Charles Dickens Quotes

Powerful Charles Dickens for Daily Growth

About Charles Dickens

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870), one of the most celebrated English authors in literary history, was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. His humble beginnings significantly influenced his later writings as he grew up under the financial hardships and strained family life that would serve as inspiration for some of his most iconic works. Dickens' father was a clerk by trade but spent money recklessly, leading to multiple debtor's prison sentences. At just 12 years old, Charles was obligated to leave school and work in a factory to help support his family. Although he detested this experience, it undoubtedly shaped his perspective on the harsh realities of working-class life in Victorian England. Dickens found solace in reading, quickly becoming an avid consumer of books and newspapers. At 15, he secured a position as an apprentice at Warren's Blacking Factory, but after three months, his employer allowed him to leave to pursue a career as a clerk for a law firm. The harsh conditions he endured in the factory remained seared into his memory, providing inspiration for novels such as "Oliver Twist" and "David Copperfield." In 1836, Dickens published his first work, Sketches by Boz, which gained popularity among readers. However, it was A Christmas Carol in 1843 that truly catapulted him to fame. This heartwarming tale of redemption and the spirit of Christmas continues to be celebrated worldwide today. Dickens' subsequent works like Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, Bleak House, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities cemented his place as a literary titan, shedding light on social injustices and immortalizing his vivid characters in the annals of literature. Dickens married Catherine Hogarth in 1836, with whom he had ten children. He remained deeply devoted to his family throughout his life. Tragically, Catherine's health began to deteriorate in the late 1850s, leading to her death in 1858. Dickens never remarried but continued to write prolifically until his own untimely demise in 1870 at the age of 58. Today, Charles Dickens stands as one of English literature's greatest champions, whose profound impact on society and storytelling still resonates more than a century and a half later.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." - A Tale of Two Cities

This quote by Charles Dickens from "A Tale of Two Cities" reflects a period that embodies great contrasts, a time when life held remarkable promise and unparalleled hardship simultaneously. It suggests an era where revolutionary ideas were being born while society was experiencing turmoil, a moment in history where hope and despair coexisted, offering both opportunity and adversity. In essence, Dickens is portraying the paradoxical nature of life itself, as it often presents us with the best and worst aspects all at once.


"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for another." - Little Dorrit

This quote from Charles Dickins' "Little Dorrit" suggests that no individual lacks value if they help to alleviate the struggles or burdens of others. In essence, it underscores the importance of empathy, kindness, and acts of service in our interconnected world. By lifting the load of another person, we contribute significantly to creating a more compassionate society.


"We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be." - David Copperfield

This quote emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and self-reflection. It suggests that each individual has an inner guide, their intuition or conscience, which is more reliable than external advice. To listen to oneself, understand one's thoughts, feelings, and motivations, can lead to making wiser decisions and living a more authentic life. In essence, Charles Dickens encourages us to trust our own judgment and instincts, as we are our best compass in life.


"It's a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world but self-denial." - Bleak House

In this quote from Charles Dickens' "Bleak House," he suggests that life's hardships, such as disease and sorrow, carry a lesson of selflessness or self-denial. It implies that people should rise above their personal suffering to help others and contribute to the greater good. The notion is that life balances itself through the act of selfless behavior in challenging times. This aligns with Dickens' overall message of empathy, compassion, and the importance of community during difficult periods.


"There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast." - A Tale of Two Cities

This quote by Charles Dickens emphasizes that in the presence of adversity or darkness, the brightness and importance of hope, positivity, and progress shine even more vividly. It suggests that while there are challenging times on Earth, these struggles serve to highlight and make more impactful the strength, resilience, and progress we as a society can achieve.


'Tis love that makes the world go round, my baby.

- Charles Dickens

Love, World, Makes, Round

To conceal anything from those to whom I am attached, is not in my nature. I can never close my lips where I have opened my heart.

