Charles DickensCharles Dickens

Charles Dickens’s WorksCharles Dickens’s Works

Major Novels:Major Novels: The Pickwick Papers (1836–1837) The Pickwick Papers (1836–1837) Oliver Twist (1837–1839) Oliver Twist (1837–1839) Nicholas Nickleby (1838–1839) Nicholas Nickleby (1838–1839) The Old Curiosity Shop (1840–1841) The Old Curiosity Shop (1840–1841) Barnaby Rudge (1841)Barnaby Rudge (1841)

The Christmas books:The Christmas books: A Christmas Carol (1843) A Christmas Carol (1843) The Chimes (1844) The Chimes (1844) The Cricket on the Hearth (1845) The Cricket on the Hearth (1845) The Battle of Life (1846) The Battle of Life (1846) The Haunted Man (1848) The Haunted Man (1848) Martin Chuzzlewit (1843–1844) Martin Chuzzlewit (1843–1844) Dombey and Son (1846–1848) Dombey and Son (1846–1848) David Copperfield (1849–1850) David Copperfield (1849–1850) Bleak House (1852–1853) Bleak House (1852–1853) Hard Times (1854) Hard Times (1854) Little Dorrit (1855–1857) Little Dorrit (1855–1857) A Tale of Two Cities (1859) A Tale of Two Cities (1859) Great Expectations (1860–1861) Great Expectations (1860–1861) Our Mutual Friend (1864–1865) Our Mutual Friend (1864–1865) The Mystery of Edwin Drood (unfinished) (1870) The Mystery of Edwin Drood (unfinished) (1870)

A scene from Oliver Twist, from an A scene from Oliver Twist, from an early 20th Century editionearly 20th Century edition

Selected other books:Selected other books: Sketches by Boz (1836) Sketches by Boz (1836) Master Humphrey's Clock (1840–1841) Master Humphrey's Clock (1840–1841) American Notes (1842) American Notes (1842) Pictures from Italy (1844–1845) Pictures from Italy (1844–1845) The Life of Our Lord (1846, published in The Life of Our Lord (1846, published in

1934) 1934) A Child's History of England (1851–1853) A Child's History of England (1851–1853) The Uncommercial Traveller (1860–1869) The Uncommercial Traveller (1860–1869)

Short stories:Short stories: A Child's Dream of a Star (1850) A Child's Dream of a Star (1850) Captain Murderer Captain Murderer The Christmas stories: The Christmas stories: A Christmas Tree (1850) A Christmas Tree (1850) What Christmas is, as We Grow Older (1851) What Christmas is, as We Grow Older (1851) The Poor Relation's Story (1852) The Poor Relation's Story (1852) The Child's Story (1852) The Child's Story (1852) The Schoolboy's Story (1853) The Schoolboy's Story (1853) Nobody's Story (1853) Nobody's Story (1853) The Seven Poor Travellers (1854) The Seven Poor Travellers (1854)

Short stories:Short stories: The Holly-tree Inn (1855) The Holly-tree Inn (1855) The Wreck of the Golden Mary (1856) The Wreck of the Golden Mary (1856) The Perils of Certain English Prisoners (1857) The Perils of Certain English Prisoners (1857) Going into Society (1858) Going into Society (1858) The Haunted House (1859) The Haunted House (1859) A Message from the Sea (1860) A Message from the Sea (1860) Tom Tiddler's Ground (1861) Tom Tiddler's Ground (1861) Somebody's Luggage (1862) Somebody's Luggage (1862) Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings (1863) Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings (1863) Mrs Lirriper's Legacy (1864)Mrs Lirriper's Legacy (1864)

Short stories:Short stories: Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions (1865) Doctor Marigold's Prescriptions (1865) Mugby Junction (1866) Mugby Junction (1866) No Thoroughfare (1867) No Thoroughfare (1867) George Silverman's Explanation George Silverman's Explanation Holiday Romance Holiday Romance Hunted Down Hunted Down The Lamplighter The Lamplighter The Signal-Man (1866) The Signal-Man (1866) Sunday Under Three Heads Sunday Under Three Heads The Trial for MurderThe Trial for Murder

Dickens Statue in PhiladelphiaDickens Statue in Philadelphia

““Oliver Twist”Oliver Twist”

Main CharactersMain Characters

Oliver: Oliver: the main protagonist, a boy born in a the main protagonist, a boy born in a workhouse.workhouse.

