Charles Dickens must surely be the greatest novelist of the Victorian era.
But he more than just a writer - he was a fierce critic of the social problems of 19th century England and his highlighting of the injustice of child labour led to much needed reforms.
He took delight in poking fun at ineffectual self-serving government departments and the rigid class system with all of its associated greed and moral compromise, whilst telling cracking good stories with memorable characters. He enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, becoming one of the first literary superstars… complete with his own merchandise
Oh yes… he was also the man who invented Christmas.
But for all his good deeds, charity work and uplifting moral tales, he was also a man with secrets.
In this biographical documentary Prof Yorston looks into the secrets that Charles Dickens’ tried so hard to keep hidden.
Finding Out More
If you want to find out more about Charles Dickens, there are lots of good biographies – but with new information emerging all the time, as previously unknown letters are discovered, I would recommend something recent – the one I used most for this video was Claire Tomalin’s Charles Dickens – A Life. I have listed this and some others on my Amazon Store Page. https://www.amazon.com/shop/professorgraemeyorston
Academic References
Dickson, M. (2020). Dickens's nightmare: dreams, memory and trauma. Interface Focus, 10(3), 20190076.
Kim, K. J. (2024). Writing to Control the Narrative: Charles Dickens, PTSD, and the Staplehurst Rail Crash. Dickens Quarterly, 41(2), 249-270.
Larner, A. J. (2012). Charles Dickens (1812–1870) and epilepsy. Epilepsy and Behavior, 24(4), 422-425.
Parker, D. (1996). Dickens and the Death of Mary Hogarth. Dickens Quarterly, 13(2), 67-75.
Copyright Disclaimer
The primary purpose of this video is educational. I have tried to use material in the public domain or with Creative Commons Non-attribution licences wherever possible. Where attribution is required, I have listed this below. I believe that any copyright material used falls under the remit of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this, I will not hesitate to immediately remove that content. It is not my intention to infringe on content ownership in any way. If you happen to find your art or images in the video, please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.
Images
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Wellcome Collection
Internet Archive
Music
In the bleak midwinter: Shane Hennessy CC Attribution
Silent night: Gondwana Choirs CC Attribution
College Horpipe - Kildwyke CC3.0
JS Bach: Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring (Piano Performance by eldüendesüarez) CC4.0
Christmas Village Aaron Kenny CC0
Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "L'inverno" (Winter) John Harrison, Violin. Wichita State University Chamber Players, Robert Turizziani, Conductor.
Missing persons Jeremy Blake CC0
Hand in the Dark Underbelly and Ty Mayer CC0
The Sax of Ancient Terror Jimena Contreras CC0
Gabriel Fauré- Élégie pour violoncelle et orchestre, Op. 24, Hans Goldstein, cello and Eli Kalman, piano CC2.0
Fauré - Requiem - VII. In paradisum: Orchestre National de l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo Louis Frémaux Chorale Philippe Caillard Public domain
Anton Reicha - Wind Quintet Op. 88 No. 3 in G major - 2. Andante The Soni Ventorum with Marshall Winslow. CC2.0
Mozart Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545, Movement 1. Bernd Krueger CC3.0
Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor. Author Roxana Pavel Goldstein (violin), Elias Goldstein (viola), Stephen Balderston (cello), and Mathew Ganong (piano). CC2.0
Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1 Florence Robineau CC3.0
Mozart String Quartet No. 15 In C Major "Les Dissonances" K465. Quatuor Mosaïques CC0
Chopin: Prélude op. 28 n° 4 - Dorian Pâquet CC4.0
Claude-Paul Taffanel: Andante Pastoral et Scherzettino. Alex Murray (flute) and Martha Goldstein (piano) CC2.0
Arabian Epic music - World Music official – CC3.0
Louis Moreau Gottschalk - Le Bananier Public domain
Ludwig van Beethoven - Octet The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet CC2.0
Claude Paul Taffanel - Wind Quintet in G minor -Andante -The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet CC2.0
Video edited by Manavi Sakunika and produced by Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston