"that the Victorian public confronted issues of social justice that had commonly been ignored. It has been argued that his technique of flooding his narratives with an 'unruly superfluity of material' that, in the gradual dénouement, yields up an unsuspected order, influenced the organisation of Charles Darwin's ""On the Origin of Species"". Museums and festivals celebrating Dickens's life and works exist in many places with which Dickens was associated. These include the Charles Dickens Museum in London, the historic home where he wrote ""Oliver Twist"", ""The Pickwick Papers"" and ""Nicholas Nickleby""; and the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum in Portsmouth, the"
"autumn of 1851, Charles Dickens obtained the lease on Tavistock House from his friend and fellow Shakespeare Society member, the artist Frank Stone. In 1851 Dickens, with his young family, moved into the western section of the by now divided Tavistock House. His first published story, ""A Dinner at Poplar Walk"" (1833) (later re-titled ""Mr. Minns and His Cousin"") is set in Tavistock House. Dickens wrote ""Bleak House"" (1852-3), ""Hard Times"" (1854), ""Little Dorrit"" (1855-7), and ""A Tale of Two Cities"" (1859) at Tavistock House. He also put on amateur theatricals there which are described in John Forster's ""Life of"
"and yet knew he wanted fame. Drawn to the theatre—he became an early member of the Garrick—he landed an acting audition at Covent Garden, where the manager George Bartley and the actor Charles Kemble were to see him. Dickens prepared meticulously and decided to imitate the comedian Charles Mathews, but ultimately he missed the audition because of a cold. Before another opportunity arose, he had set out on his career as a writer. In 1833, he submitted his first story, ""A Dinner at Poplar Walk"", to the London periodical ""Monthly Magazine"". William Barrow, a brother of his mother, offered him"
"The Pickwick Papers The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (also known as The Pickwick Papers) was Charles Dickens's first novel. He was asked to contribute to the project as an up-and-coming writer following the success of ""Sketches by Boz"", published in 1836 (most of Dickens' novels were issued in shilling instalments before being published as complete volumes). Dickens (still writing under the pseudonym of Boz) increasingly took over the unsuccessful monthly publication after the original illustrator Robert Seymour had committed suicide. With the introduction of Sam Weller in chapter 10, the book became the first real publishing phenomenon, with"
"Dickens is the most famous Victorian novelist. Extraordinarily popular in his day with his characters taking on a life of their own beyond the page; Dickens is still one of the most popular and read authors of the world. His first novel, ""The Pickwick Papers"" (183637) written when he was twenty-five, was an overnight success, and all his subsequent works sold extremely well. The comedy of his first novel has a satirical edge and this pervades his writing. Dickens worked diligently and prolifically to produce the entertaining writing that the public wanted, but also to offer commentary on social problems"
"most of his creative energies for the next decade, in which he was to write only two more novels. His first reading tour, lasting from April 1858 to February 1859, consisted of 129 appearances in 49 different towns throughout England, Scotland and Ireland. Dickens's continued fascination with the theatrical world was written into the theatre scenes in ""Nicholas Nickleby"", but more importantly he found an outlet in public readings. In 1866, he undertook a series of public readings in England and Scotland, with more the following year in England and Ireland. Major works soon followed, including ""A Tale of Two"
"Christmas Carol"", written in 1843, which was followed by ""The Chimes"" in 1844 and ""The Cricket on the Hearth"" in 1845. Of these, ""A Christmas Carol"" was most popular and, tapping into an old tradition, did much to promote a renewed enthusiasm for the joys of Christmas in Britain and America. The seeds for the story became planted in Dickens's mind during a trip to Manchester to witness the conditions of the manufacturing workers there. This, along with scenes he had recently witnessed at the Field Lane Ragged School, caused Dickens to resolve to ""strike a sledge hammer blow"" for"
"writer Charles Dickens, first published in on 19 December 1843. It has been adapted into a variety of mediums, with the first theater production taking place in London within six weeks of publication. The run lasted for 40 nights before transferring to the Park Theatre in New York City. In 1853, Dickens began to perform the story itself in public, performing each of the characters himself without props or costume changes. He continued to make these occasional recitals until his final public performance on 15 March 1870. Patrick Stewart first became influenced by the story during the production of his"
