Charles Dickens

Early Years

Born Feb. 7, 1812, Portsmouth, Hampshire, Eng.

Moved form London to a small country home where his family lived comfortably in the middle class

Even though his father was paid well with his job as a navy office clerk, he often put the family in debt

Debt =(

Early Years (Cont.) His father ended up in prison

and he began working, ending his schooling short

After a relative passes and leaves the Dickens family with a great deal of money, Charles’ father gets out of prison and Charles gets to go back to school

He is only an average student however, and does not last long there

John Dickens

Early Writing Some of his early jobs had

him in the courts as a shorthand writer and then as a journalist for the newspaper

In 1833 he began writing short stories and essays to be published in newspaper which in return, drew attention to himShorthand Writing

Early Writing (Cont.) As a successful journalist, he

decided to became a full time novelist

By 1839 he had already written Pickwick, two plays and Oliver Twist

The Old Curiosity Shop (1840-1841)

Barnaby Rudge (1841) Martin Chuzzlewit (1843-1844) First Christmas book

A Christmas Carol

Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol

Influences

His early working experiences at age twelve at Warren’s Blacking Factory caused him great psychological trauma and influenced his feelings of abandonment and betrayal

His mother’s decision to keep him working after his father’s release influenced his negative feeling for her

Last Years His death came on

suddenly in June of 1870 although his health had stopped him from giving many readings

He was buried in the Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey- Charles Dickens Grave

Greatest Works

Greatest Works that have not already been mentioned Dombey and Son (1848);

David Copperfield (1850); Bleak House (1853); Hard Times (1854); Little Dorrit (1857); A Tale of Two Cities (1859); Great Expectations (1861); Our Mutual Friend (1865); The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870)

A Tale of Two Cities and The Mystery of Edward Drood

Lasting Legacy

Noted as one of History’s greatest poets and writers

While some would criticize him and not even recognize him as a writer, others would compare his writing to that of Shakespeare

His books are now categorized with those of classical literature and his titles have become famously known and been adapted as movies and theatrical plays