Charles Dickens as social novelists

letteratura inglese

Charles Dickens as social novelists.

Charles Dickens, from the observation of the gloomy suburbs of the industrial towns, of the dreary life led by the poor and the pitiful conditions of the workers in the factories 151d34b , he came to realistically portray the Victorian society and to urge social reforms. (humanitarism and philantropic feelings).

So, the most striking theme in Victorian fiction is class, that is the problem of relationship among social classes, the desire to rise and the fear of falling down the social ladder (social climbing, rat-race competition)), but also the problems brought about by exploitation of labour and corruption, by capitalistic and utilitarian means or inadequacy in the social  services. The social matters usually focused on the relationship between the individual and society, whereas this relationship had both bad sides and good ones. So, the main character's journey is often between this two poles.

In the novels "David Copperfield" and "Oliver Twist", dickens attacks one or more social evils: debtor's prisons, workhouses, repressive education, capital punishment and conformism masked by religion and justice.

In all these novels, the greatest victims are the children either individually or in groups, often ill-treated, exploited in the hardest jobs (mining, textile industry), starved and beaten to death. Another important topic is his criticism of the top role of money in the Victorian materialistic society.

"David Copperfield" drew its inspiration from Dickens's working in a factory ware-house and from his father's imprisonment for debts. Mr and Mrs Micawber were based on his parents and the young David fictionalized ( was the fictious projection) the author himself. The novel is organized to show how David  later become a successful novelist, grows to maturity in the affairs of the world and of the heart and his success as an artist develop out of the lessons he learns from life.