For most of us who have read English literature either for examinations or pleasure, Charles Dickens still remains the ideal novelist. Before Dickens turned 12, his father – a government clerk – fell into debt and was sentenced to prison. As a result, Dickens had to work in a blacking factory for survival.
By dint of hard work, he became a solicitor’s clerk at the age of 15. He taught himself shorthand and graduated to court reporting. Thereafter, he joined the House of Commons as a reporter.
He quenched his thirst for learning by reading the books at the British Museum. Dickens’ life-story is fascinating even for a novel. After some time, he started contributing articles for various publications.
His first article appeared in the ‘Monthly Magazine’ with his byline as ‘Boz.’ When he published ‘The Pickwick Papers,’ it soon opened the door to his wealth and fame. It was followed by an uninterrupted stream of novels published during 30 years.
Some of them are ‘Oliver Twist’ (1837), ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1838), ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1843), ‘Bleak House’ (1852), ‘Hard Times’ (1854), ‘Little Dorrit’ (1855), ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859), ‘Great Expectations’ (1860) and ‘Our Mutual Friend’ (1864). He died in 1870 before completing his last novel ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood.’ Many of these novels dealt with moral and social problems.
Dickens married Catherine Hogarth in 1837, the year ‘Oliver Twist’ was published. Althoug.