Release date is 2022-08-04

The Dickens period -- The boyhood of Dickens -- The youth of Dickens -- "The Pickwick papers" -- The great popularity -- Dickens and America -- Dickens and Christmas -- The time of transition -- Later life and works -- The great Dickens characters -- On the alleged optimism of Dickens -- A note on the future of Dickens.

Tim Lindell, Charlie Howard, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)

"Charles Dickens: A Critical Study" by G. K. Chesterton is a literary criticism written in the early 20th century. This work delves into the life and works of Charles Dickens, reflecting on the social and literary context of the Victorian era. Chesterton examines Dickens' unique contributions to literature, his stylistic approaches, and the cultural significance of his characters and narratives. The opening of the text presents an exploration of the concept of "greatness" in literature, positioning Dickens as a paramount figure of his time. Chesterton discusses the contradictory perceptions of Dickens, noting how he is both revered and critiqued for his overwhelming optimism and exaggerative storytelling. The text sets a foundation for a deeper analysis of Dickens' background, specifically emphasizing the societal changes of the early 19th century and how they shaped his writings, as well as hinting at the biographical intricacies that would be unveiled in later chapters. Overall, the beginning establishes an engaging framework for understanding Dickens as both a man and a literary genius within the context of his time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: United States: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1911