Charles Dickens

The writer of poverty, comedy and crime ((Created: between circa 1867 and circa 1868))

Charles Dickens was born on February 7 in the town of Lendport in a family of wealthy officials. Already in the childhood he showed creative abilities to artistic improvisations, sketches, recitation. Having the gift of the easy and graceful word, the boy was able to share expressively supervision over vital events and brightly to tell even about insignificant incidents. Houses were proud of the talented child and cherished all his progress. It grew in the atmosphere of love and wellbeing. But such joyful life proceeded not for long: the family was unexpectedly ruined and Charles was compelled to arrive to work for factory of shoe-polish. At factory Dickens all the life considered this ruin and a low-paid hard work as serious humiliation. Nevertheless such circumstances promoted formation of outlook of future writer. The boy saw sufferings unfortunate, learned to understand life not only in its wellbeing and wealth, but also in difficulties. And all this time Charles dreamed to redeem that financial position which he was in a family before ruin. The hope to return welfare, freedom and independence didn't abandon the ambitious young man.

Such opportunity was given by reportorial work. And, above all, journalistic activity demanded from the young man of all those qualities which were shown in the childhood: wit, richness of language, irony. Sketches and stories from the London life which he printed under the pseudonym "Boz" became the beginning of creative activity of Dickens. These sketches left in 1836 and became the beginning of creative activity of Charles Dickens. But really the success brought to the young writer his first novel "The Pickwick Papers". Then "Oliver Twist's Adventures", "Life and Nicholas Nickleby's adventures", "Curiosity shop" assigned glory of the writer of the social and accusatory direction to Dickens.

Oliver Twist

In Dickens's novels attracted heightened sense of compassion to all offended and humiliated. Charles's works had huge impact on the Russian social thought. Dickens's love of humanity and the inherent goodness of common man opposed to the egoism of the upper classes makes him a central figure in the literature of England in the 19th century. Charles Dickens undertook several trips in 1864-1869 to Australia, the USA and Ireland. Afterwards he became ill and died on 9 June 1870. He was buried in the Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey in London.