Charles Dickens experienced poverty as a child
Dickens family was middle-class, but he knew what it was like to be poor. When Dickens was twelve, his father was imprisoned for debt. The family was very poor, so Dickens had to work in a factory
Dicken’s experience of poverty made him critical of the way Victorian society treated it’s poorest people.
He believed the rich should help the poor.
- Poverty was a huge problem in Victorian society particularly in over-crowded cities like London.
- Dickens was very concerned by this - his own experiences with poverty had taught him how unpleasant it could be.
- He strongly believed that it was the responsibility of the wealthy to help those in who were in poverty. He believed that ignoring this responsibility would eventually cause much bigger problems.
- Dickens urged people to help the poor by providing them with education and by donating to, and working with, charities.
Timeline
- 1812: Born on 7th February, in Portsmouth
- 1824: His father is arrested for debt and sent to prison. Dickens has to give up his education and work in a factory.
- 1824-27: His father inherits some money so Dickens goes to private school for 2 years.
- 1827: Works as an office boy at a solicitor’s firm.
- 1828: Starts work as a court reporter.
- 1833: First short story published - “A Dinner at Poplar Walk”
- 1836: Marries Catherine Hogarth
- 1836-37: His first novel “Pickwick Papers” is serialised.
- 1843: “A Christmas Carol” is published.
- 1870: Dies of a stroke on 9th June. Buried in Westminster Abbey.