Charles Dickens, one of the most iconic writers of the Victorian era, was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. The son of John and Elizabeth Dickens, Charles experienced a tumultuous childhood marked by financial instability. When his family was incarcerated in the Marshalsea debtors’ prison due to his father’s financial mismanagement, young Dickens was forced to leave school and work in a blacking factory, an experience that profoundly influenced his future writing and his views on social justice.
Beginning of Literary Career
Dickens started his literary career as a journalist, reporting on parliamentary debates and covering election campaigns. His keen observation skills and flair for descriptive writing soon led him to publish a series of sketches under the pseudonym “Boz.” The success of these sketches paved the way for his first novel, “The Pickwick Papers,” serialized in 1836-37. This work’s popularity marked the beginning of Dickens’ fame as an author.
Major Novels and Themes
Dickens wrote numerous novels, many serialized in magazines, including classics such as “Oliver Twist” (1837–39), “David Copperfield” (1849–50), “Bleak House” (1852–53), “A Tale of Two Cities” (1859), and “Great Expectations” (1860–61). His works often explored themes of poverty, social injustice, and the struggles of the underprivileged, reflecting his own experiences and observations of Victorian society.
Writing Style and Characterization
Dickens was known for his rich, vivid storytelling and memorable characters. His novels combined humor, satire, and drama, and he was a master at creating complex, emotionally resonant characters. He also incorporated elements of the gothic and the fantastical in his works. His ability to weave intricate plots with sharp social commentary won him widespread acclaim and a broad readership.
Personal Life and Public Figure
Dickens’ personal life, including his marriage to Catherine Hogarth and their ten children, and later, his affair with actress Ellen Ternan, was complex and often controversial. He was a public figure not just in literary circles but also as a social critic and philanthropist. He gave popular public readings from his works, which were as much performances as they were literary events.
Legacy and Influence
Charles Dickens passed away on June 9, 1870, but his legacy endures. He is celebrated not only for his literary contributions but also for his commentary on the social issues of his time, many of which remain relevant.
His works have been adapted into countless films, television shows, and stage productions, attesting to their enduring appeal and the universal nature of their themes and characters. Dickens remains a towering figure in English literature, synonymous with the Victorian era’s literary brilliance and social consciousness.
Publication Order of Standalone Novels
| The Pickwick Papers | (1837) |
| The Adventures of Oliver Twist | (1838) |
| The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby | (1839) |
| Barnaby Rudge | (1841) |
| Master Humphrey’s Clock | (1841) |
| Old Curiosity Shop | (1841) |
| A Christmas Carol | (1843) |
| The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit | (1844) |
| The Chimes | (1844) |
| The Cricket on the Hearth | (1845) |
| The Battle of Life | (1846) |
| Dombey and Son | (1848) |
| The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain | (1848) |
| David Copperfield | (1850) |
| Bleak House | (1853) |
| Hard Times | (1854) |
| A Child’s History of England | (1854) |
| Little Dorrit | (1855) |
| The Hanged Man’s Bride | (1857) |
| A Tale of Two Cities | (1859) |
| Great Expectations | (1861) |
| Our Mutual Friend | (1865) |
| No Thoroughfare(With: Wilkie Collins) | (1867) |
| The Mystery of Edwin Drood | (1870) |
Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas (with Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, Adelaide Anne Procter)
| The Black Veil | (1836) |
| The Holly Tree Inn | (1850) |
| A House to Let(With: Wilkie Collins,Elizabeth Gaskell,Adelaide Anne Procter) | (1858) |
| The Haunted House | (1859) |
| Doctor Marigold | (1866) |
| The Magic Fishbone | (1867) |
| George Silverman’s Explanation | (1868) |
Publication Order of Short Story Collections
| Sketches by Boz | (1836) |
| Master Humphrey’s Clock, Volume 2 | (1841) |
| To Be Read at Dusk | (1852) |
| The Poor Traveller / Boots at the Holly-Tree Inn | (1858) |
| Reprinted Pieces | (1861) |
| The Complete Ghost Stories of Charles Dickens | (1866) |
| Mudfog and Other Papers Contributed to Bentley’s Miscellany | (1880) |
| Select Short Fiction | (1976) |
| The Signalman & Other Ghost Stories | (1984) |
| Hunted Down | (2016) |
Publication Order of Collections
| Three Ghost Stories | (1998) |
| Wicked Wit of Charles Dickens(With: Shelley Klein) | (2002) |
Publication Order of Elizabeth Gaskell Short Stories/Novellas
(with Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, Adelaide Anne Procter)
| Sexton’s Hero(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1847) |
| The Moorland Cottage(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1850) |
| Lizzie Leigh(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1850) |
| Mr. Harrison’s Confessions(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1851) |
| Disappearances(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1851) |
| Bessy’s Troubles at Home(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1852) |
