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文化背景知识

Dickens: Man and Writer

　　Dickens the man is as interesting as Dickens the writer. He enjoyed life and was a man of action and business in the world as well as a students and write of books. He was endowed wit formidable energies and many talents. He "would have succeeded in almost any profession to which he devoted himself". His influence upon his age was extensive. In the early years of his career, he was the best shorthand reporter on the London press and the best amateur actor on the stage. After great successes as a novelist, he became one of the most successful periodical editors of the time. Necessarily solitary while writing, he was social at other times. He "warmed up the social atmosphere wherever he appeared". His conversation was genial. His conversation was genial. His laugh was brimful of enjoyment. His enthusiasm was boundless. At home he entertained his many friends, most of them authors, journalists, actors and artists. He devoted a lot of time to his enthusiastic search for and generous assistance to young talents. Above all, he was on intimate terms with his readers. "His long love-affair with his reading public, when all is said, is by far the most interesting love-affair of his life." Later, this intimacy took the form of giving public readings from his works, which, continuing right to the end of his life, demonstrated his histrionic talent, gratified his desire to keep close contact with his audience, and exhausted his enormous energies.

Politically and ideologically, Dickens was a Radical. "He saw life from the point of view of the poor of a great city." He showed great concern about social problems, supported all proposals for social reform, advocated an increase of democracy in all spheres of life, and championed the cause of the oppressed. "Dickens maintains an unbroken faith in people with an entire pessimism as to capitalist society." (Jack Lindsay) His political creed was summed up by himself in a famous saying: "My faith in the people governing is, on the whole, infinitesimal; my faith in the people governed is, on the whole, illimitable." His love for the working people is deep and sincere. To him, the greatest literature was literature for the people. He said that