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| http://www.charles-dickens.org/ |
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Charles Dickens was born on February
7, 1812 in Portsmouth, Hampshier, England under the name of Charles John Huffam Dickens. Dickens’s was considered
one of the greatest English novelist during the Victorian period. His works are still popular due to his use of extraordinary
storytelling techniques and his use of memorable characters. Dickens’ was born into a middle class family to his
father, John Dickens, a clerk in the navy pay office and to his mother, Elizabeth Dickens. Dickens experienced and enjoyed
most of his childhood in Chatham, Kent where his parents decided to move when he was only five years old. In 1822, Dickens’
family decides to relocate to their home town, London. During Dickens early childhood he would spend most of his
time outdoors reading his favorite novels of Tobias Smollett and Henry Fielding. In 1824, John Dickens was imprisoned
for debt due to his failure to pay for his expense. Instead, he would spend his money on entertainment purposes and
preserving his social status.
Unfortunately, at the age of twelve Dickens was withdrawn
from school and had to seek employment in order to help support his family. Dickens began working ten hours a day
in a Warren’s boot-blacking factory where he earned about six shillings a week. During this time, Dickens lived
alone in a lodging house located in North London. Dickens detested this dreadful experience it nevertheless helped
shape his career as a writer. Dickens father was soon released from prison due to an inheritance their family received.
After their financial situation improved, Dickens’ mother refused to immediately remove her son from working at the
factory. Dickens father allowed him to stop working and return to school, unfortunately Dickens was to return to work
at the age of 15. Dickens first worked as a law clerk but disliked the practice of law as a profession. He then
became a journalist where he was able to publish his first collection of pieces Sketches by Boz. After a few years in
the profession, Dickens was able to successfully write his first novel titled The Pickwick Papers. Dickens career soon
began to flourish as he became to be internationally recognized. In the 1830’s, Dickens was able to write
short stories, periodicals and a comic narrative that was published in 1836.
During this same year, Dickens married
Catherine Hogarth, they had nine children together. Dickens became more and more occupied as his career intensified.
He would work on different novels and stories at the same time. Dickens began writing Oliver Twist in 1837, a year later
he began publishing bits of pieces of Nicholas Nickleby. Dickens would barely fulfill his monthly deadline obligations
due to the amount of works and projects he had to complete. When he completed Twist and Nicholas Nickleby, Dickens soon
began working on The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge.
Dickens soon began focusing on community
and social issues which led him to publicly address his concerns as well as writing about them in his novels, for example
Dombey and Son. In 1843, Dickens published A Christmas Carol, which featured Christmas stories. Years later, Dickens
launched a weekly journal titled Household Words, that included A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, Hard Times, and
Child’s History of England. Dickens became more and more dissatisfied as his career continued to advance.
We can see Dickens distraught anger and frustration towards society in some of his works, Bleak House and Our Mutual Friend.
In 1858, Dickens began to publish paid readings. These readings where beneficial for Dickens because he was able to
enjoy himself by performing sections and acts from his own writings.
Overall, Dickens
enjoyed these readings because he was able to increase his earnings, and acquire self fulfillment. During this same
year, Dickens separated from his wife. Due to the Victorian time period and the small divorce rate at that time, Dickens
continued to maintain his wife in his household. She remained living in Dickens household until she died, which was
approximately twenty years after their divorce. During this period, Dickens was involved in a secret affair that continued
for years until his death. The woman whom he had an affair with was named Ellen Ternan and she was a young actress.
In 1869, Dickens was forced to end his readings due to his health deterioration. On June 9, 1870, Dickens suddenly died
after having suffered a massive sudden stroke. He was then buried in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey.
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