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Classic Authors: Charles Dickens

© Susan Jensen

One of the greatest writers in the history of English literature, Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812. His father, John Dickens, worked as a clerk in the Naval Pay Office. Due to poor management of his finances, John became incarcerated in a debtor's prison. Charles was thus yanked out of school and put to work in a boot-blacking factory. His wages helped support the family. When he received an inheritance from a dead relative, John was freed and Charles went back to school. He was, however, only a mediocre student and left at 15 to become an office boy in a soliciting firm.

Charles wanted to become a reporter. In order to qualify, he studied shorthand for 18 months. He began his journalistic career as a freelance writer, recording Parliamentary debates for the "Mirror Parliament." In 1834, he became a reporter for the "Morning Chronicle."

His first published work was a series of sketches of everyday life. They were later gathered into two volumes, which were published on Charles' twenty-fourth birthday.

On April 2, 1836, Charles married Catherine Hogarth, with whom he had 10 children. They separated in 1858 because of mismatched temperaments.

The introduction of "Pickwick Papers" made Charles Dickens an instant success. The story, published in monthly installments, became a hit all over England. While "Pickwick" was still enjoying enormous success, Charles began working on "Oliver Twist." He went on to publish 15 major novels as well as many short stories and articles.

Psychologically scarred from his nightmarish experience in the boot-blacking factory, Charles wrote a great deal about social reform. He became known for his concern for the lower classes, especially children. He found an outlet for his political ideas in several journals which he edited. To boost interest in these journals, he serialized several of his novels within their pages.

Despite ill health, Charles began a series of public readings which led him all over England, Scotland, Ireland and America.

Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870, and was buried in Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey. The inscription on his tomb reads, "He was a sympathiser to the poor, the suffering and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world."