Charles Dickens' Hard Times
There are a huge variety of characters in Hard Times, ranging from the
good to the unnaturally cruel. The novel is full of extremity in its
characterisation; cruel, bitter and selfish characters such as Mrs.
Sparsit contrast dramatically with characters such as Stephen
Blackpool and Rachael, who are benevolent and altruistic. Among the
cruellest and most villainous characters in the novel is James
Harthouse, who is completely ammoral, and therefore rendered very
dangerous by Dickens. Josiah Bounderby, is another particularly cruel
character. He is utterly self-centred and prejudiced against the
working-class of the novel (he categorizes them all as being greedy
and materialistic:
"You [Stephen] don't expect to be set up in a coach and
six, and to be fed on turtle soup and venison, with a
gold spoon as a good many of 'em do!")
Bounderby is almost a caricature and is satirised by Dickens for his
constant emphasizing of his climb to success, after supposedly
beginning his life in a ditch. Both Bounderby and Harthouse contrast
with the honourable characters of the novel, who are venerated by
Dickens.
Stephen Blackpool is the character who, it could be argued appears
'too good to be true'. We are initially introduced to Stephen as being
someone who has had a hard, unfair life. A representation of the
working-class known collectively as the 'Hands', Stephen has suffered
a life of hardship, both in his work and in his marriage to an
unfaithful drunkard. It is somewhat shocking then, when we first meet
Stephen, that he is immediately portrayed as a kind, complacent man,
who seems to show no hostility towards Mr. Bounberby or resentment
towards the social system which has de...
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..., who is clearly reluctant,
has been forced into a marriage by the expectations of the same society.
Some characters in the novel are often sentimentalized and therefore
sometimes do not seem believable. However, the novel is ultimately a
satirical one, which is meant to make a point, and it is perhaps
therefore more fitting that the 'good' characters are slightly
exaggerated, in order to emphasize the dishonourable characteristics
of people such as Harthouse. They are a kind of rebellion against the
monotony of the utilitarian system, and Dickens uses them as an
example. He uses Stephen in particular to promote character and
integrity over learning. The good characters are not necessarily meant
to be a naturalistic rendition of human personalities, but are instead
use to provide the novel with interest in the form of contrasting
attitudes and beliefs.
Dickens used his characters to convey his thoughts of human nature - good and bad. Dickens believed if he could present both sides of humanity to the public, people would try to better themselves. Dickens hated the Victorian society in which he was bound, and he turned to the pen to alter his bete noire.
The contemporary reviewers of Bleak House fall into two categories when discussing its structure. There are those who like it and there are those who do not. More specifically, those who dislike the novel’s construction complain of the absence of plot and lack of connection between characters and their actions. Opposing this view are the reviewers who find the characters in Bleak House remarkably intertwined in the story, especially since it was written as a series for a literary magazine.
The French Revolution can best be described by Dickens in the opening phrase of his novel A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” (Dickens 1). A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens in 1859, takes place in London and Paris during the French Revolution. The book tells the story of a circle of people living and fighting during this dangerous time. These characters include Dr. Manette, a doctor and prisoner of the Bastille for eighteen years who is just reunited with his lovable daughter, Lucie, for the first time since his imprisonment. Mr. Lorry is a banker and family friend of the Manette’s and Charles Darnay is a kind, generous man with a corrupt, noble family who marries Lucie. The Defarges are a married couple who lead the peasants’ revolt in the Revolution, and Sydney Carton is a lawyer’s assistant with a seemingly wasted life, but finds his life’s worth in the end. From these characters and this story, the theme of sacrifice is well displayed, especially the sacrifice for loved ones. The book shows us that love overcomes evil every time through the sacrifices of Miss Pross, Dr. Manette, and Sydney Carton.
Another man - we are not told who the man is or why he is present, are
Charles Dickens Pip’s character’s importance to the plot of the novel “Great Expectations” is paramount. Charles Dickens uses an ongoing theme over the course of this novel. Dickens creates Pip to be a possible prototype of his own and his father’s life. Pip’s qualities are kept under wraps because the changes in him are more important than his general personality. Dickens created Pip to be a normal everyday person that goes through many changes, which allows a normal reader to relate and feel sympathetic towards Pip.
doesn't see why she had to take him in and "bring him up by hand", she
One way Dickens portrays a good and evil character contrast is with Sydney Carton and John Barsad. Carton being the good and Barsad the evil. For instance, when Carton tells Lucie he would "do anything for her" it is a promise that he keeps until the end. Carton is a very trustworthy man and would do anything for someone he cares about. Anything including giving up his own life. Barsad, on the other hand, is a spy that doesn't care what he does or whom he hurts. Barsad is definitely not trustworthy for the simple fact that he has dedicated his life to deception. Also, he would do anything to save his own life. This is one way that Dicken's contrasts good and evil using characters.
