Charles Dickens (1820 – 1870)
Charles Dickens is considered to be one of the gratest English novelists
England has ever had. He was called "master of pen", the great author, editor
and social reformer, known for the vivid picture he painted of life in England
in the first half of the 19th ct. In English literature it was period of
REALISM, CRITICAL REALISM and NATURALISM.
(Realism – trying to show life as it really is)
(Naturalism – trying to be as real as possible)
LIFE:
He was born in Portsea (near Potrsmouth) in a rather poor family (father
was clerk); at the age of 12 Charles had to give up education and start working
and earning money as his father had been imprisoned for debts (debtors' prison
called Marshalsea).
He was sent to work in a factory where blacking was made (as an apprentice
he was deeply traumatized by experience). After a year there occurred something
which so often happened in his novels – a happy ending – family inherited a
fortune; this freed the family from prison and Charles could finish his middle
education (Dicken's main source of education was the life itself).
At the age of 15 he was taken into the office of a solicitor but he didn't
want to remain a lawyer's clerk. He learned shorthand and became a newspaper
reporter on the "Morning Chronicle". He started to write stories and published
them.
In his 25th year Charles Dickens had suddenly become one of the best known
writers in the country, he became rich and could marry the daughter of his first
publisher (after 22 years lasting marriage he left his wife because of his
secret love to a young actress).
He was a passionate traveller, visited America twice. He suddenly died in
1870.
WORK:
Charles Dickens started his literary career in 1836 when he published in
literary magazines his first stories SKETCHES BY BOZZ (Bozz – his pseudonym and
also his brother's nickname). His next work PICKWICK PAPERS – humorous novel
gave English literature some of its most charming and amusing characters.
Charlie understood the miseries of poverty, hunger and loneliness and
hated the snobbery of the rich. He wrote about people in Victorian England and
so gave the readers very authentic picture of life in those times. He was a
bitter critic of the English social systenm in his work he criticized bad social
conditions of the poor, hard work in factories, exploitation of children's work,
corruption and injustice of life. Especially critical he was to the judicial
system, administration of justice, educational system and the schoolmasters. He
used a lot of his own life experience in his novels. Many of his social novels
have autobiographical features. Nothing that he experienced was ever forgotten
by Dickens. All things were later used in his books. His characters vary from
thieves, murderers, men in debt, stupid and unwashed men to schoolmasters and
inspectors, factory workers, stingy misers, etc.
Although many of his scenes are terribly umpleasant, he usually keeps the
worst description out of his books, he uses too much black paint. But he wanted
to raise kindness and goodness in men's hearts, and he used tears and laughter
to reach his aim.
LITTLE DORRIT
HARD TIMES
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
DAVID COPPERFIELD
DOMBEY AND SON
BLEAK HOUSE
MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT
NICHOLAS NICKLEBY
OLIVER TWIST
OLD CURIOSITY SHOP
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (short story)
- 2 historical novels: BARNABY ROUDGE and A TALE OF TWO CITIES (french
revolution and events in London at the same time)
Oliver Twist
- the life-story about a poor orphan born in a workhouse, happy-end
- the book is written with a purpose. The story is situated among the lowest
social class – criminals, murderers, prostitutes and thieves, living in London
slums to show the huge contrast of their life with the life of the upper
classes.
Nicholas Nickleby
- shocking criticism of the school system in England and the awful conditions
at schools
David Copperfield
- masterpiece, bestseller, lot of autobiographical features
Bleak house, Hard times, Little Dorrit, Dombey & son
- criticism of the industrialization, exploitation of children's work and cheap
labour and the corruption of the English society
A Christmas Carol
- u know what…