"of ""The Chimes"" or the ""Staves"" of ""A Christmas Carol"". It is the third of Dickens's five Christmas books, preceded by ""A Christmas Carol"" (1843) and ""The Chimes"" (1844), and followed by ""The Battle of Life"" (1846) and ""The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain"" (1848). In July 1845, Dickens contemplated forming a periodical focusing on the concerns of the home. It was to be called ""The Cricket"", but the plan fell through, and he transformed his idea into a Christmas book in which he abandoned social criticism, current events, and topical themes in favour of simple fantasy and a"
"of all classes. One of his most popular works to this day is ""A Christmas Carol"" (1843). In more recent years Dickens has been most admired for his later novels, such as ""Dombey and Son"" (1846–48), ""Great Expectations"" (1860–61), ""Bleak House"" (1852–53) and ""Little Dorrit"" (1855–57) and ""Our Mutual Friend"" (1864–65). An early rival to Dickens was William Makepeace Thackeray, who during the Victorian period ranked second only to him, but he is now much less read and is known almost exclusively for ""Vanity Fair"" (1847). In that novel he satirizes whole swaths of humanity while retaining a light touch."
"Adaptations of A Christmas Carol ""A Christmas Carol"", the popular 1843 novella by Charles Dickens (1812–1870), is one of the British author's best-known works. It is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy miser who hates Christmas, but is transformed into a caring, kindly person through the visitations of four ghosts. The classic work has been dramatised and adapted countless times for virtually every medium and performance genre, and new versions appear regularly. The novel was the subject of Dickens' first public reading, given in Birmingham Town Hall to the Industrial and Literary Institute on 27 December 1852. This was"
"Charles Dickens when Mary was aged 14, on Dickens' first visit to the Hogarth household in Brompton, London. Whilst Dickens and Catherine were courting, Mary was a constant companion and chaperone to both of them. After Charles and Catherine Dickens married in 1836, Hogarth lived with them for a month in a three bedroom apartment at the Furnival's Inn in Holborn, London. From March 1837, Hogarth lived with the couple at 48 Doughty Street, where she helped her sister with household chores, as Catherine was pregnant with her first child. Hogarth was described by those who knew her as ""sweet,"
"into the fire on that first of January 1853. The Long Voyage ""The Long Voyage"" is a New Year's Eve short story by Charles Dickens. It was originally published in the 31 December 1853 issue of ""Household Words"" magazine. The story concerns a man alone on New Year's Eve, who loves to ""sit by the fire, thinking of what I have read in books of voyage and travel"" while he himself has never been ""around the world, never has been shipwrecked, ice-environed, tomahawked, or eaten."" Some of the books he has read concern Christopher Columbus, James Bruce who searched for"
"de Chateaubriand and Eugène Sue. Dickens started to write ""David Copperfield"" in 1848. It was published between 1849 and 1850. Scholars consider it as Dickens's veiled autobiography with the title character modeled after the author himself. It was Dickens's personal favourite among his own novels. In late November 1851, Dickens moved into Tavistock House where he wrote ""Bleak House"" (1852–53), ""Hard Times"" (1854), and ""Little Dorrit"" (1856). It was here that he indulged in the amateur theatricals described in Forster's ""Life"". During this period he worked closely with the novelist and playwright Wilkie Collins. In 1856, his income from writing"
"in 1821, when his father John Dickens told Charles that if he worked hard enough, one day he would own it or just such a house. As a boy, Charles Dickens would often walk from Chatham to Gads Hill Place as he wished to see it again and again as an image of his possible future. Dickens was later to write, "" I used to look at it as a wonderful Mansion (which God knows it is not) when I was a very odd little child with the first faint shadows of all my books in my head - I"
"formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed readings extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms. Dickens's literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of ""The Pickwick Papers"". Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, famous for his humour, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His novels, most published in monthly or weekly instalments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian"
