查尔斯狄更斯简介Dickens Intro

[e-mail]learnfromDickensandhiswork?Howcanweapplywhatwelearntoourlivestoday?Viewthenext7slidesthenpredictthesetting(timeandlocation)inwhichDickenslived.DickensHouseMuseumCitystreets—people&placesDickenslivedduringaperiodofcontradictions.childlaborDickens—hislifeandworksCharlesDickens“Dickens’greatestfriendshipwas,fromthebeginning,withhisaudience.”Englishliterature,hiscreativityisrivaledonlybyShakespeare's.”“InallofHowdidDickensinfluenceVictorianandmodernChristmastraditions?“..itwastheChristmasstoriesofDickensthatrekindledthejoyofChristmasinBritainandAmerica.”“IhaveendeavouredinthisGhostlylittlebook….toraisetheGhostofanIdea…Mayithaunttheirhousespleasantly,Andnoonewishtolayitdown.”CharlesDickensAChristmasCarolContext•Inthemiddle19thcentury,anostalgicinterestinpre-CromwellChristmastraditionssweptVictorianEnglandfollowingthepublicationsofDaviesGilbert'sSomeAncientChristmasCarols(1822),WilliamB.Sandys'sSelectionofChristmasCarols,AncientandModern(1833),andThomasK.Hervey'sTheBookofChristmas(1837).ThatinterestwasfurtherstimulatedbyPrinceAlbert'sintroductionoftheChristmastreein1841,thefirstChristmascardin1843,andarevivalincarolsinging.Hervey'sstudyonChristmascustomsattributedtheirpassingtosocialchangeandtheurbanizationofEngland.•Dickens'CarolwasoneofthegreatestinfluencesinrejuvenatingtheoldChristmastraditionsofEngland,but,whileitbringstothereaderimagesoflight,joy,warmth,andlifeitalsobringsstrongandunforgettableimagesofdarkness,despair,coldness,sadnessanddeath.Scroogehimselfistheembodimentofwinter,and,justaswinterisfollowedbyspringandtherenewaloflife,sotooisScrooge'scold,pinchedheartrestoredtotheinnocentgoodwillhehadknowninhischildhoodandyouth.Sources•DickenswasnotthefirstauthortocelebratetheChristmasseasoninliterature,butitwashewhosuperimposedhissecularvisionoftheholidayuponthepublic.TheforcesthatimpelledDickenstocreateapowerful,impressive,andenduringtaleweretheprofoundlyhumiliatingexperiencesofhischildhood,theplightofthepoorandtheirchildrenduringtheboomdecadesofthe1830sand1840s,WashingtonIrving'sstoriesofthetraditionaloldEnglishChristmas,fairytalesandnurserystories,aswellassatiricalessaysandreligioustracts.•WhileDickens'humiliatingchildhoodexperiencesarenotdirectlydescribedinAChristmasCarol,hisconflictingfeelingsforhisfatherasaresultofthoseexperiencesareprincipallyresponsibleforthedualpersonalityofthetale'sprotagonist,EbenezerScrooge.In1824,Dickens'fatherwasimprisonedintheMarshalseaandtwelve-year-oldCharleswasforcedtotakelodgingsnearby,pawnhiscollectionofbooks,leaveschool,andacceptemploymentinablackingfactory.Theboyhadadeepsenseofclassandintellectualsuperiorityandwasentirelyuncomfortableinthepresenceoffactoryworkerswhoreferredtohimastheyounggentleman.Hedevelopednervousfits.•Whenhisfatherwasreleasedattheendofathree-monthstint,youngDickenswasforcedtocontinueworkinginthefactory,whichonlygrievedandhumiliatedhimfurther.Hedespairedofeverrecoveringhisformerhappylife.Thedevastatingimpactoftheperiodwoundedhimpsychologically,colouredhiswork,andhauntedhisentirelifewithdisturbingmemories.Dickensbothlovedanddemonizedhisfather,anditwasthispsychologicalconflictthatwasresponsibleforthetworadicallydifferentScroogesinthetale–oneScrooge,acold,stingy,andgreedysemi-recluse,andtheotherScrooge,abenevolent,sociablemanwhosegenerosityandgoodwilltowardallmenearnforhimanear-saintlyreputation.ItwasduringthisterribleperiodinDickens'childhoodthatheobservedthelivesofthemen,women,andchildreninthemostimpoverishedareasofLondonandwitnessedthesocialinjusticestheysuffered.Plot•Dickensdividesthebookintofivechapters,whichhelabelsstaves,thatis,(song)stanzasinkeepingwiththetitleofthebook(heusesasimilardeviceinhisnexttwoChristmasbooks,titlingthefourdivisionsofTheChimes,quarters,afterthequarter-hourtollingofclockchimes,andnamingthepartsofTheCricketontheHearthchirps).•ThetalebeginsonChristmasEve,exactlysevenyearsafterthedeathofEbenezerScrooge'sbusinesspartner,JacobMarley.Scroogeisestablishedwithinthefirststaveasagreedyandstingybusinessman,whohasnoplaceinhislifeforkindness,compassion,charityorbenevolence.AfterbeingwarnedbyMarley'sghosttochangehisways(sothathemayavoidamiserableafterlifelikehim),Scroogeisvisitedbythreeadditionalghosts;eachinitsturn,andeachvisitationdetailedinaseparatestave,whoaccompanyhimtovarioussceneswiththehopeofachievinghistransformation.•Thefirstofthespirits,theGhostofChristmasPast,takesScroogetothescenesofhisboyhoodandyouth,whichstirtheoldmiser'sgentleandtendersidebyremindinghimofatimewhenhewasmoreinnocent.•Thesecondspirit,theGhostofChristmasPresent,takesScroogetoseveralradicallydifferingscenes(ajoy-filledmarketofpeoplebuyingthemakingsofChristmasdinner,thefamilyfeastofScrooge'snear-impoverishedclerkBobCratchit,aminer'scottage,andalighthouse,amongothersites)inordertoevincefromthemiserasenseofresponsibilityforhisfellowman.•Thethirdspirit,theGhostofChristmasYettoCome,harrowsScroogewithdirevisionsofthefutureifhedoesnotlearnandactuponwhathehaswitnessed.Scrooge'sownneglectedanduntendedgrave