Contents
Charles Dickens
Writing Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol.
Victorian London · Social criticism
- Born
- 7 February 1812
- Birthplace
- Portsmouth, England
- Died
- 9 June 1870
More people
Charles Dickens
An English novelist and journalist whose memorable characters brought comedy and criticism to stories about class, poverty and ambition.
Early life
Family debt
His father’s imprisonment for debt disrupted his childhood.
Factory work
Worked in a boot-blacking factory at twelve.
Career
- 1830s
Journalist
Worked as a reporter before his fiction became widely known.
- 1836
Serial success
The Pickwick Papers launched his popular reputation.
- 1850s–1860s
Editor and performer
Combined publishing with public readings of his work.
Selected work
Oliver Twist
A child navigates institutions and crime in London.
A Christmas Carol
Scrooge confronts the consequences of his life.
Great Expectations
Pip’s ambitions unsettle his loyalties and identity.
Beyond work
Social concerns
Campaigned on education and children’s welfare.
Railway survivor
Survived the 1865 Staplehurst crash and helped fellow passengers.
Sources & photo credit
Biographical reference ↗Charles Dickens Museum: A Christmas Carol ↗Photo: Jeremiah Gurney. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