"(Charles Dickens) ""The Ghost in the Garden Room"" (Elizabeth Gaskell) ""The Ghost in the Corner Room"" (Charles Dickens) The story appeared in the Extra Christmas Number on 13 December 1859. Dickens began a tradition of Christmas publications with ""A Christmas Carol"" in 1843 and his Christmas stories soon became a national institution. ""The Haunted House"" was his 1859 offering. In Dickens's opening story, ""The Mortals in the House,"" the narrator's (""John"") health ""required a temporary residence in the country."" Knowing this, a friend of the narrator had chanced to drive by the house--situated close to a railroad stop mid-way between"
"Battle of Life"" (1846) and ""The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain"" (1848); these were secular conversion tales which acknowledged the progressive societal changes of the previous year, and highlighted those social problems which still needed to be addressed. While the public eagerly bought the later books, the reviewers were highly critical of the stories. By 1849 Dickens was engaged with ""David Copperfield"" and had neither the time nor the inclination to produce another Christmas book. He decided the best way to reach his audience with his ""Carol philosophy"" was by public readings. During Christmas 1852 Dickens gave a reading"
"and Son"" (1846–48), ""Bleak House"" (1852–53) and ""Little Dorrit"" (1855–57), ""Great Expectations"" (1860–1), and ""Our Mutual Friend"" (1864–65). An early rival to Dickens was William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63), who during the Victorian period ranked second only to him, but he is now much less read and is known almost exclusively for ""Vanity Fair"" (1847). The Brontë sisters, Emily, Charlotte and Anne, were other significant novelists in the 1840s and 1850s. Their novels caused a sensation when they were first published but were subsequently accepted as classics. Charlotte Brontë's (1816–55) work was ""Jane Eyre"", broke new ground in being written from"
"Navy Pay Office and was temporarily stationed in the district. He asked Christopher Huffam, rigger to His Majesty's Navy, gentleman, and head of an established firm, to act as godfather to Charles. Huffam is thought to be the inspiration for Paul Dombey, the owner of a shipping company in Dickens's novel ""Dombey and Son"" (1848). In January 1815, John Dickens was called back to London, and the family moved to Norfolk Street, Fitzrovia. When Charles was four, they relocated to Sheerness, and thence to Chatham, Kent, where he spent his formative years until the age of 11. His early life"
"The Long Voyage ""The Long Voyage"" is a New Year's Eve short story by Charles Dickens. It was originally published in the 31 December 1853 issue of ""Household Words"" magazine. The story concerns a man alone on New Year's Eve, who loves to ""sit by the fire, thinking of what I have read in books of voyage and travel"" while he himself has never been ""around the world, never has been shipwrecked, ice-environed, tomahawked, or eaten."" Some of the books he has read concern Christopher Columbus, James Bruce who searched for the source of the Nile, John Franklin who made"
"issues over 20 months; the last was double-length and cost two shillings. In mourning for his sister-in-law Mary Hogarth, Dickens missed a deadline and consequently there was no number issued in May 1837. Numbers were typically issued on the last day of its given month: It is interesting to keep the number divisions and dates in mind while reading the novel, especially in the early parts. ""The Pickwick Papers"", as Charles Dickens's first novel, is particularly chaotic: the first two numbers featured four illustrations by Robert Seymour and 24 pages of text. Seymour killed himself and was replaced by R"
"allowed him to buy Gad's Hill Place in Higham, Kent. As a child, Dickens had walked past the house and dreamed of living in it. The area was also the scene of some of the events of Shakespeare's ""Henry IV, Part 1"", and this literary connection pleased him. In 1857, Dickens hired professional actresses for the play ""The Frozen Deep"", written by him and his protégé, Wilkie Collins. Dickens fell in love with one of the actresses, Ellen Ternan, and this passion was to last the rest of his life. Dickens was 45 and Ternan 18 when he made the"
"to enlighten the general public and served as a vehicle for dissemination of Dickens's own views regarding, particularly, the heavy burden on the poor who were forced by circumstances to ""go to law"". In 1830, Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell, thought to have been the model for the character Dora in ""David Copperfield"". Maria's parents disapproved of the courtship and ended the relationship by sending her to school in Paris. In 1832, at age 20, Dickens was energetic and increasingly self-confident. He enjoyed mimicry and popular entertainment, lacked a clear, specific sense of what he wanted to become,"
