Dickens英文簡(jiǎn)介

1、Biography Early Life Early Writing “Dark Novel” Period Later YearsEarly Life Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England.In 1824, His father, John Dickens was sent to prison for debt, Charles was forced to leave school and work in the underground cell of a shoe blacking fact

2、ory.In 1827, he began freelance reporting at the law courts of London. Early Writing In 1836, he published his first book, Sketches by Boz博茲札記. In the same year, Dickens started publishing The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club匹克威克外傳, written as captions for artist Robert Seymours humorous sport

3、s-themed illustrations.In 1837, he started publishing his first novel, Oliver Twist霧都孤兒, which follows the life of an orphan living in the streets. From 1838 to 1841, he published Nicholas Nickleby尼古拉斯 尼克貝, The Old Curiosity Shop老古玩店 and Barnaby Rudge巴納比 拉奇.In 1843, Dickens wrote his novel Martin Ch

4、uzzlewit馬丁 翟樹偉, a story about a mans struggle to survive on the ruthless American frontier. Early Writing From 1843 to 1845, Dickens published his Christmas stories, which includes A Christmas Carol圣誕頌歌, The Chimes, and The Cricket on the Hearth.In 1846, after Dickens had toured the United States on

5、ce, over the next two years he published his next novel, Dombey and Son董貝父子. From 1849 to 1850, Dickens worked on David Copperfield大衛(wèi) 科波菲爾. In writing it, Dickens tapped into his own personal experiences. “Dark Novel” Period In Bleak House荒涼山莊 (published from 1852 to 1853), he deals with the hypocri

6、sy of British society. It was considered his most complex novel to date. Hard Times艱難時(shí)世 (published in 1854) takes place in an industrial town at the peak of economic expansion. In it, Dickens focuses on the shortcomings of employers as well as those who seek change. Also among Dickens darker novels

7、is Little Dorrit小杜麗 (published in 1857), a fictional study of how human values come in conflict with the worlds brutality.Later Years Coming out of his “Dark Novel” period, in 1859 Dickens published A Tale of Two Cities雙城記, a historical novel that takes place during the French Revolution. His next n

8、ovel, Great Expectations遠(yuǎn)大前程 (1860-1861), focuses on the protagonists lifelong journey of moral development. It is widely considered his greatest literary accomplishment. A few years later, Dickens produced Our Mutual Friend我們共同的朋友 (1865), a novel that analyzes the psychological impact of wealth on

9、London society.On June 9, 1870, Dickens died at his country home in Kent, England. At the time of Dickenss death, his final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood埃德溫 德魯?shù)轮i, was left unfinished. Dombey and Son 董貝父子Background London in 1840s the first Industrial Revolution construction of the railroad capi

10、talistMain characters Mr. DombeyEdith GrangerFlorenceDombeyPaul DombeyJames Carker Fanny DombeyWalter GayPlot The first part begins with the birth of Little Paul and ends with his tragic death. The second part describes the grief of Dombey owing to the loss of his heir and his second marriage which

11、aims at having another heir. The third part is about his second disharmonious marriage, causing the elopement of his second Mrs Dombey. The fourth part narrates the collapse of both Dombeys spirit and his company. With Florences love and comfort, he recovers his human nature.Theme arranged marriages

12、 for financial gain family relationships including child cruelty pride and arrogance Bleak House 荒涼山莊 Background Acton Miser. Jennens v Jennens (17981915) Jarndyce v JarndyceMain characters Esther SummersonMr. TulkinghornCaptain Hawdon(Nemo)Sir DedlockAda ClareDr. Woodcourt Lady DedlockRichard Carst

13、oneJohn JarndyceMiss BarbaryMr. VholesBucketPlot Tragedy of Lady Dedlock Life experience of Esther Summerson Development of the lawsuit Plot Development of the lawsuit As a beneficiary, Richard, having failed at several professions, tempted by Mr. Vholes, wastes resources in pushing the case to conc

14、lusion to gain that fortune. He ignores his guardians advice, even marrys Ada secretly in defiance to him. The result is that the money is used up to pay for the costs of the lawsuit and his health breaks down. At last, Richard regrets deeply and apologizes to John. He leaves Ada and their child, wh

15、o then live togther with the guardian.Theme vigorous attack on the abuse of the High Court of Chancery, especially whose delays and costs Characters (Dickensian character) Autobiographical elements Social commentary Literary techniques Characters1. Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, Bob Cratc

16、hit, Oliver Twist, Pip, Miss Havisham, Sydney Carton,Charles Darnay, David Copperfield,etc.2. Most of dickenss characters were often so memorable that they took on a life of their own outside his books. Eg. Gamp umbrella （戲謔語）(大)傘 Pickwickian, quixotic 不切實(shí)際的 Pecksniffian hypocritical 偽善的 Gradgrind v

17、apidly factual 指只講實(shí)惠的人3. Many of the characters were drawn from real life Eg. Mrs Nickleby in Nicholas Nickleby is based on his mother. Harold Skimpole in Bleak House is based on James Henry Leigh Hunt,his wifes chiropodist足科醫(yī)生. miser吝嗇鬼Virginia Woolf: we remodel our psychological geography when we

18、read Dickens as he produces characters who exist not in detail, not exactly,but abundantly in a cluster of wild yet extraordinarily revealing remarks. Autobiographical elements Eg. The scenes of interminable court cases and legal arguments in Bleak House Dickenss experiences as a law clerk and court

19、 reporter Dickenss father was sent to prison for debt life in the Marshalsea prison in Little Dorrit Social commentary He was a fierce critic of the poverty and social stratification of Victorian society. His satires of British aristocratic snobbery are popular. His literary style is also a mixture fantasy and realism. Literary techniques Charles Dickens belongs to the tradition of the sentimental novel . Eg.D