Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens


INTRODUCTION


This report will talk about the life of a famous author, Charles Dickens. It

will tell you about his early, middle, and later years of his life. It will also

talk about one of his great works of literature. In conclusion, this report will

show a comparison of his work to his life.


EARLY LIFE


Charles Dickens was born at Landport, in Portsea, on February 7, 1812. His

father was a clerk in the Navy Pay-Office, and was temporarily on duty in the

neighborhood when Charles was born. His name was John Dickens. He spent time in

prison for debts. But, even when he was free he lacked the money to support his

family. Then, when Charles was two they moved to London. 1


Just before he started to toddle, he stepped into the glare of footlights. He

never stepped out of it until he died. He was a good man, as men go in the

bewildering world of ours, brave, transparent, tender-hearted, and honorable.

Dickens was always a little too irritable because he was a little too happy.

Like the over-wrought child in society, he was splendidly sociable, and in and

yet sometimes quarrelsome. In all the practical relations of his life he was

what the child is at a party, genuinely delighted, delightful, affectionate and

happy, and in some strange way fundamentally sad and dangerously close to tears.

2


At the age of 12 Charles worked in a London factory pasting labels on bottles of

shoe polish. He held the job only for a few months, but the misery of the

experience remain with him all his life. 3


Dickens attended school off and on until he was 15, and then left for good. He

enjoyed reading and was especially fond of adventure stories, fairy tales, and

novels. He was influenced by such earlier English writers as William Shakespeare,

Tobias Smollet, and Henry Fielding. However, most of the knowledge he later used

as an author came from his environment around him. 4


MIDDLE LIFE


Dickens became a newspaper writer and reporter in the late 1820's. He

specialized in covering debates in Parliament, and also wrote feature articles.

His work as a reporter sharpened his naturally keen ear for conversation and

helped develop his skill in portraying his characters speach realistically. It

also increased his ability to observe and to write swiftly and clearly. Dickens'

first book, Sketches by Boz (1836) consisted of articles he wrote for the

Monthly Magazine and the London Evening Chronicles.5


On April 2, 1836 he married Catherine Hogarth. This was just a few days before

the anoucement that on the 31st he would have his first work printed in The

Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. And this was the beginning of his career.

6


Then, at 24, Dickens became famous and was so until he died. He won his first

literary fame with The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. Published in

monthly parts in 1836 and 1837 the book describes the humorous adventure and

misadventures of the English Countryside. After a slow start, The Pickwick

Papers as the book was usually called gained a popularity seldom matched in the

history of literature. 7


Then in 1837, Catherine's sister Mary, died. Because of her death Dickens'

suffered a lot of grief. This led some scholars to believe that Dickens loved

Mary more than CatheThis is ONLY a preview of the article. If you would like to view the entire document, you must subscribe to Electronic References. Please register below now!


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