Fagin: a Jew who recruits and trains boys for thievery Fagin: a Jew who recruits and trains boys for thievery Bill Sikes: a violent thief Bill Sikes: a violent thief The Artful Dodger aka Jack Dawkins: one of Fagin's boy pickpockets The Artful Dodger aka Jack Dawkins: one of Fagin's boy pickpockets Charley Bates: another of Fagin's boy pickpockets Charley Bates: another of Fagin's boy pickpockets Nancy: barmaid and Bill's girl Nancy: barmaid and Bill's girl Betsy: a thief of Fagin's and friend of Nancy Betsy: a thief of Fagin's and friend of Nancy Noah Claypole: apprentice to Mr Sowerberry Noah Claypole: apprentice to Mr Sowerberry Mr. Brownlow Mr. Brownlow Monks, aka Edward Leeford: Oliver's half-brother Monks, aka Edward Leeford: Oliver's half-brother Rose Maylie Rose Maylie Mr. Bumble: the parish Beadle Mr. Bumble: the parish Beadle Mr. Sowerberry: an Undertaker who takes Oliver into his service Mr. Sowerberry: an Undertaker who takes Oliver into his service Mrs. Sowerberry Mrs. Sowerberry Charlotte: servant to Mrs Sowerberry Charlotte: servant to Mrs Sowerberry Gamfield: vicious chimney-sweep Gamfield: vicious chimney-sweep Mrs Bedwin: usekeeper to Mr Brownlow Mrs Bedwin: usekeeper to Mr Brownlow Mr Grimwig: n old friend of Mr Brownlow's Mr Grimwig: n old friend of Mr Brownlow's

RecountRecount

One of Dickens’ most enduringly popular stories is Oliver One of Dickens’ most enduringly popular stories is Oliver Twist, an early work published 1837-8. Like many of his Twist, an early work published 1837-8. Like many of his later novels, its central theme is the hardship faced by the later novels, its central theme is the hardship faced by the dispossessed and those of the outside of ‘polite’ society. dispossessed and those of the outside of ‘polite’ society. Oliver himself is born in a workhouse and treated cruelly Oliver himself is born in a workhouse and treated cruelly there as was the norm at the time for pauper children, in there as was the norm at the time for pauper children, in particular by Bumble, a parish council official or ‘beadle’. particular by Bumble, a parish council official or ‘beadle’. The story follows Oliver as he escapes the workhouse and The story follows Oliver as he escapes the workhouse and runs away to London. Here he receives an education in runs away to London. Here he receives an education in villainy from the criminal gang of Fagin that includes the villainy from the criminal gang of Fagin that includes the brutal thief Bill Sikes, the famous ‘Artful Dodger’ and brutal thief Bill Sikes, the famous ‘Artful Dodger’ and Nancy, Bill’s whore. Oliver is rescued by the intervention Nancy, Bill’s whore. Oliver is rescued by the intervention of a benefactor - Mr Brownlow - but the mysterious Monks of a benefactor - Mr Brownlow - but the mysterious Monks gets the gang to kidnap the boy again.gets the gang to kidnap the boy again.

RecountRecount

Nancy intervenes but is murdered viciously by Nancy intervenes but is murdered viciously by Sikes after she has showed some redeeming Sikes after she has showed some redeeming qualities and has discovered Monk’s sinister qualities and has discovered Monk’s sinister intention. The story closes happily and with justice intention. The story closes happily and with justice for Bumble and the cruel Monks who has hidden for Bumble and the cruel Monks who has hidden the truth of Oliver’s parentage out of malice. the truth of Oliver’s parentage out of malice. Accusations were made that the book glamorised Accusations were made that the book glamorised crime (like the ‘Newgate Group’ of the period) but crime (like the ‘Newgate Group’ of the period) but Dickens wisely disassociated himself from criminal Dickens wisely disassociated himself from criminal romances. His achievement was in fact in romances. His achievement was in fact in presenting the underworld and problems of presenting the underworld and problems of poverty to the well-off in a way rarely attempted poverty to the well-off in a way rarely attempted previously.previously.

Charles DickensCharles Dickens