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Charles Dickens - Biography & Works

Fiction

David Copperfield

Hard Times

Little Dorrit

Oliver Twist





Charles DickensCharles Dickens (1812-1870) is one of the most famous English novelists of the Victorian period. Dickens addresses social problems like hypocrisy and injustice in his works. Charles Dickens wrote such classics as “Oliver Twist” and “David Copperfield”, published in our literature collection.

Charles Dickens was born in Landport on February 7, 1812. In 1814 Dickens moved to London, and later to Chatham, where he received education. At the age of 12, Dickens was sent to work at a blacking factory, Hungerford Market, London, while his father John Dickens was in a debtor's prison.

In 1824-27 Dickens studied at Wellington House Academy, London, and later in 1827 at Mr. Dawson's school. From 1827 to 1828 he worked as a law office clerk, and then worked as a correspondent at Doctor's Commons.

Dickens started to contribute short stories and essays to several periodicals in 1833. “Pickwick Papers” was published in 1836 and shortly after that, Dickens became famous worldwide. Dickens became editor of a magazine called “Bentley's Miscellany” in 1836.

Charles Dickens married Catherine Hogarth in 1836. They separated in 1858.

In 1837 Dickens started to publish one of his best-known novels “Oliver Twist” in “Bentley's Miscellany” in monthly installments. In 1838 Charles Dickens began to publish monthly installments of “Nicholas Nickleby”, at that time “Oliver Twist” was not fully completed. Dickens worked simultaneously on several projects and was famous for his creativity and productivity.

In 1850, Dickens started a weekly magazine called “Household Words”. He contributed quite a few serialized works in this magazine – “Child's History of England” (1851-53), “Hard Times” (1854), “A Tale of Two Cities” (1859). Dickens continued to work on his novels during this period, writing masterpieces like “David Copperfield” (1849-50), “Bleak House” (1852-53), and “Little Dorrit” (1855-57). Dickens addressed many social issues in his works. His novels had always reflected the problems of the ordinary people.

In 1860 Dickens moved permanently to his house near Chatham. He died at his home Gad’s Hill on June 9, 1870 and he was buried in Westminster Abbey. His last novel “The Mystery Of Edwin Drood” was left unfinished.




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