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1851: The Year That Changed Charles Dickens and the World

Jeremy Cook

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In 1851, Charles Dickens was at the height of his career. His novels were bestsellers, and he was one of the most famous writers in the world. But that year, two events occurred that would change his life and the world forever: the Great Exhibition and the death of his father.

The Turning Point: 1851--A Year That Changed Charles Dickens and the World

by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
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The Great Exhibition

The Great Exhibition was a world's fair held in London in 1851. It was the first of its kind, and it attracted over six million visitors from all over the world. The exhibition showcased the latest advances in science, technology, and industry. It was a celebration of the Victorian era's optimism and progress. The Great Exhibition is a key element of the plot of Dickens' Bleak House, which was published in 1853. Dickens was a vocal critic of the Great Exhibition, which he saw as a symbol of the materialism and inequality of the Victorian era.

The Death of Dickens' Father

Dickens' father, John Dickens, died in 1851. John Dickens was a naval clerk who had been imprisoned for debt when Charles was a child. This experience had a profound impact on Dickens, and it shaped his views on poverty and social justice. The death of his father was a great loss for Dickens, and it led to a period of mourning and reflection. Dickens wrote about his father in several of his novels, including David Copperfield and Great Expectations.

Charles Dickens' Father, John Dickens The Turning Point: 1851 A Year That Changed Charles Dickens And The World — Charles Dickens' father, John Dickens, was a naval clerk who died in 1851.

The Impact of 1851 on Dickens

The events of 1851 had a profound impact on Dickens. The Great Exhibition opened his eyes to the world beyond England, and it inspired him to write about the social and economic problems of his time. The death of his father led him to reflect on his own life and on the importance of family and relationships. These experiences helped to shape Dickens into the writer that he became. He became more critical of society and more sympathetic to the poor and oppressed. He also became more interested in exploring the inner lives of his characters.

The year 1851 was a turning point in Dickens' life and career. It was a year of great change and upheaval, but it was also a year of growth and renewal. Dickens emerged from 1851 as a more mature and complex writer, and he went on to write some of his greatest works.

The Turning Point: 1851--A Year That Changed Charles Dickens and the World

by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

4.1 out of 5