Charles Dickens, the Master Storyteller of Victorian England
Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on 7 February 1812, at Landport in Portsea Island, the second of eight children to John Dickens (1785–1851) and Elizabeth Dickens (née Barrow; 1789–1863). He was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's most well-known fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented popularity, and by the twentieth century he was widely seen as a literary genius by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to be widely popular.
Although he had little formal education, over his career he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas and hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.
Dickens sprang to fame with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers”. Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, famous for his humour, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His novels, most published in monthly or weekly installments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication. The installment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience's reaction, and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback. For example, when his wife's chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher in David Copperfield” seemed to reflect her disabilities, Dickens went on to improve the character with positive features. His plots were carefully constructed, and Dickens often wove in elements from topical events into his narratives.
Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol”, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Set in London and Paris, his 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities”, is the bestselling novel of all time. His creative genius has been praised by fellow writers — from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G.K. Chesterton — for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterizations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian” is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
Dickens worked at the law office of Ellis and Blackmore, attorneys, of Holborn Court, Gray's Inn, as a junior clerk from May 1827 to November 1828. He was a gifted mimic and impersonated those around him: clients, lawyers and clerks. He went to theatres obsessively — he claimed that for at least three years he went to the theatre every single day. His favourite actor was Charles Mathews and Dickens learnt his monopolylogues (farces in which Mathews played every character), by heart. Then, having learned Gurney's system of shorthand in his spare time, he left to become a freelance reporter. A distant relative, Thomas Charlton, was a freelance reporter at Doctors' Commons, and Dickens was able to share his box there to report the legal proceedings for nearly four years. This education was to inform works such as Nicholas Nickleby”, Dombey and Son
”, and especially Bleak House” —whose vivid portrayal of the machinations and bureaucracy of the legal system did much to enlighten the general public and served as a vehicle for dissemination of Dickens's own views regarding, particularly, the heavy burden on the poor who were forced by circumstances to "go to law".In 1830, Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell, thought to have been the model for the character Dora in David Copperfield”. Maria's parents disapproved of the courtship and ended the relationship by sending her to school in Paris.
In November 1836 Dickens accepted the job of editor of Bentley's Miscellany”, a position he held for three years, until he fell out with the owner. In 1836 as he finished the last installments of The Pickwick Papers”, he began writing the beginning installments of Oliver Twist” — writing as many as 90 pages a month — while continuing work on Bentley's” and also writing four plays, the production of which he oversaw. Oliver Twist”, published in 1838, became one of Dickens's better known stories, with dialogue that transferred well to the stage (because he was writing stage plays at the same time) and, more importantly, it was the first Victorian novel with a child protagonist.
His success as a novelist continued. The young Queen Victoria read both Oliver Twist” and Pickwick”, staying up until midnight to discuss them. Nicholas Nickleby” (1838–39), The Old Curiosity Shop” and, finally, his first historical novel, Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of Eighty”, as a part of the Master Humphrey's Clock” series (1840–41), were all published in monthly installments before being made into books.
During his middle and later years the writing of his novels occupied by no means the whole of his time. His early successes had gained him admission into literary and fashionable society. He engaged strenuously in philanthropic work. A talented actor, he threw himself into amateur theatrical ventures in aid of charity. About the time of the separation from his wife (1858), he began to put a good deal of his energy into public readings from his works. These were semidramatic performances. They were immensely popular, but extremely exhausting for the performer. Dickens's friends believed that they shortened his life.
He died suddenly of a stroke in June 1870, leaving unfinished his novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood”.
And still alive are his novels with stage and screen versions, and numerous unforgettable characters that crowd his books. Among them are Pickwick and Sam Weller, the comic heroes of his first literary success. Mr. Micawber was the character based on Dickens's own father in the largely autobiographical novel David Copperfield”. Fagin of Oliver Twist” and the miser Scrooge in A Christmas Carol” are other unforgettable characters.
Al1 fifteen of his novels were first published as serials of monthly chapters.
Initially, he had this form wished on to him by a publisher. Dickens quickly perceived the advantages that serial publication had for him, and the monthly number remained his favourite vehicle throughout his life. He would aim to deliver the manuscript to the printer by the twentieth for publication on the last day of the month. He had necessarily to keep in close touch with his illustrator, who might well be working on a scene he had conceived but not yet written.
This method of writing left Dickens free to modify future developments of the novels. He was always highly sensitive to his readers' reactions, expressed in critical comments uttered privately or publicly and communicated directly or indirectly; or they might be implied in rising or falling sales.
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British Traditions
Clubs. One of English traditions is clubs. A club is an association of people who like to meet together to relax and discuss things. These people are usually upper-class men or men connected with the government or other powerful organizations which control public life and support the established order of society. However, there are clubs of people not connected with the ruling circles, for example cultural clubs, whose members are actors, painters, writers and critics and their friends. In a word, clubs are organizations which join people of the same interests. A club usually owns a building where members can eat, drink, and sometimes sleep.
Traditional ceremonies. A lot of traditional ceremonies have been preserved since old times and are still regularly observed. Among them is the Ceremony of the Keys.
The Ceremony of the Keys. The Ceremony of the Keys dates back 700 years and has taken place every night since that time. It was never interrupted even during the air-raids by the Germans in the last war. Every night, at 9.53 p.m. the Chief Warder of the Yeomen Warders (Beefeaters) of the Tower of London lights a candle lantern and goes, accompanied by his Escort, towards the Bloody Tower. In his hand the Chief Warder carries the keys, with which he locks the West Gate and then the Middle Tower. Then the Chief Warder and his Escort return to the Bloody Tower, where they are stopped by the sentry. Then comes the following dialogue.
SENTRY. Halt! Who goes there?
CHIEF WARDER. The keys.
S. Whose keys?
CR. W. Queen Elizabeth’s keys.
S. Advance, Queen Elizabeth’s keys; all’s well.
Having received permission to go on, the Chief Warder and his Escort walk through the Archway of the Bloody Tower and face the Main Guard of the Tower, who gives the order to present arms, which means to hold a weapon upright in front of the body as a ceremonial greeting to an officer of high rank. The Chief Warder takes off his Tudor-style cap and cries, “God preserve Queen Elizabeth!” “Amen”, answer the Main Guard and the Escort.
New words:
The Yeomen Warders (Beefeaters) – Стражи Тауэра; the Bloody Tower – Кровавая башня; the West Gate – Западные ворота; the Middle Tower – Средняя башня; sentry – часовой; Halt! – Стой! to present arms – взять оружие «на караул»; an officer of high rank – офицер высокого ранга; Amen – Аминь.
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1) What is a club in Britain?
2) According to what principle are people joined in clubs?
3) What do the members do in their clubs?
4) A lot of traditional ceremonies have been preserved since old times in Britain, haven’t they?
5) What is the most traditional ceremony that has been preserved since old times?
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