The World of Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens – Biography Was born on February 7th, 1812 In 1824 Dickens worked at Warren’s Blacking Warehouse In 1824 Mr. Dickens (Charles’ father) is taken to debtors’ prison. His family joins him. He is imprisoned from February until May

Biography… In 1827 the Dickens family are thrown out of their home for not paying rent Charles is pulled out of private school Charles, now 15, becomes law clerk and free-lance writer In Charles takes Boz as pen name In Charles’ Dad is re-arrested for debts

Catherine Hogarth In 1836 at the age of 24 Charles Dickens marries Catherine Hogarth. One year later, their first child is born. The year after that the next baby is born.

Biography… He fathered 10 children. His wife left him (in 1856). He gave numerous talks across Europe and in America.

Literary Periods The Renaissance (1500 – 1650) The Neo-Classical Period (1660 – 1798) - Dryden, Defoe, Pope, Johnson, Boswell The Romantic Period (1798 – 1837) - - Burns, Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron The Victorian Period (1837 – 1901) - Dickens, Hardy, Thackery, Tennyson, Browning (both), Brontes (both)

Dickens starts Publishing! In 1836 Sketches by Boz is published In 1837 The Pickwick Papers is published Original Pickwick cover issued in 1837 with Dickens’ autograph

Complete list of publications The Pickwick Papers 1837 Oliver Twist 1838 Nicholas Nickleby 1840 The Old Curiosity Shop 1841 Barnaby Rudge 1842 American Notes 1843 A Christmas Carol 1844 Martin Chuzzlewit 1844 The Chimes 1845 The Cricket on the Hearth 1861 Great Expectations 1846 The Battle of Life 1846 Dombey and Son 1850 David Copperfield 1853 Bleak House 1853 A Child’s History of England and... a near nervous breakdown 1854 Hard Times 1857 Little Dorrit 1859 A Tale of Two Cities 1865 Our Mutual Friends 1869 The Mystery of Edwin Drood (unfinished)

An impressive authorship… Dickens wrote 15 major novels in a period of 33 years. He was most creative in the years between

He is buried in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey in London. Dickens’ epitaph: He was a sympathizer to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England’s greatest writers is lost to the world. Poets’ Corner

What was happening in 1837? King William IV of England dies Victoria becomes queen of England Benjamin Disraeli delivers his first speech in the House of Commons Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield.

Oliver Twist Oliver Twist was published in 1837 The first screenplay… The book… Slide show…

Oliver Twist… Dickens wrote: I wished to show in little Oliver, the principle of Good surviving through every adverse circumstance and triumphing at last.

Social Conscience He crusaded for children’s rights. He was an advocate of child labor laws to protect children. He opposed cruelty, deprivation, and corporal punishment of children. He believed in and lobbied for just treatment of criminals.

Themes and Symbolism Poverty and social class Poverty is a major concern in Oliver Twist. Throughout the novel, Dickens enlarges on this theme. He describes slums so decrepit that whole rows of houses are on the point of collapse. Moreover, people are so downtrodden that they seem hardly human. Dickens describes how much of the London population was stricken with poverty and disease. Oliver has an air of refinement remarkable for a workhouse boy, proves to be of gentle birth. Although he has been abused and neglected all his life, he shows an aversion at the idea of victimizing anyone else.This apparently hereditary gentlemanliness makes Oliver Twist something of a challenging tale. Oliver, born for better things, struggles to survive in the savage world of the underclass before finally being rescued by his family and returned to his proper place. In a recent film adaptation of the novel, Roman Polanski dispenses with the problem of Oliver's genteel origins by making him an anonymous orphan, like the rest of Fagin's gang.

Themes and Symbolism Dickens makes considerable use of symbolism. The many obstacles Oliver faces symbolises the concept of good versus evil, with the evil continually trying to corrupt and exploit the good. The good wins out in the end.

