CharlesDickensDickens,CharlesJohnHuffam(1812-1870),Englishnovelistandoneofthemostpopularwritersinthehistoryofliterature.Inhisenormousbodyofworks,Dickenscombinedmasterlystorytelling,humor,pathos,andironywithsharpsocialcriticismandacuteobservationofpeopleandplaces,bothrealandimagined.DickenswasbornFebruary7,1812,inPortsmouthandspentmostofhischildhoodinLondonandKent,bothofwhichappearfrequentlyinhisnovels.Hestartedschoolattheageofnine,buthiseducationwasinterruptedwhenhisfather,anamiablebutcarelessminorcivilservant,wasimprisonedfordebtin1824.Theboywasthenforcedtosupporthimselfbyworkinginashoe-polishfactory.Aresultingsenseofhumiliationandabandonmenthauntedhimforlife,andhelaterdescribedthisexperience,onlyslightlyaltered,inhisnovelDavidCopperfield(1849-1850).From1824to1826,Dickensagainattendedschool.Forthemostpart,however,hewasself-educated.Amonghisfavoritebookswerethosebysuchgreat18th-centurynovelistsasHenryFieldingandTobiasSmollett,andtheirinfluencecanbediscernedinDickens'sownnovels.In1827Dickenstookajobasalegalclerk.Afterlearningshorthand,hebeganworkingasareporterinthecourtsandParliament,perhapsdevelopingthepowerofprecisedescriptionthatwastomakehiscreativewritingsoremarkable.InDecember1833DickenspublishedthefirstofaseriesoforiginaldescriptivesketchesofdailylifeinLondon,usingthepseudonymBoz.ALondonpublishercommissionedavolumeofsimilarsketchestoaccompanyillustrationsbythecelebratedartistGeorgeCruikshank.Thesuccessofthiswork,SketchesbyBoz(1836),permittedDickenstomarryCatherineHogarthin1836andledtotheproposalofasimilarpublishingventureincollaborationwiththepopularartistRobertSeymour.WhenSeymourcommittedsuicide,anotherartist,H.K.Browne,calledPhiz,whosubsequentlydrewthepicturesformostofDickens'slaterworks,tookhisplace.Dickenstransformedthisparticularprojectfromasetoflooselyconnectedvignettesintoacomicnarrative,ThePickwickPapers(1836-1837).ThesuccessofthisfirstnovelmadeDickensfamous.AtthesametimeitinfluencedthepublishingindustryinGreatBritain,beingissuedinaratherunusualform,thatofinexpensivemonthlyinstallments;thismethodofpublicationquicklybecamepopularamongDickens'scontemporaries.用心爱心专心Dickenssubsequentlymaintainedhisfamewithaconstantstreamofnovels.Amanofenormousenergyandwidetalents,healsoengagedinmanyotheractivities.HeeditedtheweeklyperiodicalsHouseholdWords(1850-1859)andAlltheYearRound(1859-1870),composedthetravelbooksAmericanNotes(1842)andPicturesfromItaly(1846),administeredcharitableorganizations,andpressedformanysocialreforms.In1842helecturedintheUnitedStatesinfavorofaninternationalcopyrightagreementandinoppositiontoslavery.In1843hepublishedAChristmasCarol,anever-popularchildren'sstory.Dickens'sextraliteraryactivitiesalsoincludedmanagingatheatricalcompanythatplayedbeforeQueenVictoriain1851andgivingpublicreadingsofhisownworksinEnglandandAmerica.Allthesesuccesses,however,wereshadowedbydomesticunhappiness.IncompatibilityandDickens'srelationswithayoungactress,EllenTernan,ledtohisseparationfromhiswifein1858,afterthemarriagehadproducedtenchildren.HesufferedafatalstrokeonJune9,1870,andwasburiedinWestminsterAbbeyfivedayslater.AsDickensmaturedartistically,hisnovelsdevelopedfromcomictalesbasedontheadventuresofacentralcharacter,likeThePickwickPapersandNicholasNickleby(1838-1839),toworksofgreatsocialrelevance,psychologicalinsight,andnarrativeandsymboliccomplexity.Amonghisfineworksa...
