howard Allen O'Brien on October 4, 1941) is a best-selling American Author of gothic and religious-themed Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr (born March 2, 1931 in Richmond, Virginia) known as Tom Wolfe, is a Best-selling John Winslow Irving (born March 2, 1942 as John Wallace Blunt Jr Humorist James Finn Garner even wrote a tongue-in-cheek "politically correct" version of A Christmas Carol, and other affectionate parodies include the Radio 4 comedy Bleak Expectations. James Finn Garner is an American writer and Satirist based in Chicago A Christmas Carol in Prose Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol) is a Novella by Charles Dickens Bleak Expectations is a 6-part 2007 Radio 4 comedy series first broadcast at 11

Although Dickens's life has been the subject of at least two TV miniseries and two famous one-man shows, he has never been the subject of a Hollywood "big screen" biography. For art exhibitions see solo show In performing arts and entertainment a one person show or solo show is frequently performed by but

Name 'Dickens'

Charles Dickens had, as a contemporary critic put it, a "queer name". The name Dickens was used in interjective exclamations like "What the Dickens!" as a substitute for "devil". The Devil is the It was recorded in the OED as originating from Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English The Merry Wives of Windsor is a Comedy by William Shakespeare, first published in 1602, though believed to have been written prior to 1597 It was also used as a substitute for "deuce" as in the phrase "to play the Dickens" in the meaning "to play havoc/mischief". ^[13]

Adaptations of readings

There have been several performances of Dickens readings by Emlyn Williams, Bransby Williams and also Simon Callow in the Mystery of Charles Dickens by Peter Ackroyd. George Emlyn Williams CBE ( 26 November 1905 &ndash 25 September 1987) known as Emlyn Williams, was a Welsh Simon Phillip Hugh Callow, CBE (born 15 June 1949) is an English stage, Film and Television Actor Peter Ackroyd (born 5 October 1949, East Acton, London) is an English Author.

Museums and festivals

Bleak House, Broadstairs in Broadstairs, Kent, where Dickens wrote some of his novels. Bleak House, formerly known as Fort House is a large house on the cliff overlooking the North Foreland and Viking Bay in Broadstairs, Kent. The house was for many years a Dickens museum, and visitors would leave notes addressed to him in the desk-drawer in his former study, overlooking harbour and sea.

There are museums and festivals celebrating Dickens's life and works in many of the towns with which he was associated.

• The Charles Dickens Museum, in Doughty Street, Holborn is the only one of Dickens's London homes to survive. The Charles Dickens Museum is at 48 Doughty Street in the district of Holborn, London, England. Holborn (ˈhoʊbɚn or /ˈhoʊbɝːn/ "ho bun" is an area of Central London, England London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. He lived there only two years but in that time wrote The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, and Nicholas Nickleby. It contains a major collection of manuscripts, original furniture and memorabilia.
• Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum in Portsmouth is the house in which Dickens was born. History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which It has been re-furnished in the likely style of 1812 and contains Dickens memorabilia.
• The Dickens House Museum in Broadstairs is the house of Miss Mary Pearson Strong, the basis for Miss Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield. Betsey Trotwood is a Fictional character from Charles Dickens ' novel David Copperfield. David Copperfield or The Personal History Adventures Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (which he never meant to publish It is visible across the bay from the original Bleak House (also a museum until 2005) where David Copperfield was written. The museum contains memorabilia, general Victoriana and some of Dickens's letters. Broadstairs has held a Dickens Festival annually since 1937.
• The Charles Dickens Centre in Eastgate House, Rochester, closed in 2004, but the garden containing the author's Swiss chalet is still open. Rochester is a town in Kent, England. It is located within the Unitary authority area of Medway and is at the lowest bridging point of the The 16th century house, which appeared as Westgate House in The Pickwick Papers and the Nun's House in Edwin Drood, is now used as a wedding venue. ^[14] The city's annual Dickens Festival (summer) and Dickensian Christmas celebrations continue unaffected.