| The Shah’s English Gardener(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1852) |
| An Accursed Race(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1855) |
| Libbie Marsh’s Three Eras(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1855) |
| The Squire’s Story(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1855) |
| The Poor Clare(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1856) |
| The Manchester Marriage(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1858) |
| A House to Let(With: Wilkie Collins,Elizabeth Gaskell,Adelaide Anne Procter) | (1858) |
| Right at Last(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1858) |
| The Doom of the Griffiths(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1858) |
| The Half-Brothers(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1859) |
| Cousin Phyllis(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1864) |
| French Life(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (1864) |
| Six Weeks at Heppenheim(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2004) |
| Morton Hall(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2004) |
| The Crooked Branch(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2004) |
| The Heart of John Middleton(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2004) |
| My French Master(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2004) |
| The Well of Pen Morfa(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2004) |
| Bran(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2015) |
| The Scholar’s Story(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2016) |
| Company Manners(By: Elizabeth Gaskell) | (2018) |
Publication Order of Wilkie Collins Short Stories/Novellas
(with Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, Adelaide Anne Procter)
| The Last Stage Coachman(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1843) |
| Mr. Wray’s Cash Box(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1852) |
| A Terribly Strange Bed(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1852) |
| The Nun’s Story of Gabriel’s Marriage(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1853) |
| The Dream Woman(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1855) |
| The Angler’s Story of the Lady of Glenwith Grange(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1855) |
| After Dark(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1856) |
| A House to Let(With: Wilkie Collins,Elizabeth Gaskell,Adelaide Anne Procter) | (1858) |
| The Haunted House(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1859) |
| The Queen of Hearts(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1859) |
| The Cauldron of Oil(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1861) |
| No Thoroughfare(With: Wilkie Collins) | (1867) |
| The Dead Alive(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1873) |
| Miss or Mrs.?(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1873) |
| John Jago’s Ghost(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1874) |
| The Haunted Hotel(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1879) |
| My Lady’s Money(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1879) |
| Who Killed Zebedee?(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1880) |
| Miss Gwilt(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1880) |
| The Yellow Mask(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1887) |
| Sights A-Foot(By: Wilkie Collins) | (1887) |
| Black and White(By: Wilkie Collins) | (2015) |
Publication Order of Anthologies
| The Lock and Key Library Classic Mystery and Detective Stories | (1909) |
| Great Short Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror | (1931) |
| World’s Great Mystery Stories | (1943) |
| Echoes Of Terror | (1980) |
| Alfred Hitchcock’s Fatal Attractions | (1983) |
| Ghost Stories | (1986) |
| Great Law and Order Stories | (1990) |
| The Little Book of Horrors: Tiny Tales of Terror | (1992) |
| H.P. Lovecraft’s Book of Horror | (1993) |
| 100 Dastardly Little Detective Stories | (1993) |
| 100 Hair-Raising Little Horror Stories | (1993) |
| The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales | (1993) |
| Thrillers | (1994) |
| Children’s Christmas Stories and Poems | (1995) |
| Classic Sea Stories | (1996) |
| Classic Victorian & Edwardian Ghost Stories | (1996) |
| Writing New York | (1998) |
| Tales of Terror: Between Heaven and the Earth | (2002) |
| The World’s Greatest Horror Stories | (2004) |
| 50 Classic Novellas | (2011) |
| London Stories | (2013) |
| Round the Christmas Fire | (2013) |
| The Phantom Coach | (2014) |
| That Glimpse of Truth | (2014) |
| Chilling Ghost Stories | (2015) |
| Fireside Ghost Stories for Christmas Eve | (2015) |
| The Wimbourne Book of Victorian Ghost Stories: Volume 2 | (2016) |
| The Greatest Books of All Time #4 | (2017) |
| Writers: Their Lives and Works | (2018) |
| The Occult Fiction Collection | (2019) |
| The Greatest Ghost and Horror Stories Ever Written: volume 3 | (2019) |
| 30 Eternal Masterpieces of Humorous Stories | (2019) |
| 30 Occult & Supernatural Masterpieces You Have to Read Before You Die | (2019) |
| Victorian Anthologies of Classic Spectral Stories to Chill and Thrill the Senses | (2020) |
| Terrifying Ghosts Short Stories | (2021) |
| Hungry for Blood – Ultimate Halloween Collection | (2023) |
| The Dover Anthology of Classic Christmas Stories | (2023) |