Charles Dickens’ Contribution to Victorian Social Reform Through his Novels

Abstract

Charles Dickens is internationally recognized as a literary genius who created the most memorable characters in English fiction. Though a Victorian, his writings are still of reference to our present time. Dickens was greatly influenced by the Industrial Revelation and its adverse consequences. Hence his main focus was on the social conditions; including inadequate sanitary provisions, child abuse, and other social maladies of the time. In this research, it is attempted to show that Dickens was an influential literary figure, whose contribution to social reform was considerable. His influence is manifest in his novels and the speeches that he delivered during his tours at home and abroad. Though he was an advocate of social reform, he offered no specific solutions. Nevertheless, it was through his great popularity as a writer and novelist that some important legislations were inacted to improve the social conditions and give the working class hope for a better life in Victorian England. The research also underlines the fact that Dickens was an outspoken critic of the Poor Law and its administration, by focusing on the abhorrent conditions under which the poor lived or children were forced into labour. Leaning on his own terrible experience as a labourer child, he fiercely attacked the administration, and expressed his deep repugnance through the characters of his fiction, as reflected by Oliver Twist, and the abuse and exploitation that he suffered as a child. Dickens’ works were a kind of direct appeal to the society to take action against the exploitation of children and oppression of women. In addition to his novels, which he used to fuel social change, Dickens was actively VIII involved in charities which funded schools for the poor and reformation institutions for the prostitutes. The research ultimately concludes with the proclamation that Dickens was not a mere fiction writer. His works were intended to serve the social causes of bringing about reform, and raising people's awareness of the untoward Victorian social conditions and urge the authorities to take measures to improve the situation. This is conveyed through Dickens' powerful depiction of the prevailing conditions. Ultimately, it can be said that Dickens’ writings had influenced the Victorian society and enhanced the call for social reform that England came to witness later on.