Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens (1812–1870) was an English novelist widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of the Victorian era. Born in Portsmouth, his childhood was marked by hardship after his father was imprisoned for debt, forcing young Charles to work in a blacking factory — an experience that left a lasting mark on his fiction and its recurring sympathy for the poor and exploited.

He rose from journalism to serialized fiction, publishing novels in installments that built enormous popular followings on both sides of the Atlantic. His major works, including «A Christmas Carol», «Great Expectations», «A Tale of Two Cities» and «Oliver Twist», combine vivid, often comic caricature with sharp social criticism of poverty, class and institutional injustice in 19th-century Britain.

Dickens's storytelling is marked by memorable, larger-than-life characters, intricate plotting suited to serial publication, and a blend of melodrama, humor and moral seriousness. «A Christmas Carol» in particular helped shape modern ideas of Christmas celebration and generosity. His novels remain foundational texts of English literature and continue to be adapted across stage, film and other media.