Charles Dickens was an English writer during the Victorian era. He published nearly 20 novels and wrote dozens of short stories and plays. Many of of his works, including A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, and Great Expectations attempted to expose the plight of the poor and the injustice they experienced at the hands of the wealthy.
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens is perhaps the most famous Victorian writer in the English-speaking world. Between 1836 and his death in 1870, he published nearly 20 novels and wrote dozens of short stories and plays. Many of of his works, including A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities, enjoy wide recognition across the globe to this day.
Dickens was born into a middle class family in 1812. Although his early childhood was happy, he suffered much in his teenage years when he father was sent to debtor’s prison and twelve-year-old Dickens was sent off to work in a shoe blacking factory. The miserable conditions there shaped Dickens’s social consciousness and influenced several of his novels. Dickens started his literary career as a young journalist. Then, in 1836, he contracted to publish the Pickwick Papers. Pickwick was an immediate success and catapulted Dickens into the public eye. Between 1837 and 1839, Dickens published Oliver Twist serially, a publication method he repeated with many subsequent works. Although Dickens was not paid by the word, as many people believe, he was paid by installment, and would agree at the outset of the project to publish it in monthly or weekly installments, often drawing out stories over a span several years. This provided guaranteed work and assured Dickens of continued recognition as long as the public remained invested in his stories.
The serial nature of Dickens’s novels allowed for a myriad of diverse characters and long, complex parallel plots, which Dickens would weave together near the end of the novel. Through these many plotlines and characters, Dickens produced a depth of emotion, moving from comedy to tragedy and even to romance. Though more modern readers may criticize the Victorian sentimentality of his novels, their pathos was compelling to Dickens’s contemporary audience. Like Shakespeare, Dickens had a broad appeal. There was something in his work for the poor working class reader and something for the aristocratic matron; even the queen read his works.
From early adulthood, Dickens supported the platforms of reform politics. Ever mindful of his principles, he used his literature as a platform for social criticism. His writings stress the importance of compassion and the virtue of human decency. Novels like Hard Times and Bleak House decry the cruelty of the workhouse and the hypocrisy of many established institutions. Several of his stories (Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield) rely on the trope of an innocent, oppressed child through whom the evils of “respectable society” and the reality of child abuse are revealed. Dickens seconded his literary call to compassion with political writings, lectures, and involvement with a number of charitable organizations.
In the decades since his death, Dickens’s work has remained at the forefront of Western literature. His work has proved so adaptable, that many know his stories through plays, films, or children’s books, without ever setting eyes on his actual prose. The unique and riveting characters, social consciousness, and emotional power of his works continues to resonate with today’s readers and viewers.
Create your own Storyboard
Try it for Free!Create your own Storyboard
Try it for Free!Charles Dickens Books
- Pickwick Papers
- Oliver Twist
- Great Expectations
- David Copperfield
- Nicholas Nickleby
- A Christmas Carol
- A Tale of Two Cities
- Hard Times
- Bleak House
- Martin Chuzzlewit
- Little Dorrit
- Barnaby Rudge
- Master Humphrey’s Clock
Charles Dickens Quotes
“Throughout life, our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people we most despise.”
“To conceal anything from those to whom I am attached, is not in my nature. I can never close my lips where I have opened my heart.”
“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
How Tos about Charles Dickens: Biography and Significance
How to Make Charles Dickens Come Alive with Creative Classroom Activities
Bring Charles Dickens into your classroom by connecting his stories to students' lives and interests. Creative activities help students relate to literature and build lasting understanding.
Choose a Dickens Story Relevant to Your Students
Select a Charles Dickens story or excerpt that matches your students' reading level and interests. Consider stories with relatable themes, like friendship or fairness, to spark engagement.
Assign Roles and Read Aloud Together
Assign students different characters and read the story aloud as a class. Reading in roles brings the text to life and encourages active participation. Students can use different voices for each character!
Create Character Trading Cards
Have students design trading cards for Dickens characters, including names, traits, and a fun fact. This hands-on project builds comprehension and makes learning memorable.
Discuss the Story’s Lesson and Connect It to Today
Lead a discussion about the lesson or moral in the story, then help students connect it to their own experiences. Making real-world connections deepens understanding and relevance.
Frequently Asked Questions about Charles Dickens: Biography and Significance
Who was Charles Dickens?
Charles Dickens was a famous English writer and social critic from the 19th century, best known for creating classic novels like Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, and Great Expectations.
What are Charles Dickens's most famous books?
Some of Charles Dickens's most famous works include Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Bleak House, and Great Expectations.
Why is Charles Dickens important in literature?
Charles Dickens is important because he used storytelling to highlight social issues and helped shape the modern novel, making literature more accessible and entertaining for everyday people.
How did Charles Dickens's childhood influence his writing?
Charles Dickens's difficult childhood, including working in a factory and experiencing poverty, inspired many of the characters and themes in his novels about social justice and compassion.
What time period did Charles Dickens live in?
Charles Dickens lived during the Victorian era, from 1812 to 1870, a time of major social and industrial changes in England.
Introductory School Offer
ONLY$500
- 1 School
- 5 Teachers for One Year
- 1 Hour of Virtual PD
30 Day Money Back Guarantee • New Customers Only • Full Price After Introductory Offer • Access is for 1 Calendar Year
© 2025 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office