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Birth
Charles John Huffam Dickens was bon on February 7th 1812 in Portsmouth, England. His parents were John and Elizabeth Dickens. They lived as lower middle class citizens and worked very hard to raise a family. His birth would be the beginning of his great journey of becoming a famous Victorian writer.
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Charles Dickens
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War of 1812
In the colonies, the War of 1812 had just started. The war was fought between the Americans and The British over the freedom of American rights. In the end though many would argue that the Americans lost, we grew stronger as a country and as a nation.
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Winning at New Orleans
The last fought battle of the War of 1812, the Battle of New Orleans was one that will be remembered for all time. It was on January 8 1815 that the British troops tried taking the city of New Orleans. What these troops were not expecting was the cunning and strategic defensive maneuvers performed by General Andrew Jackson. The Americans used anything they could to their advantage and ran the British out for good.
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Moving
The Dickens family moved to Chatham in 1816. Here it is said that Charles spent many of the happiest years of his life. It was here that he discovered books and plays which he immediately fell in love with. It was his preference to be surrounded by his books more than to go play outdoors. The years Dickens would spend in Chatham would blossom his passion for literature which would then lead him on into his future career.
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Father's Inprisonment
At just the age of 12, Dickens father was dragged to debtors prison. Because of this, young Charles was forced to do labor at the London shoe-blacking factory. 3 years later, John Dickens was relieved of jail. This event however had he opposite affect than expected. In response to his father's freedom, his family moved to live with him and left Charles behind to continue his work at the factory. This tragedy left him scarred and put a dent in the way he saw the world.
(Enc. of World Bio. 538) -
Darwin
Charles Darwin was a brilliant naturalist. He was researching the theory of evolution wen he made his voyage over to the Galapagos where he researched finches and their beak shapes. Most people at the time believed him to be crazy with his theories but they have been proven mostly true in modern science.
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Sketches by Boz
In the year 1836, Dickens had finally published his first book "Sketches by Boz." He always strived to get one of his works published and when it finally was, he as flooded with the joy of achievement. This work consisted of many different drawings he did of life and society in London, England compacted into one solitary book. The publication of this piece started his early writing career and gained him a small amount of fame within the city.
(Enc. of World Bio. 539) -
Marraige
In the year of 1834, Dickens met a young woman named Catherine Hogarth which in the following year he got engaged to and finally married in 1836. They had 10 children and were very happy together. This marked a point in his life where his future brightened up. He had begun a poor boy abandoned by his family and was now a famous writer happily married to a woman he loved.
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A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol was one of Dickens most remembered novels. It was published on December 19, 1843. It was most loved for its ability to scare the reader yet leave them in a cheerful mood by the end of the story. This piece gave Dickens a huge amount of publicity and fame in not only England but America as well. This story was loved at its time of publication is loved even more now. It is a true representative of Dickens literature legacy.
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The Great Famine
From 1845 to 1852 Ireland suffered a prolonged period of famine. The potato crops that their country mostly relied on was wiped out an many people died of starvation. It was a horrid period of time for the country. About 1 million people died and another million immigrated to other countries, America being one of the most common ones.
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Dombey and Son
Dombey and Son marked a turning point in Dickens career. Most of his novels from this point on were realistic works of literature. The publication of this piece was essential in his line of work and urged his fans to continue reading his stories. Without Dombey and Son, Dickens would not be remembered as the writer he is known to be today.
(Charles J. H. Dickens 3) -
Gold Fever
Starting on January 24, 1848 people began flocking to the state California in hopes of finding riches beyond their wildest dreams. Though most people returned empty handed, it was one of the biggest movements the U.S. had seen. Nearly 300,000 people traveled thousands of miles on the hopes of a new beginning.
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Personal Crisis
Starting on March 31, 1851 was Charles' string of crisis. On this day in March, Dickens' father, John Dickens, passed away and two weeks later on April 14 his daughter Dora Anne Dickens died from a convulsion. The death of these important figures sent him into depression which was deeply reflected in his writings. He soon published pieces such as Bleak House and Hard Times, both about a darkened worldview. These are the type of books Dickens is most known for in modern day.
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A New Beginning
In the year of 1858 Charles and Catherine chose to separate from one another, though not labeled a divorce for sake of keeping their social status, they decided to call it quits. It could have been in part because of Dickens' interest in another woman by the name of Ellen Ternan, an actor. They married that same year. Dickens finally found happiness once more, sparking an enlightened period.
(Enc. of World Bio. 540) -
The Civil War
The Civil War was one of the bloodiest to ever happen in U.S. history. It divided the colonies into two sides, the Confederates who were for slavery and the Union which was against slavery. It lasted a total of four years until the Union came out on top. However, the impact the war had on the colonies was irreversible It turned them against each other and created a shaky footing for the newly arising country.
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Death
Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870 after rapid health decrease and severe depression. During his last years he insisted on going on speaking tours through America even though he could feel himself slowly fading. It is from this day on that people will always remember the legacy of Charles Dickens and be remembered for all his works.
(Enc. of World Bio. 541)
