Charles John Huffam Dickens
- Born:
- February 7, 1812, Landport, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
- Died:
- June 9, 1870, Gad's Hill Place, Higham, Kent, England
- Nationality:
- English
- Profession(s):
- Novelist, Journalist, Editor, Social Critic
Early Life and Education
- Dickens experienced poverty early in life when his father was imprisoned for debt.
- He was forced to work in a blacking factory at age 12.
- His early experiences significantly shaped his social consciousness and writing.
- Received limited formal education, primarily self-taught.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began his career as a journalist, covering parliamentary debates and reporting for various newspapers.
- Achieved literary fame with the serialized publication of The Pickwick Papers (1836-1837).
- Founded and edited the weekly journals Household Words and All the Year Round.
- Embarked on highly successful public readings of his works.
- Championed social reform through his novels and journalistic writings.
Notable Works
- Oliver Twist (1837-1839)
- Nicholas Nickleby (1838-1839)
- A Christmas Carol (1843)
- David Copperfield (1849-1850)
- Bleak House (1852-1853)
- Hard Times (1854)
- Great Expectations (1860-1861)
- A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
- Our Mutual Friend (1864-1865)
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood (unfinished, 1870)
Legacy and Impact
Charles Dickens remains one of the most influential and beloved novelists in the English language. His works continue to be widely read, adapted for film and stage, and studied for their social commentary and enduring characters. This text provides a short biography of Charles Dickens for those seeking a concise overview of his life and work.