Charles Dickens Page 8

Short biography of Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsea, England. His father, John Dickens, was a clerk in the navy pay office, and his mother, Elizabeth Dickens, was a kind and gentle woman.When Charles was five years old, his father was transferred to London, and the family moved to a house in Camden Town. Two years later, John Dickens was imprisoned for debt, and Charles was sent to work in a blacking factory.This experience was a turning point in Dickens’s life. He was deeply humiliated by the working conditions and the treatment he received from his employers.Dickens’s father was released from prison after four months, and Charles was able to return to school.

He continued his education at a private school and then at Wellington House Academy.In 1827, Dickens began work as a law clerk, but he was not interested in the law. He left his job after only a few months and found work as a reporter for a newspaper.Dickens’s first novel, “The Pickwick Papers,” was published in 1836, and it was an instant success. Dickens’s popularity grew with the publication of his next novel, “Oliver Twist,” in 1837.Dickens’s novels “Nicholas Nickleby” (1838) and “The Old Curiosity Shop” (1841) were also very popular.In 1842, Dickens began publishing “American Notes,” a travel book about his tour of the United States. The book was critical of American society, and it caused a diplomatic incident.Dickens’s next novel, “Martin Chuzzlewit,” was published in 1843. It was not as successful as his previous novels, but it did contain one of Dickens’s most famous characters, the con-man, Harold Skimpole.In 1844, Dickens published “A Christmas Carol,” one of his most popular and best-loved novels.In 1845, Dickens began publishing a new novel, “Dombey and Son.” The novel was very popular, and it was followed by “David Copperfield” (1850), “Bleak House” (1853), “Hard Times” (1854), “Little Dorrit” (1857), and “A Tale of Two Cities” (1859).In 1860, Dickens’s wife, Catherine Dickens, gave birth to their tenth child. Dickens was deeply affected by the birth, and he began to suffer from depression.In 1865, Dickens began a new novel, “Our Mutual Friend.” He also started work on a mystery story, “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” but he never finished it. Dickens’s health continued to decline, and he died on June 9, 1870.

General Essay Structure for this Topic

1. Introduction to Charles Dickens
2. The Life of Charles Dickens
3. The Works of Charles Dickens
4. The Impact of Charles Dickens
5. The Style of Charles Dickens
6. The Legacy of Charles Dickens
7. Charles Dickens and Social Criticism
8. Charles Dickens and the Victorian Era
9. Charles Dickens and Religion
10. Charles Dickens and Family

Important information

Nicknames: Boz, Charles Dickens, Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol, Dickens

Plays: A Tale of Two Cities 1859, No Thoroughfare 1867,