- Charles Dickens

Nature, Conceal, Opened, Attached

I have known a vast quantity of nonsense talked about bad men not looking you in the face. Don't trust that conventional idea. Dishonesty will stare honesty out of countenance any day in the week, if there is anything to be got by it.

- Charles Dickens

Trust, Week, Bad, Dishonesty

Papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes and prism, are all very good words for the lips.

- Charles Dickens

Lips, Very, Good Words, Poultry

The age of chivalry is past. Bores have succeeded to dragons.

- Charles Dickens

Age, Past, Bores, Chivalry

It's my old girl that advises. She has the head. But I never own to it before her. Discipline must be maintained.

- Charles Dickens

Own, Old, Before, Advise

There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.

- Charles Dickens

Strength, Stronger, Earth, Shadows

Christmas time! That man must be a misanthrope indeed, in whose breast something like a jovial feeling is not roused - in whose mind some pleasant associations are not awakened - by the recurrence of Christmas.

- Charles Dickens

Mind, Some, Associations, Recurrence

The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this: that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists.

- Charles Dickens

Before, Constructed, Created, Creation

I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.

- Charles Dickens

Habits, Could, Subject, Diligence

When a man bleeds inwardly, it is a dangerous thing for himself; but when he laughs inwardly, it bodes no good to other people.

- Charles Dickens

Dangerous, Other, Inwardly, Bleeds

It opens the lungs, washes the countenance, exercises the eyes, and softens down the temper; so cry away.

- Charles Dickens

Temper, Away, Exercises, Opens

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

- Charles Dickens

Winter, Shade, Shines, Sun Shines

Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.

- Charles Dickens

Strong, Spoke, Answered, Magician

Vices are sometimes only virtues carried to excess!

- Charles Dickens

Sometimes, Excess, Carried, Vices

It is a melancholy truth that even great men have their poor relations.

- Charles Dickens

Truth, Poor, Even, Melancholy

Renunciation remains sorrow, though a sorrow borne willingly.

- Charles Dickens

Renunciation, Though, Borne, Willingly

He had but one eye and the pocket of prejudice runs in favor of two.

- Charles Dickens

Eye, Prejudice, Favor, Runs

Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own; and from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, it is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress.

- Charles Dickens

Nature, Succession, Some, Season

Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship; and pass the rosy wine.

- Charles Dickens

Friendship, Fan, Pass, Wing

A person who can't pay gets another person who can't pay to guarantee that he can pay. Like a person with two wooden legs getting another person with two wooden legs to guarantee that he has got two natural legs. It don't make either of them able to do a walking-match.

- Charles Dickens

Natural, Like, Another, Wooden

There are not a few among the disciples of charity who require, in their vocation, scarcely less excitement than the votaries of pleasure in theirs.

- Charles Dickens

Pleasure, Less, Require, Disciples

Bring in the bottled lightning, a clean tumbler, and a corkscrew.

- Charles Dickens

Clean, Lightning, Bring, Bottled

Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you've conquered human nature.

- Charles Dickens

Nature, Conquered, Appetites, Subdue

Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do it well; whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself completely; in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.

- Charles Dickens

Great, Small, Always, All My Heart

I know I do not exaggerate, unconsciously and unintentionally, the scantiness of my resources and the difficulty of my life... I know that, but for the mercy of God, I might easily have been, for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a vagabond.

- Charles Dickens

My Life, Been, Might, Robber

If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.

- Charles Dickens

Lawyers, Bad, Would, Bad People

Send forth the child and childish man together, and blush for the pride that libels our own old happy state, and gives its title to an ugly and distorted image.

- Charles Dickens

Own, Old, Image, Send

You don't carry in your countenance a letter of recommendation.

- Charles Dickens

Carry, Letter, Your, Recommendation

Dignity, and even holiness too, sometimes, are more questions of coat and waistcoat than some people imagine.

- Charles Dickens

More, Some, Imagine, Holiness

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