Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author extraordinaire, remains among the
most popular Victorian era novelists. Often written in serialized form, his
novels are known for cliffhanger
scenes, powerful characters, and themes of social reform. A Tale
of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Oliver Twist are three of his most famous works. These novels
show up frequently on school reading
lists throughout the country and throughout the world. In fact, Dickens’s work
has remained so popular that it has never gone out of print!
Dickens’s childhood spanned the gamut of both privilege and
poverty. These childhood experiences plus his photographic memory lend
poignant credence to many of the scenes in his novels and short stories.
Dickens’s writing career began when he worked as a junior clerk in a
law office. He later began to work as a freelance political
reporter. His first novel, The Pickwick Papers, was directly
influenced by his exposure to the political world and was published
in 1836.
Unlike many authors, Dickens enjoyed the fruits of his success during his
lifetime. He was married with ten children, and he made several trips,
including two to North America and several around Europe. His later
life was punctuated by a separation from his wife, a longtime
association with another woman, and a railroad crash that deeply
affected him.
Though Charles Dickens is a household name recognized the world
over, what many people do not know is that he suffered from asthma
for his entire life. In David Copperfield, Dickens’s biographical novel,
the character Mr. Omer suffers from asthma. This character depicts
Dickens’s own struggle with “chest trouble.” There is also mention of asthma and hay fever like symptoms
in House Words. At that time, opium was prescribed
medicinally for his asthma and the drug was the only thing that offered the
author relief from his respiratory problems. But by being incorporated into his work, asthma not only shaped Charles Dickens's life
but also his creativity.
One can only imagine how the author would have been affected by today's environmental control and allergen avoidance methods. Dickens
would have greatly benefited from
allergy relief bedding,
allergy masks,
allergy relief cleaning products, and modern
asthma treatments. He could have
controlled his environment better with a quality
air purifier, a HEPA
vacuum cleaner, a
dehumidifier, or a
humidifier. He might have improved his
quality of life and his lifespan with these innovations. Dickens could have doubled the number of novels he was able to finish in his career!
|
