Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens (1812–1870) was an English novelist and social critic, born in Landport, near Portsmouth. His family struggled with debt, and as a boy he worked in a London blacking factory while his father was held in a debtors' prison. The experience shaped his lifelong concern for the poor and for children. He began as a journalist and rose to fame with serial fiction, which readers followed in monthly or weekly instalments. His novels combine vivid comedy, memorable characters, sharp satire and deep sympathy for the vulnerable, and they paint a detailed picture of Victorian London and its injustices. He also edited magazines, gave popular public readings and campaigned for social causes. He died in June 1870, leaving his last novel unfinished. Dickens remains one of the most widely read English writers, and his stories continue to be adapted for stage and screen.