Charles Dickens was an English author, born on the 7th February 1812. He is best known for writing the novels "The Adventures of Oliver Twist", "A Christmas Carol", "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations".
Early Life
Charles Dickens was born to John Dickens and his wife Elizabeth. Up until the age of five, Dickens lived with his family in Landsport, Portsmouth, Hampshire. They later moved to Chatham in Kent and then to Camden Town in London when Dickens was ten.
Many of Dickens’ experiences in his early life became the inspiration for his novels. Whilst he was privately educated at the William Giles School, his father was imprisoned in a debtors prison. This experience later became the inspiration for "Little Dorrit", which he began writing later in 1855. Later, he worked at a warehouse and used his earnings to help his family financially. He later found some lodgings in a back attic, where he met a number of people who became the inspirations for his characters in the novel "The Old Curiosity Shop", which he began writing in 1840.
When he was 15, Dickens began working as a clerk in a law office. There, he gained knowledge of legal procedures, which later helped him to write the novels "Nicholas Nickelby" and "Bleak House". He later took a job as a court stenographer and also met his first love, who it is believed became the inspiration for one of his characters in the novel "David Copperfield", which he began work on in 1849. His relationship with his first love later ended, as her parents did not approve.
Later life
In 1836, Dickens married Catherine Thompson Hogarth and they had a total of ten children together. Their first child, Charles Culliford Boz Dickens, was born in 1837 and was an editor for "All The Year Round", which was one of his father’s magazines. He later became a successful dictionary writer. The youngest of Dickens’ children was Edward Dickens, who became a politician after emigrating to Australia.
Dickens accepted a job as an editor for a short while whilst working on novels such as "Oliver Twist" and "Nicholas Nickleby". His work became very popular and more successful works such as "Little Dorrit" and "Bleak House" followed. In 1856, he moved into Gad’s Hill Place, which was situated in Higham, Kent. Two years later, Dickens separated from his wife.
Nine years later, in 1865, Dickens was involved in a rail accident, an experience that inspired him to write a short story entitled "The Signal-Man". For the journey in which the crash occurred, Dickens had been travelling with Ellen Ternon, a woman who he became romantically involved with and who was also thought to be the reason why Dickens and his wife had separated.
Death
In 1869, Dickens collapsed as a result of what was thought to be a stroke. During this time he had been taking part in a number of public readings and any further readings after the stroke had occurred were cancelled. In 1870, Dickens gave one more reading before suffering another stroke, which resulted in his death. His death at the age of 58 occurred exactly five years after the rail crash. Dickens died at his home and was buried in the Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey.
Novels
Dickens’ career as a novelist began when he started work as a political journalist in 1834. One of his first pieces was "Sketches by Boz". Boz was a pen name that Dickens used for some of his early works. It was "Sketches by Boz" that led to Dickens’ interest in writing fiction. His first novel was "The Pickwick Papers" (also known as "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club"). The "Pickwick Papers" was published as a serial, with a total of nineteen issues. The first issue consisted of two chapters and was published in March 1836.
Dickens’ second novel, which is perhaps his most famous work, was the "Adventures of Oliver Twist", which was also published as a serial. The novel became known for containing a number of themes, the main ones being crime and poverty. It also became known for being the first book in the English Language to have a child as the main character.
The third novel written by Dickens was "The Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby", which like the other two novels, was published as a serial. "Nicholas Nickelby" was set in London and a few chapters were also set Portsmouth, Dickens’ birthplace. The novel was known for its ironic social satire, and although it received much praise, the novel has often been criticised for lack of development of the characters.
Another of Dickens’ novels to be published as a serial was "The Old Curiosity Shop". The story was originally published with other stories in "Master Humphrey’s Clock", a weekly serial. It was later published in 1841 as a separate novel.
Other well known works of Dickens’ include "A Christmas Carol", "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations". "A Christmas Carol" was the first of five Christmas books written by Dickens and was published in 1843. "A Christmas Carol" became a success instantly and has since become one of the most popular Christmas novels. Like many of Dickens’ novels, the main themes of the story are poverty and social injustice.
"A Tale of Two Cities" was published in 1859. Rather than being published in monthly instalments like the other novels, "A Tale of Two Cities" was published in weekly instalments. The novel was noted for being one of Dickens’ least humorous books.
"Great Expectations" was published as a serial from 1860 to 1861 and has been classed as one of Dickens’ greatest novels. The novel tells the story of a young orphan named Pip, whose experiences are similar to Dickens’ life experiences.
Film Adaptations
There have been a number of film adaptations and plays of Dickens’ works. The most popular adaptation was of "The Adventures of Oliver Twist", which was made into a musical that featured in the West End in 1960. The musical led to the 1968 film "Oliver!", which became one of the most popular film adaptations. Many television films and a miniseries followed.
"Nicholas Nickleby" has also been adapted to film many times, one of the early adaptations being released in 1903. Many other adaptations were released throughout the nineties and a 2002 adaptation received much praise and received many awards and nominations.
"Great Expectations" has been adapted to films many times, the most famous adaptation being the 1998 film, which was directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Other novels that have been adapted to film or television include "David Copperfield", "Little Dorrit" and "The Old Curiosity Shop".
