2. Family LifeFamily Life
Father – John DickensFather – John Dickens
Mother – Elizabeth BarrowMother – Elizabeth Barrow
Father was a Navel clerkFather was a Navel clerk
Financially comfortable and then destituteFinancially comfortable and then destitute
Parents were sent to a Debtors PrisonParents were sent to a Debtors Prison
3. Dickens’ early yearsDickens’ early years
Family imprisoned for debtFamily imprisoned for debt
Young Charles forced to workYoung Charles forced to work
in shoe factory:in shoe factory:
Warrens Blacking FactoryWarrens Blacking Factory
Mostly self-educated – erraticMostly self-educated – erratic
schoolingschooling
In 1827, he took a job as aIn 1827, he took a job as a
legal clerklegal clerk
He then worked as a reporterHe then worked as a reporter
in courts and in Parliamentin courts and in Parliament
4. Married Life and FamilyMarried Life and Family
Katherine Hogarth: not aKatherine Hogarth: not a
happy womanhappy woman
9 children9 children
Mistress: Ellen Turner- LondonMistress: Ellen Turner- London
ActressActress
Spent much of his time inSpent much of his time in
LondonLondon
Not a good family manNot a good family man
Settled down to comfortable,
married, middle class life
5. Early Writing Career
He wrote short humorous
sketches with pictures by
Boz which became known
as Pickwick Papers
Became famous in a
short period of time
and wildly popular
among devoted
readers awaiting his
next installment
Gave numerous public readings
for $$$, worldwide
6. Success as a NovelistSuccess as a Novelist
Nickolas NicklebyNickolas Nickleby18391839
Oliver TwistOliver Twist 18391839
The Old Curiosity ShopThe Old Curiosity Shop 18411841
Barnaby RudgeBarnaby Rudge 18411841
Martin ChuzzlewittMartin Chuzzlewitt 18431843
Dombey and SonDombey and Son 18491849
David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield 18501850
Bleak HouseBleak House 18531853
Hard TimesHard Times 18541854
Little DorrittLittle Dorritt 18571857
A Tale of Two CitiesA Tale of Two Cities 18591859
Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations 18611861
7. Major Themes in Dickens’Major Themes in Dickens’
fictionfiction
Loneliness of childhoodLoneliness of childhood
Oppression of povertyOppression of poverty
Uncertainty of love and marriageUncertainty of love and marriage
Indifference of social institutionsIndifference of social institutions
Sustaining joy of family lifeSustaining joy of family life
Perseverance and sacrifice in face of untoldPerseverance and sacrifice in face of untold
hardships and injusticehardships and injustice
Many autobiographical links between life andMany autobiographical links between life and
writings of Dickenswritings of Dickens
8. ThemesThemes
DocksDocks
Aristocracy- wealth, rich, land and powerAristocracy- wealth, rich, land and power
Child labor- Oliver TwistChild labor- Oliver Twist
Family lifeFamily life
Lost love and unattainable womenLost love and unattainable women
Dickens’ main characters greatly resembleDickens’ main characters greatly resemble
himself and his lifehimself and his life
9. Most famous successful workMost famous successful work
A Christmas Carol 1843A Christmas Carol 1843
Enduring holiday favoriteEnduring holiday favorite
Amusing elements ofAmusing elements of
supernatural, melodrama,supernatural, melodrama,
humor, and pathoshumor, and pathos
Extremely optimistic tale ofExtremely optimistic tale of
redemption for Ebeneezerredemption for Ebeneezer
Scrooge, archetypal miserScrooge, archetypal miser
Remains a sentimental classicRemains a sentimental classic
10. Twilight of Dickens’CareerTwilight of Dickens’Career
Our Mutual FriendOur Mutual Friend 18651865
The Mystery of EdwinThe Mystery of Edwin
DroodDrood unfinished whenunfinished when
Dickens died suddenlyDickens died suddenly
from a stroke in June,from a stroke in June,
18701870
His death was mournedHis death was mourned
by thousands when heby thousands when he
was buried atwas buried at
Westminster Abbey fiveWestminster Abbey five
days after his deathdays after his death
11. The Victorian PeriodThe Victorian Period
Queen Victoria 1819-1901Queen Victoria 1819-1901
At the age of 18 VictoriaAt the age of 18 Victoria
inherited the throne, sheinherited the throne, she
reigned for 64 yearsreigned for 64 years
““The sun never sets on theThe sun never sets on the
Queen’s empire”Queen’s empire”
the power and influence ofthe power and influence of
Britain around the worldBritain around the world
She died a lonely rulerShe died a lonely ruler
12. The Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution
Villagers moved to theVillagers moved to the
cities = factories = jobs=cities = factories = jobs=
smoke= pollutionsmoke= pollution
= backbreaking labor== backbreaking labor=
death vs. luxury side bydeath vs. luxury side by
side with povertyside with poverty
““It was the best of time; it wasIt was the best of time; it was
the worst of times.the worst of times.
Dickens – A Tale of Two CitiesDickens – A Tale of Two Cities
14. Dickens and ChristmasDickens and Christmas
The first Christmas Card, Tree and Holiday TraditionsThe first Christmas Card, Tree and Holiday Traditions
15. Dickens legacy and linksDickens legacy and links
He remains the foremost 19He remains the foremost 19thth
century Britishcentury British
writer of fictionwriter of fiction
Amazing and detailed depiction of lifestyle andAmazing and detailed depiction of lifestyle and
issues of a transforming industrial and urbanissues of a transforming industrial and urban
landscapelandscape
Vivid and dramatic dialogueVivid and dramatic dialogue
Profession as court reporter enhancedProfession as court reporter enhanced
awareness of social inequitiesawareness of social inequities
http://www.underthesun.cc/Classics/Dickens/http://www.underthesun.cc/Classics/Dickens/
humwww.ucsc.edu/dickens/humwww.ucsc.edu/dickens/
http://www.literature.org/authors/dickens-charleshttp://www.literature.org/authors/dickens-charles