In Bleak House, by Charles Dickens, Mr. Vholes is Richard Carstone’s legal advisor. Introduced to Richard by Mr. Skimpole, Vholes encourages and assists Richard as he attempts to unravel the mysteries of the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Chancery. Vholes, however, may not have the best intentions. Through descriptions of his gloomy physical appearance, suspicious actions, and unfortunate connections to English law, Dickens paints a vivid image of Mr. Vholes—a man who cannot be trusted. Vholes, therefore, is made up of multiple layers; as each layer peels away, the reader understands a little bit more of this secretive man. Surprisingly, Mr. Vholes is seen as more and more evil as readers journey to the center of his being.
both positive and negative traits that they hold. Sydney Carton in Charles Dickens’ A Tale
When considering representation, the ways in which the authors choose to portray their characters can have a great impact on their accessibility. A firm character basis is the foundation for any believable novel. It is arguable that for an allegorical novel - in which Hard Times takes its structure, Dickens uses an unusually complex character basis. The characters in Hard Times combine both the simplistic characteristics of a character developed for allegorical purposes, as well as the concise qualities of ‘real’ people (McLucas, 1995). These characters are portrayed to think and feel like we as readers do and react to their situations in the same way that most of us would. Such attributes are what give the characters life and allow us to relate to their decisions.
Our Mutual Friend, Dickens' last novel, exposes the reality Dickens is surrounded by in his life in Victorian England. The novel heavily displays the corruption of society through multiple examples. These examples, that are planted within the novel, relate to both the society in Dickens' writing and his reality. In order to properly portray the fraud taking place within his novels, Dickens' uses morality in his universe to compare to the reality of society. He repetitively references to the change of mind and soul for both the better and the worst. He speaks of the change of heart when poisoned by wealth, and he connects this disease to the balance of the rich and the poor. This is another major factor to novel, where the plot is surrounded by a social hierarchy that condemns the poor to a life of misery, and yet, condones any action that would normally be seen as immoral when it occurs in the aristocracy. It expands on the idea that only an education and inheritance will bring success in society, with few exceptions. Lastly, Dickens expands his opinions of society through his mockery of ...
Stephen Blackpool represented the most abundant and least represented caste in industrial England, the lower class (also called the hands) in Charles Dickens' novel. Stephen was an honest, hard-working man who came to much trouble in the novel, often because of his class. He came to Mr. Bounderby one day seeking a divorce from his alcoholic and runaway wife who did nothing but drink his earnings away. When he asked about if there were any laws that could separate them, Mr. Bounderby replied that there was but "it's not for you at all. It costs money. It costs a mint of money" (70). Later, Stephen was framed for the robbery of a bank, in part because of his class. Young Tom Gradgrind made it appear that Mr. Black...
The novel, Great Expectations, presents the story of a young boy growing up and becoming a
In Hard Times Charles Dickens portrays Louisa Gradgrind as a realistic character who faces conflict from the start of her life. Louisa encounters three major psychological conflicts in the form of three different men: Mr. Gradgrind, Mr. Bounderby, and Tom Gradgrind. Men play a very important role in the shaping of Louisa's life. Instead of being her own person and expressing her own feelings, Louisa falls under the realm of these three men.
Hard Times – Charles Dickens ‘Discuss the theme of education in Hard Times’ Charles Dickens was a great author of the 19th Century and his books are recognised and loved nation wide. Many people understand the meaning to his books, as they are not just plain fiction. In the novel Hard Times Dickens intensely criticises the British system of education and how it has evolved over the years: the 19th Century philosophy of ‘Utilitarianism’. Dickens believed this system was a failure, as it changed children’s minds and morals, and it is this novel that he attempts to show the horrors that this system has created. A principle was formed by Jeremy Bentham, the eighteenth century