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Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the 20th century, critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories are still widely read today.

Born in Portsmouth, Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed readings extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens's literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers. Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, famous for his humour, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His novels, most published in monthly or weekly instalments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication. Cliffhanger endings in his serial publications kept readers in suspense. The instalment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience's reaction, and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback. For example, when his wife's chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher in David Copperfield seemed to reflect her disabilities, Dickens improved the character with positive features. His plots were carefully constructed, and he often wove elements from topical events into his narratives. Masses of the illiterate poor chipped in ha'pennies to have each new monthly episode read to them, opening up and inspiring a new class of readers.

His 1843 novella A Christmas Carol remains especially popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities (set in London and Paris) is his best-known work of historical fiction. The most famous celebrity of his era, public demand saw him undertake a series of public reading tours in the later part of his career. Dickens has been praised by many of his fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell, G. K. Chesterton, and Tom Wolfe—for his realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. However, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of sentimentalism.

The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

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Den stenrige Harmon er død, og efterlader sig vældige bjerge af det affald, der er grundlaget for hans formue, samt et testamente, ifølge hvilket hans søn John, som fjorten år tidligere efter et brud med faderen er rejst til Sydafrika, arver hovedparten af hans formue, hvis han vender hjem og gifter sig med en ham ubekendt pige, miss Bella Wilfer.

Imidlertid finder man John Harmon druknet i Themsen, tilsyneladende faldet over bord fra det skib, der skulle bringe ham hjem - eller måske myrdet af den mand, der fandt liget, "Gaffer" Hexam, en mand der lever af at udplyndre Themsens lig. Arven fra gamle Harmon overgår derfor til hans mangeårige medhjælper, Nicodemus Boffin, der bl.a. bruger sine nyfundne midler til at adoptere Bella Wilfer, til at ansætte en sekretær, den mystiske John Rokesmith, samt Silas Wegg, som skal lære Boffin at læse, og i øvrigt oplæse forskellige bøger for ham for at højne hans kulturelle niveau, så det tilsvarer hans nyfundne formue.

Rundt om denne grundlæggende handling opbygger Dickens en lang række sidehandlinger, i starten som en bred vifte af forvirrende billeder, der efterhånden blander sig og samles til et hele.

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Trykt sideantal1775 Sider
Udgivelsesdato20 jul. 2009
Udgivet afeBibliotek 1800
Sprogdan
ISBN epub9788779791756