Biographical Sketch To The Life Of Charles Dickens

• Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Landport, Portsea, England, and was named Charles John Huffham Dickens by his parents, John and Elizabeth Dickens. Dickens' father was a clerk, stricken with poverty and debt, which kept the Dickens family moving from one unfavorable location to the next. Dickens was the second of eight children, two of whom died in childhood.
  
  
• A frail child, Charles took to bookish-ness early. As a child, Dickens never attended a real school; at first, he attended a "homemade" school run by local women, and then, for two years, until the age of nine, he attended a school run by a Baptist minister.
  
  
• In 1821, the Dickens family moved to London, where Charles experienced what was probably the darkest period of his childhood. John Dickens sank deeper into debt until, finally, he was thrown into Marshalsea Prison as a debtor, and shortly after Mrs. Dickens and the children were forced to move into the prison with him, Mrs. Dickens being unable to support herself and the children. Work was found for Charles as a label-paster at a blacking factory, with coworkers of the lowest type. He lived in a small room nearby, visiting the prison on Sundays. Charles hated his situation and lived in misery during this time. Finally, one day, his father had an argument with the relative who employed young Charles, and John Dickens withdrew his son from the job. Charles' mother tried unsuccessfully to return Charles to his job, a bitter act that Charles never forgot.
  
  
• Finally, the Dickens family was able to leave prison, and Charles, finally went to a standard school from ages twelve to fourteen. At fourteen, he became an attorney's clerk, what we would call an office boy, and here began his first study of the law, which would lead to his great knowledge and contempt for it, as his works demonstrate.
  
  
• Dickens' first success as a writer came just as he married Catherine Hogarth. The first portion of his Pickwick Papers, a serialized novel, was published two days before his marriage, and went on to become a big success.
  
  
• Eight children were eventually born to the Dickens. Dickens also accepted a job as Editor for a new magazine, where "Oliver Twist" first appeared, as well as several other works. His interest in the theater caused him to write four plays, three of which were performed (the manuscripts were later lost, and Dickens was reportedly glad they were).
  
  
• In 1842, Dickens came to America, amidst much anticipation of his arival. But the sight of slavery, as well as disputes over copywright laws, lead to Dickens' departure June, 1842.
  
  
• In 1845 the the height of Dickens' fame came with the publication of "David Copperfield,"considered by many to be Dickens' greatest work.
  
  
• In 1858, Dickens and his wife separated. There is little known about his marriage, by its collapse led to the impairment of his health as well as the upset of his mental poise.
  
  
• On June 9th, 1870, while working on "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" in London, Dickens died. He was mourned by a grateful nation, and was buried alongside England's other great writers in Westminster Abbey in London.