Who Was Charles Dickens – Fast Facts
Charles Dickens is one of the most recognized English novelist and probably one of the best story tellers of all times. He was born in Portsmouth, England, on February 7, 1812, to John and Elizabeth Dickens.
As a child Dickens was frequently sick, so he didn’t often play outside with other children. But he read a lot and quickly became a passionate reader.
John, Dickens’s father, was not very good in managing money. When Charles was 12 years old, he was thrown into debtor’s prison. This forced Charles to leave school and start working at a blacking (shoe polish) factory.
After a few months his father was released from prison and he went back to school. But this experience of poverty and working at a factory at such a young age left deep effects on Charles. Later on he became the most vigorous voice of the poor and working classes of his age.
When he finished school, he began work as a reporter. In 1833 he published his first story – A Dinner at Popular Walk. It was followed by a number of other stories and sketches.
His most amusing stories and sketches were first collected as Sketches by Boz (Boz being his pseudonym) and published in 1836. This was his first published book. In 1836 he also married Catherine Hogarth, with whom he was to have had 10 children.
After that began commercially very successful period of his life as a full-time writer. Over the period of next few decades he produced numerous timeless works that are still enjoyed today. Oliver Twist, The Old Curiosity Shop, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations and, of course, A Christmas Carol are just a few of them.
All of his works are characterized by attacks on social unfairness of the time he lived in. He wrote about poverty, suffering, greed, social evils, all subjects which are still around us today.
Dickens died from a stroke on 9 June 1870 at his home. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. Today he is still widely read.
