During the life of Walter Scott no writer of fiction equalled him in popular favour throughout Great Britain, nor were the works of any other novelist so extensively read.
A few years after Scott’s death a young London writer became his virtual successor in influencing the literary taste of England in fiction.
Dickens was born in Portsmouth, on the south coast of England. He had an unhappy childhood, since his father went to prison for debt and he had to work in a factory at the age of twelve.
These days of sufferings were to inspire much of the content of his novel. When he realized that he had a talent for writing, he taught himself short and became a newspaper reporter.
He adopted the pen name “Boz” and began to contribute to various papers and magazines.
His autobiographical novels are Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Little Dorrit; their protagonist all became the symbols of an exploited childhood confronted with the grim and bitter realities of slums and factories.
Dickens also wrote a novel on the French Revolution, A tale of two Cities, and another about the Chartist riots, Barnaby Rudge, a travel book, American Notes. Other work include Bleak House, Hard times and Great Expectations, dealing with social issues, such as the conditions of the poor and the working class in general.
All these novel gave him wealth and fame.
He also had a busy life as a magazine editor. He spent his last years travelling round giving readings of his own work.
He was buried in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey. He remains one of the most popular English novelist of all time.
