Charles dickens biography bbc bitesize

Charles Dickens

Who Was Charles Dickens?

Charles Dickens was a British author, journalist, editor, illustrator, and social commentator who wrote the beloved classics Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, and Great Expectations. His books were first published in monthly serial installments, which became a lucrative source of income following a childhood of abject poverty. Dickens wrote 15 novels in total, including Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, and A Tale of Two Cities. His writing provided a stark portrait of poor and working class people in the Victorian era that helped to bring about social change. Dickens died in June at age 58 and is remembered as one of the most important and influential writers of the 19th century.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Charles John Huffam Dickens
BORN: February 7,
DIED: June 9,
BIRTHPLACE: Portsmouth, England
SPOUSE: Catherine Thomson Hogarth ()
CHILDREN: Charles Jr., Mary, Kate, Walter, Francis, Alfred, Sydney, Henry, Dora, and Edward
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius

Early Life and Education

Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on February 7, , in Portsmouth on the southern coast of England. He was the second of eight childr

Almost years ago, Charles Dickens wrote a story about a little boy who had nothing. The boy was called Oliver Twist. He had no parents and he lived in a place called a workhouse. Only poor people lived in workhouses. It was a hard life.

Dickens’ stories tell us what life was like all those years ago and he is one of the most famous writers in the English language.

Charles Dickens lived in the s, the Victorian age.
Life could be hard for children then. Many had to go out to work.

At 12, Dickens himself left school to work in a factory putting labels on pots. His dad had been sent to prison for not paying his bills, so the young Dickens worked to look after his family.

He eventually returned to school but never forgot how hard life was for poor people.

When he grew up, Dickens became a journalist and wrote for newspapers.

He also wrote stories from his own imagination, called novels.

His novels, like Oliver Twist, were often about the lives of poor people, their crowded houses and tough jobs.

Another story he wrote was ‘A Christmas Carol’, in which a miserable character called Ebenezer Scrooge hates Christmas. In the story, Scrooge meets three ghosts who teach him how to

Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on 7th February in Landport, Hampshire. He was born to John and Elizabeth Dickens. His father worked as a clerk in the navy pay office. Charles Dickens was the most famous novelist of the Victorian period.

Dickens ( &#x; )  created some of the most memorable characters in English Literature, while also criticizing the worst excesses of Victorian society. His most famous novels included Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and David Copperfield.

His novels were very popular then and continue to be so even today. His novels were essayed on the hardships faced by the middle-class and other social issues. These novels were later adapted in magazines in the form of serials. His work was liked and admired by eminent writers like George Gissing and G.K. Chesterton.

Charles Dickens&#; Childhood

By , the Dickens family moved to London and later on to Chatham. At Chatham, Charles received education at William Giles School. Special attention was given to Charles by William Giles, the schoolmaster. In , Charles father John was imprisoned in the debtor&#;s prison in Southwark, London.

At this time, Charles was twelve years o

Charles Dickens

How did Dickens' own life experiences influence his work? Why is the Marshalsea prison the focal point of Little Dorrit?


Dickens is a name synonymous with the cold, winding, dark streets of Victorian England; colourful and eccentric characters with inventive names such as Wackford Squeers, Uriah Heep and Ebenezer Scrooge; and the struggle of the poor against the class system. He wrote unashamed and vivid accounts of slums and prostitutes as well as damning portrayals of the legal system and government offices. His popularity has barely waned since his death and there have been over adaptations of his work for film and television.


The second of eight children, Charles John Huffam Dickens was born in February to John Dickens, a clerk for the Royal Navy, and his wife Elizabeth. Aged 12, Dickens was sent to work at a boot-blacking factory when his father was imprisoned in Marshalsea debtors prison. His father owed £40 - the same amount as Edward, Amy Dorrit's brother. Dickens' mother went to live with her husband inside the jail, taking their youngest children with her. She left Dickens and possibly the eldest sister, Fanny (the name of Amy Dorrit's sist


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