Early Life
Charles Dickens was born to John Dickens and his wife Elizabeth. Up until the age of five, Dickens lived with his family in Landsport, Portsmouth, Hampshire. They later moved to Chatham in Kent and then to Camden Town in London when Dickens was ten.
Many of Dickens’ experiences in his early life became the inspiration for his novels. Whilst he was privately educated at the William Giles School, his father was imprisoned in a debtors prison. This experience later became the inspiration for "Little Dorrit", which he began writing later in 1855. Later, he worked at a warehouse and used his earnings to help his family financially. He later found some lodgings in a back attic, where he met a number of people who became the inspirations for his characters in the novel "The Old Curiosity Shop", which he began writing in 1840.
When he was 15, Dickens began working as a clerk in a law office. There, he gained knowledge of legal procedures, which later helped him to write the novels "Nicholas Nickelby" and "Bleak House". He later took a job as a court stenographer and also met his first love, who it is believed became the inspiration for one of his characters in the novel "David Copperfield", which he began work on in 1849. His relationship with his first love later ended, as her parents did not approve.
Later life
In 1836, Dickens married Catherine Thompson Hogarth and they had a total of ten children together. Their first child, Charles Culliford Boz Dickens, was born in 1837 and was an editor for "All The Year Round", which was one of his father’s magazines. He later became a successful dictionary writer. The youngest of Dickens’ children was Edward Dickens, who became a politician after emigrating to Australia.
Dickens accepted a job as an editor for a short while whilst working on novels such as "Oliver Twist" and "Nicholas Nickleby". His work became very popular and more successful works such as "Little Dorrit" and "Bleak House" followed. In 1856, he moved into Gad’s Hill Place, which was situated in Higham, Kent. Two years later, Dickens separated from his wife.
Nine years later, in 1865, Dickens was involved in a rail accident, an experience that inspired him to write a short story entitled "The Signal-Man". For the journey in which the crash occurred, Dickens had been travelling with Ellen Ternon, a woman who he became romantically involved with and who was also thought to be the reason why Dickens and his wife had separated.
Death
In 1869, Dickens collapsed as a result of what was thought to be a stroke. During this time he had been taking part in a number of public readings and any further readings after the stroke had occurred were cancelled. In 1870, Dickens gave one more reading before suffering another stroke, which resulted in his death. His death at the age of 58 occurred exactly five years after the rail crash. Dickens died at his home and was buried in the Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey.
Novels
Dickens’ career as a novelist began when he started work as a political journalist in 1834. One of his first pieces was "Sketches by Boz". Boz was a pen name that Dickens used for some of his early works. It was "Sketches by Boz" that led to Dickens’ interest in writing fiction. His first novel was "The Pickwick Papers" (also known as "The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club"). The "Pickwick Papers" was published as a serial, with a total of nineteen issues. The first issue consisted of two chapters and was published in March 1836.
Dickens’ second novel, which is perhaps his most famous work, was the "Adventures of Oliver Twist", which was also published as a serial. The novel became known for containing a number of themes, the main ones being crime and poverty. It also became known for being the first book in the English Language to have a child as the main character.
The third novel written by Dickens was "The Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby", which like the other two novels, was published as a serial. "Nicholas Nickelby" was set in London and a few chapters were also set Portsmouth, Dickens’ birthplace. The novel was known for its ironic social satire, and although it received much praise, the novel has often been criticised for lack of development of the characters.
Another of Dickens’ novels to be published as a serial was "The Old Curiosity Shop". The story was originally published with other stories in "Master Humphrey’s Clock", a weekly serial. It was later published in 1841 as a separate novel.
Other well known works of Dickens’ include "A Christmas Carol", "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations". "A Christmas Carol" was the first of five Christmas books written by Dickens and was published in 1843. "A Christmas Carol" became a success instantly and has since become one of the most popular Christmas novels. Like many of Dickens’ novels, the main themes of the story are poverty and social injustice.
"A Tale of Two Cities" was published in 1859. Rather than being published in monthly instalments like the other novels, "A Tale of Two Cities" was published in weekly instalments. The novel was noted for being one of Dickens’ least humorous books.
"Great Expectations" was published as a serial from 1860 to 1861 and has been classed as one of Dickens’ greatest novels. The novel tells the story of a young orphan named Pip, whose experiences are similar to Dickens’ life experiences.
Film Adaptations
There have been a number of film adaptations and plays of Dickens’ works. The most popular adaptation was of "The Adventures of Oliver Twist", which was made into a musical that featured in the West End in 1960. The musical led to the 1968 film "Oliver!", which became one of the most popular film adaptations. Many television films and a miniseries followed.
"Nicholas Nickleby" has also been adapted to film many times, one of the early adaptations being released in 1903. Many other adaptations were released throughout the nineties and a 2002 adaptation received much praise and received many awards and nominations.
"Great Expectations" has been adapted to films many times, the most famous adaptation being the 1998 film, which was directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Other novels that have been adapted to film or television include "David Copperfield", "Little Dorrit" and "The Old Curiosity Shop".