"Nicholas Nickleby Nicholas Nickleby; or, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby is a novel by Charles Dickens. Originally published as a serial from 1838 to 1839, it was Dickens's third novel. The novel centres on the life and adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, a young man who must support his mother and sister after his father dies. ""Nicholas Nickleby"" is Charles Dickens's third published novel. He returned to his favourite publishers and to the format that was considered so successful with ""The Pickwick Papers"". The story first appeared in monthly parts, after which it was issued in one volume. The"
"Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the 20th century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories are still widely read today. Born in Portsmouth, Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of"
"and the plight of the poor and oppressed. His most important works include ""Oliver Twist"" (1837–39), ""Nicholas Nickleby"" (183839)"", A Christmas Carol"" (1843), ""Dombey and Son"" (1846–48), ""David Copperfield"" (184950), ""Bleak House"" (185253), ""Little Dorrit"" (185557), ""A Tale of Two Cities"" (1859), and ""Great Expectations"" (186061). There is a gradual trend in his fiction towards darker themes which mirrors a tendency in much of the writing of the 19th century. William Thackeray was Dickens' great rival in the first half of Queen Victoria's reign. With a similar style but a slightly more detached, acerbic and barbed satirical view of his"
"A Tale of Two Cities A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is a historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris and his release to live in London with his daughter Lucie, whom he had never met. The story is set against the conditions that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. Dickens's famous opening sentence introduces the universal approach of the book, the French Revolution, and the drama depicted"
"the rise of literacy, technological advances in printing, and improved economics of distribution. Circulating libraries, that allowed books to be borrowed for an annual subscription, were a further factor in the rising popularity of the novel. Charles Dickens (1812–70) emerged on the literary scene in the late 1830s and soon became probably the most famous novelist in the history of British literature. Dickens fiercely satirised various aspects of society, including the workhouse in ""Oliver Twist"", the failures of the legal system in ""Bleak House"". In more recent years Dickens has been most admired for his later novels, such as ""Dombey"
"A Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ""A Christmas Carol"" recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man. Dickens wrote ""A Christmas Carol"" during a period when the British were"
"a local celebrity in Kent, being the first woman there to be seen in public riding a bicycle. Mary Dickens became the official hostess at Gads Hill Place in Kent, Dickens's country home, staying with her father for the rest of his life. Her portrait was painted by John Everett Millais. She never married, although it is believed she received a proposal of marriage, which she refused because her father disapproved of the suitor. As a result, she suffered a prolonged bout of depression. However, Charles Dickens had hoped she would eventually marry and have children. In 1867 he wrote"
"father inherited the magazine ""All the Year Round"", and Mary Angela Dickens published some of her earliest work in this periodical. She authored several popular sentimental and melodramatic novels during the 1890s, including ""Cross Currents"" (1891), probably her best known work, ""A Mere Cypher"" (1893), ""A Valiant Ignorance"" (1894), and ""Prisoners of Silence"" (1895). Her later works included ""Against the Tide"" (1897), and ""On the Edge of a Precipice"" (1899). She also produced a number of books for children based on the novels of her grandfather, including ""Children's Stories from Dickens"" (1893) and ""Dickens' Dream Children"" (1926). These were illustrated"
"the poor. As the idea for the story took shape and the writing began in earnest, Dickens became engrossed in the book. He later wrote that as the tale unfolded he ""wept and laughed, and wept again"" as he ""walked about the black streets of London fifteen or twenty miles many a night when all sober folks had gone to bed."" After living briefly in Italy (1844), Dickens travelled to Switzerland (1846), where he began work on ""Dombey and Son"" (1846–48). This and ""David Copperfield"" (1849–50) mark a significant artistic break in Dickens's career as his novels became more serious"