Characters Oliver Twist – the title character, an orphan boy born in a workhouse. He's a young, passionate boy and very kind hearted, but he is very naive. He does not know the dangers of the world yet. Fagin – a Jew who recruits and trains boys for thievery. Bill Sikes – a violent thief and eventual murderer. The Artful Dodger – one of Fagin's boy pickpockets Nancy – Bill's girl; a thief trained by Fagin who longs for a better life. Mr. Brownlow – Oliver's saviour, a kindly old gentleman Rose Maylie – who turns out to be his aunt. Mr Bumble – the parish Beadle (kirketjener) and leader of the orphanage. Mr. Sowerberry – an Undertaker (leder av begravelsesbyrå) who takes Oliver into his service. He's not a bad sort, and rather likes Oliver. Mrs. Sowerberry – Mr. Sowerberry's wife, who dislikes Oliver and treats him cruelly. Mrs Bedwin – Motherly housekeeper to Mr. Brownlow who nurses Oliver back to health.

A Christmas Carol 1843 He protested a greedy, uncaring, materialistic society through such works as A Christmas Carol. He repeatedly used satire to highlight problems in his society.

Plot introduction A Christmas Carol is a Victorian morality tale of an old and bitter miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who undergoes a profound experience of redemption over the course of one night. Mr. Scrooge is a financier/money-changer who has devoted his life to the accumulation of wealth. He holds anything other than money in contempt, including friendship, love and the Christmas season

Ebenezer Scrooge Ebenezer Scrooge is the main character in Charles Dickens' 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. He is a cold-hearted, tight fisted, selfish man, who despises Christmas and all things which engender happiness. A quote from the book reads "The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, made his eyes red, his thin lips blue, and he spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice..." The story of his transformation by the three Ghosts of Christmas (Past, Present, and Yet to Come) has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday. Scrooge's catchphrase, "Bah, humbug!" is often used to express disgust with many of the modern Christmas traditions.

The visit by The Ghost of Christmas Past also reveals the origin of Scrooge's neurotic hatred of Christmas. Most of the events that affected Scrooge's character occurred during the holiday season. The important revelation from the spirit of Christmas Past is why Scrooge has such a negative view of Christmas. The book…does not state how long ago all this happened, or even how old Scrooge is now. One of the sources of his negative ways is the pain he feels for losing his love, Belle. Engaged to be married to her, he keeps pushing back the wedding until his finances are as healthy as he would like; something that, given his insatiable lust for money, he would probably never have. Realizing this, Belle calls off the engagement and eventually marries someone else, causing Scrooge to further withdraw from society and relationships. The Ghost of Christmas Past

The Ghost of Christmas Present The Ghost of Christmas Present was the second of the three spirits that haunted the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, in order to prompt him to repent. It transported him around the city, showing him scenes of festivity and also deprivation that were happening as they watched. Among those they visited were Scrooge's nephew, and the family of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. The spirit also shares a vision of Tiny Tim's crutch, carefully preserved by the fireplace. Scrooge asks if Tim will die, and, quick to use Scrooge's past unkind comments against him, suggests "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population" — reflecting Scrooge's earlier comment to two charitable solicitors. But Scrooge is disgusted at his own words and is concerned for Tiny Tim and his family.

The Ghost of Yet to Come The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is the last of the three spirits that haunt the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, in order to prompt him to adopt a more caring attitude in life and avoid the horrid afterlife of Marley. Most people find the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come the most fearsome of the spirits; it appeared to Scrooge as a figure entirely muffled in a black hooded robe, except for a single gaunt hand with which it pointed. Although the character never speaks in the story, Scrooge seems to be able to get its messages, usually as assumptions due to his previous experiences.

Themes The powerlessness of children Good’s ability to triumph over evil Man’s humanity to man Man’s inhumanity to man The outcast’s search for status and identity The heinous nature of crime and criminals

What to watch (out) for... Use of irony Use of coincidence Use of humor

Dickens’ Belief: To be thoroughly earnest is everything, and to be anything short of it is nothing.