The Cashier's Office, Chatham Dockyard. Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England

• The Dickens World themed attraction, covering 71,500 square feet (6,643 m²), and including a cinema and restaurants, opened in Chatham on 25 May 2007. Dickens World is a themed attraction located at Chatham Dockyard in the English county of Kent. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[15] It stands on a small part of the site of the former naval dockyard where Dickens's father had once worked in the Navy Pay Office. Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England
• Dickens Festival in Rochester, Kent. Rochester is a town in Kent, England. It is located within the Unitary authority area of Medway and is at the lowest bridging point of the Summer Dickens is held at the end of May or in the first few days of June, it commences with an invitation only ball on the Thursday and then continues with street entertainment, and many costumed characters, on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Christmas Dickens is the first weekend in December- Saturday and Sunday only.

Dickens festivals are also held across the world.

Four notable ones in the United States are:

• The Riverside Dickens Festival in Riverside, California, includes literary studies as well as entertainments. Riverside is the County seat of Riverside County, California, United States.
• The Great Dickens Christmas Fair (http://www.dickensfair.com/) has been held in San Francisco, California, since the 1970s. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city During the four or five weekends before Christmas, over 500 costumed performers mingle with and entertain thousands of visitors amidst the recreated full-scale blocks of Dickensian London in over 90,000 square feet (8,000 m²) of public area. This is the oldest, largest, and most successful of the modern Dickens festivals outside England. Many (including the Martin Harris who acts in the Rochester festival and flies out from London to play Scrooge every year in SF) say it is the most impressive in the world.
• Dickens on The Strand in Galveston, Texas, is a holiday festival held on the first weekend in December since 1974, where bobbies, Beefeaters and the "Queen" herself are on hand to recreate the Victorian London of Charles Dickens. "Galveston" redirects here For the town in the US state of Indiana see Galveston Indiana. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Many festival volunteers and attendees dress in Victorian attire and bring the world of Dickens to life.
• The Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council (http://www.gpjac.org) holds a Dickens Festival in the Village of Port Jefferson, NY each year. The Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson is located in the town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County New York on the North Shore of Long Island In 2007, the Dickens Festival is Nov. 30th, Dec. 1st, and Dec. 2nd. It includes many events, along with a troupe of street performers who bring an authentic Dickensian atmosphere to the town.

Notable works by Charles Dickens

Main article: Bibliography of Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens published over a dozen major novels, a large number of short stories (including a number of Christmas-themed stories), a handful of plays, and several non-fiction books. The bibliography of Charles Dickens includes more than a dozen major novels a large number of short stories (including a number of Christmas-themed stories a handful of plays Dickens's novels were initially serialised in weekly and monthly magazines, then reprinted in standard book formats.

Novels

Short story collections

Selected non-fiction, poetry, and plays

Notes

Publications

• Forster, Life of Dickens (London 1872-74)
• Fields, Yesterdays with Authors (Boston, 1872, second edition, 1900)
• Fields, In and Out of Doors with Charles Dickens (1876)
• Kent, Charles Dickens as an Actor (London, 1872)
• Letters, edited by Miss Hogarth and Miss Dickens (London, 1880-82)
• Ward, Dickens (London, 1882)
• Kent, The Humour and Pathos of Charles Dickens (1884)
• Marzials, Life of Charles Dickens (1887)
• Pemberton, Charles Dickens and the Stage (London, 1888)
• Gissing, Charles Dickens: A Critical Study (New York, 1898)
• Fitzgerald, The History of Pickwick (London, 1891)
• Kitton, The Novels of Charles Dickens (London, 1897)
• Hughes, Dickens as an Educator (New York, 1900)
• Fitzgerald, Life of Charles as Revealed in his Writings (London, 1905)
• Chesterton, Life of Charles Dickens (New York, 1906)
• Thomson, Bibliography (Warwick, 1904)
• Lehmann, Charles Dickens as an Editor (New York, 1912)
• Pugh, The Charles Dickens Originals (London, 1912)
• P. H. Fitzgerald, Memoirs of Charles Dickens (London and New York, 1914)

Essays and editions are numerous. James Thomas Fields (December 31 1817 – April 24 1881 was an American publisher and author Charles (William Charles Mark Kent (1823-1902 was an English poet, biographer, and journalist, born in London. George Gissing (ˈɡɪsɪŋ November 22, 1857 &ndash December 28, 1903) was an English Novelist who wrote twenty-three Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936 was an influential English writer of the early 20th century Percy Hethrington Fitzgerald (1834 - 1925 was a British author and critic painter and sculptor [3] Collected editions appeared in England in 1847, in 1861, and in 1874. Kitton produced The Autograph Edition of Complete Works (56 volumes, New York, 1902).

