Charles Dickens was an English novelist and the preeminent social critic of the Victorian era. He was a literary artist of exuberant characterization who looked beyond the industrial facade, exposing the harsh realities of poverty and systemic injustice. Dickens’s masterpieces often utilize intricate, sprawling plots and satirical humor to champion the oppressed. Infusing his narratives with sentimental power and vivid social urgency, he created a unique atmosphere now termed “Dickensian.” He pioneered the serialized novel format, masterfully using monthly installments to build suspense and engage a broad public. Dickens depicted the London life of his time through rich, atmospheric prose, and he is regarded as the definitive representative of 19th-century social realism.
