The Influence of Charles Dickens

 Charles Dickens was an amazing author and is still regarded as such.

He was famous for many books, including David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, and many more. Some of his books, like David Copperfield, are a sort of autobiography in the form of a fictional book.

He wrote many fictional books and even attempted one mystery novel, but tragically died before he could complete it. (Broke my heart, Dickens).

Dickens was a talented writer and to this day, he is still remembered for all of his books, memorable characters, and unique writing style. 

Dickens was a wonder when it came to crafting distinctive characters. If there’s one thing that Dickens's readers remember, it is his characters. No one would forget Miss. Havisham, wandering around in her rotting wedding gown, or Mr. Micawber who was always waiting for something better to come along. Mr. Micawber is quite a memorable person and to this day is still quoted. Even his last name became famous. Wikipedia states that “the character of Wilkins Micawber has given rise to the English noun “Micawber” and the adjectives “Micawberish” and “Micawberesque.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a Micawber as “one who is poor but lives in optimistic expectation of better fortune.” Wikipedia also states that “Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones named one of his guitars “Micawber.” 

Dickens was known for creating vivid and sometimes repulsive personalities for his characters, but he is also remembered for their names. For example, Mr. Murdstone can translate to ‘murder’ and the stone implies something cold and impassive, like a stone. Or take the name, David Copperfield. Charles Dickens' initials flipped in D.C. which are the initials of David Copperfield. The book itself is said to be based on his own life and many of the characters he found off from family and friends. Every name that Dickens gave a character, no matter how obscure or seemingly meaningless, nevertheless had meaning. 

Even though Dickens was so famous, many other authors disliked Dickens not for his writing, but for his personality. William Wordsworth’s opinion of Dickens was that he was a “very talkative, vulgar young person,” but after this statement, he admitted to never having read any of Dickens' works. Writer George Meridith thought Dickens was “intellectually lacking.” Despite these negative views of Dickens, many authors admired him, such as Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and even Van Gogh. To quote Wikipedia: “Tolstoy referred to David Copperfield as his favorite book, and he later adopted the novel as “a model for his autobiographical reflections.” Van Gough and William Thackeray were also ardent admirers of his works. Dickens was, and still is a huge influence over other writers. 

Dickens' books have also been turned into movies and plays; only in the past couple of years, David Copperfield was made into a movie. There have been countless BBC series with Dickens novels, one of them also being David Copperfield. Nicholas Nickleby was made into a movie, as well as many TV series such as Bleak House and Little Dorrit. There is only a couple of examples; Wikipedia states that Dickens has been made into over two hundred TV series and movie adaptations. 

Another example of how well remembered Dickens is the monuments that have been erected for him. His birth house is now a museum, as well as the house in which he wrote three of his books. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, there stands a statue of Dickens with a little girl titled Dickens and Little Nell. There is another statue located in Sydney, Australia. “In 2014, a life-size statue was unveiled near his birthplace in Portsmouth on the 202nd anniversary of his birth; this was supported by the author's great-great grandsons, Ian and Gerald Dickens,”.  (Source).

Dickens's books, however old they are now, still hold universal truths that draw the past and present readers to his works. For example, in Great Expectations, Pip is trying to find where he belongs – trying to find himself. We still have to do that today when we search for our passions and careers in life. In Oliver Twist, Oliver is searching for his home. We all need a place to come home to. The reason that Dickens is still a famous author is that he appeals to all the centuries. There is a lesson to be taught, regardless of what day and age we are living in. Whoever reads Dickens, young or old, should take away at least one valuable lesson from him. 

Dickens' legacy is seen everywhere; we see it in our dictionaries, in well-loved movies, in statues, in museums, and even in the term Dickensian. (meaning: of or reminiscent of the novels of Charles Dickens, especially in suggesting the poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters that they portray).  All remember his lovable, (and even the not-so-lovable), characters.

(I look forward to reading more of his books; I received a Charles Dickens book set for Christmas and diving further into the meanings encrypted in his writings. 😉 )

Dickens’ came and went, as did many other authors before him, but his mark is forever left on the literary world and continues to enthrall and entice readers even to this day. 

What is YOUR favorite Dickens novel? Drop it in the comments below.