References

External links

• Source Collections
  • Works by Charles Dickens at Project Gutenberg, HTML and plain text versions. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works
  • Works by Charles Dickens at Internet Archive. The Internet Archive ( IA) is a Nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining an on-line Library and archive of Web and Colour scanned illustrated books.
  • Works by Charles Dickens at Google Books. Google Book Search is a tool from Google that searches the full text of books that Google scans OCRs, and stores in its digital database Scanned illustrated books.
  • Works by Charles Dickens at EveryAuthor - HTML versions.
  • Works by Charles Dickens at Dickens Literature — HTML versions.
  • Works by Charles Dickens at Charles-Dickens. org - HTML versions.
  • Works by Charles Dickens at Dickens Online - HTML versions and a Life of Charles Dickens
  • Works by Charles Dickens at Penn State University Electronic Classics Series, PDF versions.
  • Works by Charles Dickens at Books In My Phone, cell phone versions.
  • Charles Dickens Collection at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin
• Reference Resources
  • The Dickens Search Engine Search Dickens's books
  • A Charles Dickens Journal Timeline of Dickens's Life
  • A genealogical tree of the Dickens family
  • Dickens’ Characters some of the estimated 989 characters in Dickens
  • Dickens’ London Map Learn more about the London locations Dickens wrote about
• General Portals
  • David Pardue's Charles Dickens Page
  • The Dickens Fellowship
  • A Dickens web page with both original content and links to many other Dickens pages. The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center is a Library and Archive at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in the collection of literary and
  • The Dickens Page, a comprehensive Dickens portal.
  • Charles Dickens — Gad’s Hill Place Daily Dickens information.
  • Charles Dickens: A Comprehensive Resource, Biography, Life and Literature.
  • Works by or about Charles Dickens in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Illustrations
  • Scenes and characters from the works of Charles Dickens; being eight hundred and sixty-six drawings, large collection of drawings. WorldCat is a Union catalog which itemizes the collections of more than 10000 libraries which participate in the OCLC global cooperative
  • Dickens and his illustrators (1899).
• Commentary
  • Appreciations and Criticisms of the Works of Charles Dickens by G. K. Chesterton
  • Charles Dickens's Themes An analysis of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Nicholas Nickleby and A Trial For Murder
  • Life of Charles Dickens, by Frank Marzials, at Project Gutenberg. Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936 was an influential English writer of the early 20th century 1887 publication with lengthy bibliography.
  • Charles Dickens: The Life of the Author a seminar by Kenneth Benson from the New York Public Library
  • Charles Dickens by Pen and Pencil A scanned, full-text version of the 19th century book on Charles Dickens's Life
  • 1991 interview on Charles Dickens with Peter Ackroyd by Don Swaim at Wired for Books. The New York Public Library ( NYPL) is one of the leading public libraries of the world and is one of America's most significant Research libraries. Don Swaim (born 1936 is an American journalist and broadcaster. Wired for Books is an online educational project of the WOUB Center for Public Media at Ohio University in Athens Ohio.
• Locations
  • Dickens Museum Situated in a former Dickens House, 48 Doughty Street, London, WC1
  • Dickens Birthplace Museum Old Commercial Road, Portsmouth
  • Dickens House Museum 2 Victoria Parade, Broadstairs, Kent
  • the Dutch Dickens Museum 2, Onderstraat, Bronkhorst (Netherlands)
  • Charles Dickens in south-west London Twickenham and Richmond
  • History of the Dickens Statue, the only full-sized statue of Dickens in the world located in Clark Park, West Philadelphia. The Charles Dickens Museum is at 48 Doughty Street in the district of Holborn, London, England. Doughty Street is a small street in the Holborn district of the London Borough of Camden.
• Events
  • Broadstairs Dickens Festival
  • International Dickens Festival
  • Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco
• Miscellaneous
  • Charles Dickens at the Internet Movie Database