Charles Dickens - Christopher Martin

Each title in this series aims to give an introduction to a wide variety of writers in the English language. By examining a writer's life and writing career, each book will help students understand the context in which the works they study were written. In addition, the books provide some guidance towards critical understanding of those major texts which students are most likely to encounter. By using extensive quotations, carefully chosen illustrations and clearly presented critical analyses, this series should prove to be an aid to GCSE English.;This book provides a detailed survey of Charles Dickens' life and works. He was immensely popular in his own time as a humorist, satirist and creator of character. In our century he is respected as a powerful and subtle novelist, who explores human character and modern urban society with formidable understanding. Dickens' essays show him to be a social critic with penetrating insight into the ugly social problems of the Victorian era. This book describes the varied and fascinating experience of a famous literary figure of his time, and helps to bring Dickens' work to life for modern readers.