Charles Dickens Исполнитель

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens, one of the greatest and most popular English writers, was born on February 7, 1812, in a small town in England.

Dickens learned to read at an early age and read many books in his childhood. When he was about six, somebody took him to the theatre for the first time. He saw a play by Shakespeare and liked it so much that he decided to write a play of his own. When it was ready, he performed it together with some of his friends.

When Dickens was two years old, his family moved to London. They lived in the suburbs of the capital of England. There were several younger children in the family besides Charles. His family was very poor, and his father spent time in debtor’s prison. Charles attended school off and on, and, at times, worked to help support his family. He wanted to study very much, but he did not finish school.

When he was about fifteen, he often visited the famous library of the British Museum. He spent many hours in the reading room there. He read and studied there and in this way he got his education.

Later, Dickens described parts of his childhood in some of his famous novels, such as “Little Dorrit”, “Nicholas Nickleby”, “Oliver Twist” and “David Copperfield.”

The great writer died more than a hundred years ago, but many people still read his books.

Comprehension Questions

1. What kind of childhood did Charles Dickens have?
2. Why did Dickens write a play when he was a child?
3. Where did Dickens get his education? How?
4. Name some of Dickens’ semi-autobiographical works.

Discussion Questions

1. Compare your childhood with that of Dickens. Is it better or worse? Why?
2. Have you ever written a play? Have you ever performed in a play? If so, what was it like?
3. Have you ever had a job? If so, did you work to help your family or to earn money for yourself?
4. What do the titles of all the books in this selection have in common?