Author Background

1. Charles DickensCharles Dickens
1812-18701812-1870
Loyola Academy English Department
English Literature
Mr. Simon

2. Family LifeFamily Life
 Father – John DickensFather – John Dickens
 Mother – Elizabeth BarrowMother – Elizabeth Barrow
 Father was a Navel clerkFather was a Navel clerk
 Financially comfortable and then destituteFinancially comfortable and then destitute
 Parents were sent to a Debtors PrisonParents were sent to a Debtors Prison

3. Dickens’ early yearsDickens’ early years
 Family imprisoned for debtFamily imprisoned for debt
 Young Charles forced to workYoung Charles forced to work
in shoe factory:in shoe factory:
 Warrens Blacking FactoryWarrens Blacking Factory
 Mostly self-educated – erraticMostly self-educated – erratic
schoolingschooling
 In 1827, he took a job as aIn 1827, he took a job as a
legal clerklegal clerk
 He then worked as a reporterHe then worked as a reporter
in courts and in Parliamentin courts and in Parliament

4. Married Life and FamilyMarried Life and Family
 Katherine Hogarth: not aKatherine Hogarth: not a
happy womanhappy woman
 9 children9 children
 Mistress: Ellen Turner- LondonMistress: Ellen Turner- London
ActressActress
 Spent much of his time inSpent much of his time in
LondonLondon
 Not a good family manNot a good family man
 Settled down to comfortable,
married, middle class life

5. Early Writing Career
He wrote short humorous
sketches with pictures by
Boz which became known
as Pickwick Papers
Became famous in a
short period of time
and wildly popular
among devoted
readers awaiting his
next installment
Gave numerous public readings
for $$$, worldwide

6. Success as a NovelistSuccess as a Novelist
 Nickolas NicklebyNickolas Nickleby18391839
 Oliver TwistOliver Twist 18391839
 The Old Curiosity ShopThe Old Curiosity Shop 18411841
 Barnaby RudgeBarnaby Rudge 18411841
 Martin ChuzzlewittMartin Chuzzlewitt 18431843
 Dombey and SonDombey and Son 18491849
 David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield 18501850
 Bleak HouseBleak House 18531853
 Hard TimesHard Times 18541854
 Little DorrittLittle Dorritt 18571857
 A Tale of Two CitiesA Tale of Two Cities 18591859
 Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations 18611861

7. Major Themes in Dickens’Major Themes in Dickens’
fictionfiction
 Loneliness of childhoodLoneliness of childhood
 Oppression of povertyOppression of poverty
 Uncertainty of love and marriageUncertainty of love and marriage
 Indifference of social institutionsIndifference of social institutions
 Sustaining joy of family lifeSustaining joy of family life
 Perseverance and sacrifice in face of untoldPerseverance and sacrifice in face of untold
hardships and injusticehardships and injustice
 Many autobiographical links between life andMany autobiographical links between life and
writings of Dickenswritings of Dickens

8. ThemesThemes
 DocksDocks
 Aristocracy- wealth, rich, land and powerAristocracy- wealth, rich, land and power
 Child labor- Oliver TwistChild labor- Oliver Twist
 Family lifeFamily life
 Lost love and unattainable womenLost love and unattainable women
 Dickens’ main characters greatly resembleDickens’ main characters greatly resemble
himself and his lifehimself and his life

9. Most famous successful workMost famous successful work
 A Christmas Carol 1843A Christmas Carol 1843
 Enduring holiday favoriteEnduring holiday favorite
 Amusing elements ofAmusing elements of
supernatural, melodrama,supernatural, melodrama,
humor, and pathoshumor, and pathos
 Extremely optimistic tale ofExtremely optimistic tale of
redemption for Ebeneezerredemption for Ebeneezer
Scrooge, archetypal miserScrooge, archetypal miser
 Remains a sentimental classicRemains a sentimental classic

10. Twilight of Dickens’CareerTwilight of Dickens’Career
 Our Mutual FriendOur Mutual Friend 18651865
 The Mystery of EdwinThe Mystery of Edwin
DroodDrood unfinished whenunfinished when
 Dickens died suddenlyDickens died suddenly
from a stroke in June,from a stroke in June,
18701870
 His death was mournedHis death was mourned
by thousands when heby thousands when he
was buried atwas buried at
Westminster Abbey fiveWestminster Abbey five
days after his deathdays after his death

11. The Victorian PeriodThe Victorian Period
 Queen Victoria 1819-1901Queen Victoria 1819-1901
 At the age of 18 VictoriaAt the age of 18 Victoria
inherited the throne, sheinherited the throne, she
reigned for 64 yearsreigned for 64 years
 ““The sun never sets on theThe sun never sets on the
Queen’s empire”Queen’s empire”
 the power and influence ofthe power and influence of
Britain around the worldBritain around the world
 She died a lonely rulerShe died a lonely ruler

12. The Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution
 Villagers moved to theVillagers moved to the
cities = factories = jobs=cities = factories = jobs=
smoke= pollutionsmoke= pollution
 = backbreaking labor== backbreaking labor=
death vs. luxury side bydeath vs. luxury side by
side with povertyside with poverty
 ““It was the best of time; it wasIt was the best of time; it was
the worst of times.the worst of times.
Dickens – A Tale of Two CitiesDickens – A Tale of Two Cities

13. London and the TimesLondon and the Times

14. Dickens and ChristmasDickens and Christmas
The first Christmas Card, Tree and Holiday TraditionsThe first Christmas Card, Tree and Holiday Traditions

15. Dickens legacy and linksDickens legacy and links
 He remains the foremost 19He remains the foremost 19thth
century Britishcentury British
writer of fictionwriter of fiction
 Amazing and detailed depiction of lifestyle andAmazing and detailed depiction of lifestyle and
issues of a transforming industrial and urbanissues of a transforming industrial and urban
landscapelandscape
 Vivid and dramatic dialogueVivid and dramatic dialogue
 Profession as court reporter enhancedProfession as court reporter enhanced
awareness of social inequitiesawareness of social inequities
 http://www.underthesun.cc/Classics/Dickens/http://www.underthesun.cc/Classics/Dickens/
 humwww.ucsc.edu/dickens/humwww.ucsc.edu/dickens/
 http://www.literature.org/authors/dickens-charleshttp://www.literature.org/authors/dickens-charles