CHARLES DICKENS (1812-1870)

Marx named four English writers of the XIX century “the brilliant school of novelists.” This is what he said about them: “The present brilliant school of novelists in England, whose graphic and eloquent descriptions have revealed more political and social truths to the world than have all the politicians, publicists and moralists added together, has pictured all sections of the middle class, 1 beginning with the “respectable” rentier and owner of government stocks,2 who looks down on all kinds of “business” as being vulgar, and finishing with the small shopkeeper and lawyer’s clerk. How have they been described by Dickens, Tha­ckeray, 3 Charlotte Bronte 4 and Mrs. Gaskell? 8 As full of self- conceit, prudishness, petty tyranny and ignorance.” [1]

These four authors lived in the middle of last century. This was the time of the rise of the first organized revolutionary mo­vement of the working class — Chartism.6

The ideas of the Chartists7 excited attention also outside the working class. The demands of the workers made many people aware 8 for the first time of the extent of social injustice. That is why the years of the rise of the Chartist movement were at the same time the years of the growth of English critical realism9 in the works of Dickens and the other members of the “brilliant school” of English realists. The critical angle from which they saw English life enabled them to bring out 10 its most typical features and to reveal its greatest social wrongs.

Charles Dickens, whose name stands first in the list of authors belonging to the “brilliant school” was born in the family of a poor clerk at Portsmouth.11 "

In 1821 the Dickens family went to London; things went from bad to worse. 12 Little Charles’ father was put into the Marshalsea prison 13 for debt. It became ne­cessary that the boy, though only ten years old, should earn money, and a job was found for him in a blacking factory. He later described this period of his childhood in “David Copperfield.”

Quite unexpectedly a rela­tive of the family left Mr. Dickens a legacy which enabled him to pay his debts and leave the Marshalsea.

Young Charles, to his great joy, was sent to school.

On leaving school Charles entered the office of a lawyer and then took up the work of a parliamentary reporter. 14 This work led naturally to journalism, and journalism to novel writing. In 1836, when only twenty-four years of age, Charles Dickens published his first book, a collection of sketches and stories, under the title of “Sketches by Boz.”

These were followed by “The Pickwick Papers” and “Oliver Twist” (1837—1838). Then came “Nicholas Nickleby” (1838—1839), and others.

At the beginning of the forties Dickens made a journey to the USA after which his faith in the ideals of bourgeois democracy was considerably shaken. For in America Dickens saw how very  false and hypocritical were the bourgeois declarations of freedom. The results of this journey were “American Notes,” a series of travel sketches, and the novel “Martin Chuzzlewit”.

Dickens’ first novels and his books on America were followed by many more novels and stories—“The Chimes,” 18 “Dombey and Son,” “David Copperfield,” “Hard Times,” 16 “Little Dorrit” 17 — and other works, until the little boy from the blacking factory became one of the greatest novelists that ever put pen to paper. 18 His novels are now translated into most languages and are highly valued for their realism, their humour and their just criticism of English life.

          The Russian revolutionary democrats thought highly of Dickens and Thackeray precisely because they reflected most of the vital social problems of the day.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

middle class -  средний класс, буржуазия.

government stocks -  государственные бумаги, акции, выпускаемые государ­ством.

Charlotte Brontë (1816—1855) Шарлотта Бронте, английская писательница, автор романов „Джейн Эр“, „Шерли“ и др.; принадлежала к реалистиче­скому направлению.

Chartism -  чартизм, „ ... первое широкое, действительно массовое, полити­чески оформленное, пролетарски-революционное движение..

Chartists  - чартисты, участники чартистского движения

made ... aware   - заставили ... осознать.

critical realism  - критический реализм, прогрессивное течение в англий­ской буржуазной литературе середины XIX века. 

to bring out  - здесьвыпукло изобразить.

Portsmouth  - Портсмут, большой портовый город в Англии.

things went from bad to worse - дела шли всё хуже и хуже.

Marshalsea prison  - название долговой тюрьмы в Лондоне. Во времена Диккенса неплатёжеспособных должников сажали в тюрьму, где они оста­вались, пока не выплачивали долга; часто это означало пожизненное заключение. Семье должника обыкновенно разрешали жить в тюрьме вместе с ним.

parliamentary reporter парламентский репортёр (газетный сотрудник, который записывает для печати речи, произносимые в парламенте).

“The Chimes”  - „Колокола“.

“Hard Times”  - „Тяжёлые времена“.

“Little Dorrit”  - „Крошка Доррит“.

that ever put pen to paper -  который когда-либо брался за перо